Motivating your yearbook photographers

Motivate your photographers by supplying them with the necessary tools to assist them in creating memorable visual images.

Motivational factors:

• Using photo credits on spreads
• Providing proper photo facilities/software
• Providing necessary camera equipment
• Providing photo credentials to events (if needed)
• Setting reasonable deadlines
• Giving photographers needed input on spread designs
• Making sure photographers have total control of negative/photo files
• Assigning an organized photo chief to coordinate staff’s photo needs
• Making sure photographers have input at staff meetings.

What photographers should ask of staffers:

• Fill out photo assignment sheets for all assignments
• Do not handle negatives or alter established disk filing system
• Handle finished prints properly
• Crop photographs appropriately
• Work with photographers when selecting photographs
• Adequate film/equipment/hardware/software budget

What editors should ask of photographers:

• Adherence to photography budgets
• Proper use of photography facilities and equipment
• Expectation for photographers to learn basic spread design concepts
• Expectation for photographers to meet all reasonable deadlines
• Appropriately filed negatives, prints and disks (if used)
• Provide needed information for captions
• Photographers should keep up on photography trends/technological advancements
• Attendance at photo workshops, if possible