As students work on yearbook pages, they’ll need to learn new vocabulary. Yearbook terminology will help them understand the anatomy of a spread.
Double-page spread - Two facing pages in the yearbook, also referred to as a DPS.
Dominant photo - The largest photo appearing on a page or spread. It’s typically two to three times larger than any other element on the page. Always use a strong image for the dominant photo.
Secondary photos - Additional photos on the spread that are two to three times smaller than the dominant. They should be placed near the dominant and include captions for each photo.
Gutter - The center of a spread where two facing pages meet. Elements can cross over the gutter, but avoid placing text in this area of the spread.
External margins - The outer borders where the design stops, often two to five picas from the page edge.
Headline - An attention-grabbing title for your spread that draws the reader to content. Get creative with your headlines to add impact and style to your yearbook. Avoid label-style headlines which only identify the content of the page, such as “Cheerleading” or “Varsity Football.”
Secondary headline - A smaller, second headline written in present tense that explains what the story or spread is about.
Body copy - Usually placed near the headline and dominant photo, the text provides a story related to the spread content.
Alternative copy - Text that replaces body copy for a non-traditional type of story. Alternative copy includes Q&As, quotes, highlights and mini-stories.
Alternative copy provides other quick-read formats to tell the story. Using uppercase letters, bold weights and additional spacing makes the copy appealing to readers.
Caption - A written description of the action captured in photos. Captions tell who and what, and may be expanded to include when, where and how. Identify people by first and last name, and if possible, the grade or title. Photos with groups of more than five could have a generic title that identifies them, such as “seniors,” “dance team members” or “freshman players.”
Secondary coverage - Also referred to as sidebars, these mini-designs provide an alternative to traditional photo design. Secondary coverage usually includes a headline, photos and text in a range of formats: Q&As, mugs and quotes, infographics and more.
White space - The empty area around the spread that is not covered by photos, text or other graphic elements. Use white space to give the reader some space to “breathe” in the layout, avoiding the urge to fill every inch of the pages.
Folio - The page numbers, traditionally placed at the bottom corners of a spread. Folios may contain a page identification (football) or section label (sports). In addition, art that supports the yearbook theme can be placed next to page numbers.
Theme Graphics - Any art used as an accent or embellishment on a page or spread. Choose from Balfour’s collection or create your own.
Text Justification - The way text is placed within the text box. Body copy and captions are often set to align left, with the text aligned on the left side of the text box and ragged on the right side. Align left is also sometimes called flush left, ragged right, and is the easiest alignment to read. Staffs sometimes switch captions to align right when the caption is to the left of the photo. This is also referred to as flush right, ragged left. Other less-used options include centered and left justified text.
Bleed line - An area one to two picas beyond the established, external margin. It is the designated line photos or colored boxes should reach if they are going past the external margins.
Bleeding a photo - Intentionally running a photo past the external margins and off the edge of the page.
