College Times photographers learn from the pros

“The instructors talked about creative approaches that are specific to yearbooks and how they relate to photography and the organization of assets,” says Anne Kaye, visual arts and design teacher and faculty lead on College Times. 

“They took groups of students outside to try different things,” she continues. “They directed them on what to focus on, different angles, and getting them to think more about the design aspect of taking photos. It was quite helpful.”

The workshop was presented by Mark Murray, president and executive director of the Association of Texas Photography Instructors.

Year 10 student Edmond Shen, College Times’ head of photography this year, adds that the lectures focused on both the technical and storytelling aspects of photography, and says students further benefitted from interacting with yearbook teams from other schools. He qualifies the experience as eye-opening for all involved. 

“Much of our skills are self-taught using online videos and resources,” he says. “Here we had a professional photographer giving us individual feedback on how we could improve our photos. We’re looking to share the lessons we learned with the other student photographers and bring how we tell stories to the next level.”

College Times content includes farewell write-ups from graduating students, blurbs about the sports teams’ seasons, and summaries of events such as dances, the Terry Fox Run, and Association Day. The publication’s student staff — involving writers, editors, photographers and designers — ranges from Year 8s to Year 12s. 

“Some are involved over several years, while every year new volunteers come forward wanting to join and expressing their interests,” Kaye says. “They can also sign up at the beginning of the year at the Clubs Fair.” She adds that she normally gets 20–30 participants. There are weekly meetings, and a group of photographers also work outside of those. 

The role of editor-in-chief usually changes over annually, but Year 12 student Cyrus Sarfaty is back for a second consecutive go round. He’s been involved since Year 8.

“For me, a yearbook is a time capsule into years past at the College — a trove of memories I have the privilege of curating,” Sarfaty says. “I’m a passionate designer, and the opportunity to apply this skill while contributing to the school’s legacy is a dream come true.”

The theme of last year’s book was Toronto and its landmarks and systems. This year’s theme will be announced soon. 

The College Times tradition dates back to 1857, when it launched as a student magazine. It transitioned to being the yearbook in 1962, and is the country’s oldest continuously running student publication. It has had several editors who have gone on to national fame, including John Ross Robertson from the Class of 1858, Stephen Leacock from the Class of 1887, Robertson Davies ’32 and Michael Ignatieff ’65.