Q7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

RESEARCH I am happy with my end product and now confident with new skills and techniques that helped me

achieved my magazine. I started by doing research and understanding what type of magazine I wanted to produce and who I wanted to direct my magazine too; for the college magazine, which is targeted at college students, I looked online at other magazines to see the front cover layouts and what common front cover shots were used in generic college magazines; I recognised that I needed to use a medium close up with direct mode of address to speak to my target audience. When it came to taking pictures for my music magazine, I researched other magazines of my genre which was hip-hop/Rnb and noticed that the camera angles where mostly mid-length shots or medium close ups - this helped me learn and understand what type of message my magazine cover should portray and what typical rnb/hip-hop magazine look like; When I took the images for my magazine I learnt the generic conventions and outfits such as dark clothing, chains and direct modes of address which are shown in these examples- I learnt to change settings and angles of a camera in order to create a better looking image and an image that would clearly show rnb/hip-hop genre. The progression from making the college magazine helped me as my skills on Photoshop and quark express developed and I learnt about the design and arrangement of a front cover and how much of a difference the size of font, colour, and amount of text can effect how the magazine looks real and genuine.

PLANNINGIn order for me to complete my magazine I needed to make sure I was planning the way I was going to complete

different parts to make it easier for myself. I realised that taking my images was a large part of putting together my magazine and was going to take the most work, I started with my college magazine by going round college with my friend and a digital camera, I recognized places that would work with my magazine and took a lot of photos to choose from. For my music magazine I needed to ensure that more planning was taken out as the images I wanted to achieve had to look as professional as possible in order for me to create a real looking magazine, for my front cover main image I decided on what model I was going to use - unlike the college magazine where I used a model that I had available at the time, I learnt I needed to sort things out before I started to take photos etc, I contacted the model I wanted to use for the front cover image and arranged a time, I took a lot of photos so I could choose from a lot then decided on my final image, I then planned how I was going to make my front cover and what was going to come first; I decided to edit image first using light room and then played around with different colors and texts (having a rough idea what I was going to use) and bought together my front cover. For my contents page and double page spread I again contacted the models I wanted to use and figured out before I met with them where I was going to take the photos and what clothes they would be wearing. I got the image I learnt that planning is essential in order to not achieve work but to achieve the work that I wanted to produce.

Photography

• The only photography I had done before this project was in high school for media gcse's so I knew a bit about creating a successful photograph but I needed to make sure I understood how to portray the correct genre of my music through my magazine in order to attract the target audience. I used a Fuji film megapixel camera which was new and I didn’t know much about, I realized in able for me to design my magazine around my images I needed to use plain backgrounds so I could cut images out and edit them easier, therefore I made sure I shot my pictures with my models standing in front of a white background (contents page and front cover) and black background (double page spread). In the college magazine I shot a varies of shots taken around college and learnt that it was harder that I thought to get a professional looking image When it came to taking images for my music magazine I experimented with medium close ups long shots and extreme close ups of all 3 of my models so I could choose from a bunch which ones where best and try out different layouts on my pages. I learnt about the different ways you can use a camera and how much of difference different angles can effect how good the image is, I improved as I took pictures for my music magazine in comparison to when I started working on my college magazine this is because I had a clearer and more specific look to achieve and it was easier when I came to my music magazine to set up the right photography set up ; I also learnt that the use of stereotypical features such as costume (chains, hats etc) helped within my photography part as it clearly shows to the audience what genre my magazine is and is recognizable by a mass audience.

• Here are some pictures to show some images I had taken for my college magazine compared to how I improved as I took images for my music magazine –

These images show how I didn’t know much about placing the camera as they are slanted

Alternative photograph for my front cover

journalism• I read a lot of article’s from the hip –hop magazines vibe, xxl and the source and recognised a

certain style of interview with artist’s. I used this format for my double page spread by setting it out as a question then an answer, I made the question stand out by putting it in a different colour and underlining it, I also made the text more interesting by putting the answers in yellow which made it stand out and kept within the colour scheme of the page. I asked direct questions to get direct answers but used friendly language to create a conversation with the artist, I asked questions that are revelent to society and my target audience such as ‘who are your biggest inspirations’ and referenced to other artists in the interview such as Jay-z to create interest as he is already well known and attracts fans of the music and genre.

Designing and Digital Image manipulation