Studio Balfour
By: Lydia Proffitt
Fifth period, I go to yearbook to assist in creating this year’s annual. I log onto the computer, drag the mouse over to the Adobe InDesign icon and click on it. Then I wait, and wait, and wait. Finally, it pulls up and I realize I just spent half of my fifth period yearbook class waiting for it to pull up. Then I stare, and stare, and stare, until I give up on inserting a picture. Then someone on the yearbook staff says, “I figured it out!” Then I decide that I want to customize the photo, but I can’t because I have run out of time. The bell rings and it’s time for sixth period.
Adobe InDesign never gets easier and never gets faster. The good news is there is a solution. An answer to all these problems and a faster, easier, better way to create a yearbook is Studio Balfour. Studio Balfour is an internet based program. All you need is a code, username, and password. So if you’re running behind on your deadlines, no problem, Studio Balfour can even be accessed from your home computer.
Studio Balfour is very fast. As soon as I log in and click studio works well, as long as you have Java 6, I will be sent to the page selection. Even when I am typing, it is very fast! You don’t have to wait, and wait, and wait. I will insert a picture, turn around, ask something and by the time I finish my sentence it’s done loading.
Not only is Studio Balfour fast, it’s really easy! I tend to think it’s a lot like “paint”; you have the text box button, the picture button, and the shapes button. It’s all right there in front of you. You can also personalize your objects. Like Microsoft Word, there are italics, bold, and you can change the color and size. Something I love about Studio Balfour is you can go above and beyond on personalizing your picture. On a tab to the left, you can add a border to your picture, you can change the angle the picture is, and you can even make the picture have a shadow! You don’t have to stare and stare and stare it is all right in front of you.
Studio Balfour is a great solution to the limited time a yearbook staff has to complete a annual. You don’t have to wait and stare the entire class period. You can spend all your time being creative and getting your yearbook pages to look awesome! Studio Balfour is a “problem solver.”