That’s a Wrap, Folks

After 12 months of planning, meetings, laughs, highlighters, Facebook stalking, emails, design, photo editing, spotify jam sessions, proofs, editing, long nights, coffee, corrections, server issues, major flops and lots of time, the yearbook is finally finished on my end.

I took the job as Samford’s yearbook Art Director in May 2012 and began planning with the Editor-in-Chief, Hilliary Hallman. The girl is crazy talented and has become a close friend.

We decided on the theme “rooted,” with the core of it being Colossians 2:6,7: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.” We think it’s an accurate depiction of how Samford has shaped us thus far. From there, things started falling into place and the Lord so purposefully set Hilliary and I on the same mindset for almost every decision. I couldn’t have asked for a better team of photographers, editors, writers, advisors and tons of encouraging friends who brought us coffee on long nights, sent encouraging notes and cheered us on to completion.

The job consisted of putting a 248-page yearbook together over the course of a year, collaborating with Balfour Publishing; making sure each page’s copy was turned in and editing them; gathering thousands of pictures, sifting through them and editing the chosen ones for each page; designing every template; quadruple-checking each page for mistakes; creating design elements; conceptualizing a theme; promoting the book via social media and finishing the book at home this summer.

The Lord has immensely grown my passion for photography and design and has taught me a lot about time management, responsibility, efficiency, perseverance and hard work through this rigorous project. I cannot wait to hold the book in about six weeks–in my five years of creating yearbooks, the best moment is the first glimpse of the finished project.

Thank you for all the encouragement. It’s emotional seeing another year pass and such great learning experiences end, but I’m excited for this new season!

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