Portrait delays create YB challenges
Visual Photography’s first deadline to submit the portraits disc for the yearbook was Oct. 7, which should have contained all underclassmen and faculty pictures. The yearbook staff did not receive it until Oct. 9, at which point they found a number of issues on the disc.
The disc Visual Photography submitted to the yearbook staff consisted of numerous errors such as coloring, duplicates, pictures placed with the incorrect student, and 352 missing portraits.
“In previous years, Visual always submitted the portraits before the deadline and it was always error free,” said Michelle Saremi, yearbook and newspaper adviser. “This year the pictures were two different sizes, the coloring was too dark on over half, and the formatting wasn’t right.”
Visual submitted a flash drive of the edited photos on Oct. 16 so the coloring, sizes and formatting were fixed, but the same 352 portraits were missing from the disc, which was a compilation of 86 faculty members, 4 freshmen, 92 sophomores, and 180 juniors.
In attempt to remedy the setbacks, the yearbook “as a whole staff have (had) to go through (the disc) and look through each picture, see which ones are right and which ones we have to change.” said Camilla Wise, co-Editor-in-Chief of yearbook. “It (has) caused us a lot of setbacks which is, in turn, really hurting our production into the next deadline.”
Saremi has borrowed a backdrop from a friend and is scheduled to retake the pictures on Tuesday, Oct. 27. “In order for yearbook production to continue, we must get those portrait pages in, albeit a week late. This is why we decided to take the pictures internally. Fortunately, we have an incredible photo department that has volunteered their time to help,” said Saremi.
The missing images have held up yearbook production, which has delayed the proofing process and caused yearbook to miss its first deadline with Jostens, the company the yearbook is printed through.
“We have a contract and deadline agreement with Jostens,” said Saremi, “When you don’t meet a deadline, you are fined. Our yearbook rep is aware of the situation and has been very supportive. If we do get fined, it will be Visual’s responsibility to pay it.”
As of right now, Len Quinlan, the representative for Jostens yearbooks, is hopeful that the Pawprint will be able to submit the late pages once the portraits are all accounted for.
“Potentially we are still early enough in the year that we could get back on track for production but it’s certainly going to delay this first deadline,” said Quinlan.
Visual’s next deadline for NPHS is Nov. 1 which requires them to deliver a disc with all of the senior portraits. During a meeting on Sept. 29, Visual informed Saremi that they still did not have 113 seniors portraits taken. “This is a concerning number of seniors and while I hope it’s changed, parents have emailed and called stating that they have yet to make an appointment for their senior because they can’t get ahold of anyone at the company,” said Saremi.
In every attempt to contact Visual to comment, their phone line has been continuously busy and they remain unreachable.
Not only has the conflict with Visual led to issues regarding senior pictures and yearbook production, “but it has (also) affected our ID cards; there has been a lot of issues with that,” Joshua Eby, principal of NPHS, said.
Rachel Grennan, sophomore, did not receive her ID card at sophomore orientation as expected. Her sister, Melissa Grennan, senior, received her ID card, however it had Rachel’s picture on it.
“When I went (into the office) they (the office) just didn’t have my ID card,” said Rachel. Visual had yet to provide ID cards to administration. “I think a lot of people just didn’t get one. So they had put my picture in the wrong grade and they had lost my sister’s picture.”
Not having an ID card led to inconvenience for Rachel when it came to school functions. “I needed my ID picture, I was worried I might not have it for homecoming and for the first couple of games they had to have my name on a list, because I had (ordered) a sac card,” said Rachel.
Regardless of the issues with senior portraits, missing underclassmen and faculty as well as the lack of necessary ID cards, yearbook production is still in motion.
“Despite everything, I am confident that all of this will soon be behind us because the Pawprint staff is going to create an amazing yearbook, so make sure you pre-order your yearbook. We plan to sell out again this year,” said Saremi.
