Graduation photos are not a waste!
(Baonghean.vn) - In order to "leave a lasting impression" and stand out from other classes, many students have created unique yearbook photos that are both offensive and lose the innocence of school age.
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"Students only take photos once in their life?"
In order to preserve beautiful memories of their school and university days before graduation, taking yearbook photos has become an activity associated with final year students. With their creativity and dynamism, many students have come up with unique ideas and happily implemented them in their final yearbook photos.
However, in recent years, there have been times when yearbook photography has been distorted, many photo albums have inappropriate content, even offensive and violent content... Although Nghe An has not recorded any yearbook photo albums with offensive content, many photo albums are made too elaborately, there is no shortage of yearbook albums with investments of tens of millions of dong, some classes spend up to 70 - 80 million dong on photography.
Not only that, finding a setting to have a multi-layered "sparkling, magical" photo set has had unfortunate consequences. There have been cases of students having unfortunate accidents while taking yearbook photos, such as the incident where two 12th grade male students in Hung Nguyen drowned while taking photos in 2017.
Phong *, a photographer with 5-6 years of experience in taking yearbook photos, said that the price for a yearbook photo shoot ranges from 200,000 - 500,000 VND/person. This price does not include makeup, costumes (for classes that want to take photos with special concepts), MV filming, transportation, etc.
“With the mentality of wanting unique yearbook photos, many classes spend a lot of money. Some students even said, "A student can only take photos once in their entire life, so they don't regret it." As a result, the total cost for taking yearbook photos (photographing fee, transportation, costume rental, makeup, food...) for some classes is up to 1.2 million VND per student."
The purpose of yearbook photos is to preserve memories, but during the shooting process, Phong witnessed many conflicts between class members, the conflicts and arguments were mainly due to disagreements in opinions during the shooting and filming of the yearbook.
According to Phong, when taking yearbook photos, photographers like Phong do not have the duty or responsibility to manage the students, but the students must ensure their own safety. Usually this is clearly stated in the contract. “A photography team only has 2 or 3 photographers, if there is filming, there will be 1 or 2 more people. Meanwhile, each class has up to 40 or 50 students, so when taking yearbook photos, the students must "manage themselves". The photographers will not be responsible if an accident occurs,” Phong said.
Taking graduation photos must be a truly meaningful activity.
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| The most important thing in taking yearbook photos is to preserve the meaning, good values, and purity of students. Photo: NVCC |
Graduating from high school 1 year ago, from her own experience, Nguyen Dan Phuong, a former student of Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, said: "Not to generalize everything, but I see that taking yearbook photos now mostly follows the trend of virtual life, to post on Facebook, and no longer has the meaning of preserving memories. Personally, I think that the most important thing in taking yearbook photos is to preserve the meaning, good values, and purity of students. Not taking photos and posting them on social networks according to "hot trends" and then letting everything fall into oblivion, when going to class reunions and visiting teachers, only remembering a few friends".
A few years ago, when they learned that some classes with about 40 students each spent up to 2 million VND/person to take yearbook photos, the Board of Directors of Huynh Thuc Khang High School and the School Youth Union issued a policy and guidance for students to take more economical photo sets.
Another factor that the school always emphasizes in photography activities is to ensure safety. The school has reminded homeroom teachers of each class to choose photo locations right on the school campus, classrooms, Ho Chi Minh Square... For some classes that choose photo locations far away such as Cua Lo beach, Bai Lu Resort... the school requires teachers and parents' association to accompany the students.
Taking yearbook photos can be said to be a meaningful activity, helping students preserve memories of their school years. However, yearbook photos need to retain the pure, mischievous features of students. Do not let yearbook photos become distorted, ugly with offensive images.
* Name changed at character's request
Recently, the Department of Education and Training issued an official dispatch requesting: For final year students who wish to meet and say goodbye to their teachers, school leaders must develop a plan, organize a meeting with the Parents' Association about the method and form of organization, and have close supervision.
In addition, it is not allowed to collect money from students to take souvenir photos or make yearbooks, which is costly and wasteful. At the same time, it is strictly forbidden for students to use alcohol, beer and other alcoholic beverages when organizing end-of-term reunion parties.
Do not organize picnics, outings, or parties in deserted, dangerous, or unsafe places for students.