New technology, techniques open world of possibilities in design of keepsakes

By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecitizennews.com

The traditionally posed team shots and senior portraits filling the pages of yesterday's high school yearbooks have been replaced by high tech methods of capturing school memories.

Video and digital cameras plugged into computers now give student editors the creative advantage to design state-of-the-art pages and CDs that capture everything from a track meet to the senior prom.

Nearly 100 students and teacher/advisors met at McIntosh High School last week for a four-day workshop sponsored by International Multimedia to learn from the ground up how to create the perfect yearbook.

“We teach writing, cropping, photography, everything it takes to make a good yearbook,” said IMM's Sandra McCarthy. “We believe in the mentoring process.”

Yearbook staffs from local and metro high schools, plus some from neighboring states, participated in the hands-on seminar, which introduced them to computer programs like Photoshop and Pagemaker, plus CD ROM and video production.

School events that happen late in the year, post yearbook deadline, now can be included on CD ROM, McCarthy said. “It fills the gap,” she said, noting that the add-on price to the book is usually between $5 and $10.

Yearbook covers have also entered the new millennium. “The covers are more contemporary and more colorful,” McCarthy noted.

An example of a timely CD ROM bonus to the yearbook is Fayette County High School's “That was Then... Golden Memories 2000.” Featuring a two-toned tiger, black and white for then and full-color for now, the CD takes the viewer on a fast-paced ride through the school year. Events like the homecoming parade, club activities and video clip of key sporting events are brought to life with the click of the mouse.

Instead of the blank stares forever plastered on the yearbook page, underclassmen are captured in live action on the CD format.

Students involved in the workshop were tutored by IMM's staff and had ample opportunities to try out different approaches and methods for designing eye-catching pages with sparkling writing.