From last year: tips

Always carry a pen and paper. you need first name and last (make the subject spell both, even if you think you know) and grade. every person that might have the slightest chance of getting in the book, you need to know this information.

Always shoot vertical and horizontal.

Always shoot more than you think you need.

Always back up your pictures on your own PERSONAL hard drive. never trust the Lance server, or the people who have access to it.

Always look at the layout of your spreads before shooting. think of what will look good where, and shoot accordingly. 

4-5:  Pictures of lots of people doing the same things in very large groups are always good (Ballin, Hynosis)

6-7: Take good pictures during the summer of what you and your people do, but know people in other groups.

8-9: have link leader friends. Go to the first day of school (which is the day before yours) and shoot the orientation. shoot lots. 

10-11: You will have to shoot full page dominants. Know which way they need to face.

14-15: Nobody likes a posed picture. Your editors least of all. for the "jobs" spread make sure you get people actually DOING what they do at work.

 18-19: GET THE CROWD! You will be assigned to shoot sports. Make sure you get the crowds. They are always best in the last 10 minutes of the game, so get enough good pictures during the first 3/4 of the game to spend the last 1/4 on the fans.

20-21: siblings and family members are really awkward! Get them in a place where they interact, and make them do something silly (ie. have the son pick up the father, or have the younger sibling give the older a noogie)

22-23: everyone at FHS has already seen everything interesting there is to see. It is your job to find interesting ways to show it off. (panorama stitching). the downside to these is you have to get them approved early by the editor(s) because they often change design layouts

24-25: the homecoming assembly is your first challenge. Get several shots of each of the fashion show models, get the games that are played. Go outside and get the GRILLING! get the bands and the crowds.

26-27: Dances are hard. Use rear-sync flash, and try to keep your subjects from moving too much. get a group before the dance. 

27-28: halloween is easy. make sure you get names

32-33: winter is cold, yes. Your camera does not like the cold, true. But make sure you get pictures anyway, especially during the blizzards.

34-35: alternate dominants are fun, but use sparingly

40-41: Find a way to show it like they haven't seen it, or find places they haven't seen

42-43: pictures of anyone doing anything in any classroom is lame, so at least make sure people are NOT sitting at desks listening to the teacher. have them doing something... anything

44-45: blur implies motion, so feel free to use it as long as it does not look like a mistake

46-47: the Banner is boring. They sit at computers and write. Get a shot of the Editor in Chief picking up the banner on a release day (has to be coordinated with Allison Langley or Laura)

48-49: Lance is boring. we sit at computers and write and edit pages. Get shots of the other photographers, get shots of any bonding time. get shots of brainstorming, or maybe Mr. Stott teaching

60-61: To get good pictures of musicals and plays, you ABSOLUTELY must shoot the dress rehearsal. It is long and painful, but you will be allowed to get up in their faces (as long as you stay off-stage) and you may use flash. Talk to Mrs. Vlachos.

62-63: marching band is boring. they stand around in the hot sun. you have to take pictures of them in the hot sun. go the week before school starts. shoot the peach thing. while they are being lectured at (which is often), get up in their grillz and shoot closeups.

64-65: orchestra is impossible. Go to first period orchestra and ask the director permission to shoot for 15 minutes. You will be ignored until a person realizes they are being photographed, then they will giggle and make mistakes and thus get nervous....

66-67: choir is REALLY boring. they stand and sing. Get the picnic. Get the Rev. Get student directors

70-71: all cultures week is hard. really hard. make sure you can get names

72-73: POPS is just like a musical. go to the dress rehearsal

SPORTS: hard hard hard. earlier in the year is better. get games in the sunlight. The first 2 weeks of school you will have decent light, but you have to go to home games. nobody goes to these, but go anyway.

the BHS/FHS game is no longer an issue. If we get a rival, shoot the crowd

Running track makes people look HORRIBLE. get them when they start, and right as they cross the finish line. Stretching is good too.

Swimming = flash. lots of color, lots of flash. shoot with your back to the windows

Get pictures of the teams when they huddle.

Get pictures of the boys screwing around before Wrestling practice

50mm = basketball.

Golf is just plain dull. get fun angles and play with the light

Lacrosse is brutal. show it.

CLUBS are absolutely HORRIBLE!

If you are assigned clubs, I am sorry for you. Make sure you get in contact with club leaders as early as possible. schedule times to meet them. write yourself a calendar, and stick to it. The clubs WILL ditch you, or not be there, or be in the wrong room. It happens. Make a member of the club write down the names of everyone present. If possible, show them the picture on your LCD and have them write the names in order. DO NOT LOSE THIS LIST!!!!