When it comes to your school yearbook, the photos are the heart of it all. They capture the people, the moments, and the memories that will be treasured for years. That’s why it’s so important to choose photos that don’t just look nice on your screen but also print clearly and stand the test of time.
Whether you’re a student selecting your portrait, a teacher uploading group shots, or part of the yearbook committee sorting through event pictures, the goal is the same: clear, high-quality photos that represent your school at its best.
Here’s everything you need to know about picking the perfect photo for your school yearbook.
KEEP IT BRIGHT (NOT TOO DARK)
Dark photos can ruin an otherwise great picture. They often look moody on a phone but will print even darker in a yearbook. That means faces may be hard to see and details lost.
✅ CHOOSE: Photos taken outdoors or in a well-lit room with natural light.
❌ AVOID: Photos taken at night, in dim classrooms, or with shadows across faces.
💡 Pro tip: If the photo looks a bit too dark on your screen, it will be even darker when printed.
MAKE SURE IT’S IN FOCUS
Blurry photos might pass on social media, but in a printed yearbook they stand out for the wrong reasons. A sharp, crisp photo ensures everyone can recognise the faces clearly.
✅ CHOOSE: Clear photos where the person is sharp and detailed.
❌ AVOID: Blurry action shots, shaky phone pics, or images where the camera has focused on the background instead of the person.
💡 Test it: Zoom in on the face. If it looks fuzzy or pixelated, it won’t print well.
WATCH THE BACKGROUND
The main focus of your photo should be the person or group – not what’s happening behind them. Busy or distracting backgrounds can take attention away from the subject.
✅ CHOOSE: Simple backgrounds (plain walls, school buildings, murals, or nature).
❌ AVOID: Messy classrooms, bins, crowds, or people photobombing in the background.
💡 Pro tip: A good background frames the subject, rather than competes with them.
AVOID AWKWARD CROPPING
Photos where people’s heads, arms, or legs are chopped off look unprofessional in print. The same goes for selfies that cut off part of your face.
✅ CHOOSE: Photos that show the full person or group, with a little space around the edges.
❌ AVOID: Tight crops that cut off hair, faces, or important details.
💡 Pro tip: Leave extra space around the subject so the photo can be resized or cropped if needed for the yearbook layout.
CHOOSE THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION POSSIBLE
Not all photos are created equal when it comes to printing. Screenshots, cropped images, or photos saved from social media are often too low-resolution. The result? Grainy, pixelated photos in the yearbook.
✅ CHOOSE: The original photo from a camera or phone, not a downloaded version.
❌ AVOID: Screenshots, WhatsApp downloads, or Facebook/Instagram images.
💡 Pro tip: As a rule of thumb, your image should be at least 1 MB in size for good print quality.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The right photo makes all the difference in your yearbook. Clear, bright, high-quality images ensure your school community is represented in the best way possible. When choosing photos, remember:
Bright over dark
Sharp over blurry
Simple over busy
Natural over forced
Original over filtered
Your yearbook is more than just a book – it’s a piece of history. Choosing the right photos today means you’ll have memories worth smiling about tomorrow.
