29/09/2010 - First photographs taken

After researching various magazine front covers I have decided to experiment and take my own. As my magazine is school related I chose to use my niece as she is wearing her school uniform and could help pose for my photographs. These pictures are only taken with a digital camera so the quality is not great but it is part of my planning for when I take then final photographs.

I like the pose in this picture, although it is extremely mediated it creates warmth in the photograph. She appears to have a severe posture so I have helped make her seem curved by taking the photograph slightly side onwards. In order to improve this photograph I will need to take the picture front on, ensure that the lighting is correct as there is too much light reflecting on the paper and her face. It would also help if I dressed her in black so that there are no other distractions in the image and she is the main focus. The background also needs to be a nicer environment perhaps with trees so that yet again she is the main focus. I am quite interested in taking the photograph with the model as the main focus and the background out of focus.

I do not like this photograph as the model looks very serious in this picture and it is not particularly inviting to the reader. Although she is doing her work so it is school related it is not a well mediated image. The lighting is too dark and does not show any emphasis on her. The angle of the camera is looking down on her and should be front on. She also looks very uptight in this photograph and could perhaps benefit from a slightly more casual pose. I would also need to dress her in black and not cotton clothes for this photograph so that she remains the main focus of this photo.

This is similar to the first photograph that I have included in this blog entry. The pose is similar but she is less relaxed and happy in this image. Her posture is more severe and the camera angle is still taken side on. There isn't much light on her so it does not emphasise much detail and the background is a distraction. To improve this photograph, again, I would have to take the photo in a brighter environment with perhaps trees in the background but out of focus so that she remains the main focus. I would also dress her in black again so that she stands out.  

21/09/2010 - Experimenting with fonts

Today, we have been experimenting with the different types of fonts, sizes and font colours of text. Using the programme Adobe InDesign CS4 I have created multiple texts using different fonts, sizes and colours and I have experimented with this in order to find the correct title for my magazine cover.

This is a print screen of the first set of fonts that I experimented with. I have used different fonts and sizes and I will now select a few that I like and develop them further. The development will include colour, background and sizes.

This is my final selection of fonts that I have used for the logo. I have decided that I prefer the two fonts in the centre of the page in red. These are my favourites becuase I think that they will be easy to read, the different sizes of the letters make it unusual and perhaps memorable to the reader. I am still undecided as to which one I will use out of the two but they are much more developed in comparison to my previous fonts and even the fonts on the same page.

30/09/2010

I have decided to use this as the title for the front page of the magazine. After experimenting with multiple fonts, colours and sizes, I chose this one as I like the layout and formation of the letters. I may alter the colouring of the letters to suit the image but I am sure that I will use this font.

20/09/2010 - More research on magazine covers - photographs

During today's lesson I finished my research on different magazine covers. I then decided what I liked and disliked about each magazine front cover and after looking at the last magazine front cover I was able to take the idea of a child studying for an image for my magazine. I will now find various images that are similar and hopefully take my own photographs soon.

1)

In my previous blog entry I selected various magazine front covers and anaylsed the positive and negative aspects of each. From the first and fourth magazine front covers that I used, I decided that they would be beneficial in helping me to find relevant images for my own magazine. I have searched for 'students carrying books' in google images and found the above two. I like these images as I believe them to be well mediated, the lighting is flattering and not too over powering. The image quite clearly shows an academic theme and perhaps this pose would be perfect for my own magazine.

2)

I then anayalised my fourth magazine front cover and liked the image of a child studying. This would convey the message of education and students through the image to the reader. I searched for 'students studying' and selected these three images. I like each one as it shows the students content in their study and the photographs are taken from different angles. When taking my own photographs, I will consider taking them from various angles and ensuring that the lighting is perfect like these.





13/09/2010 - Magazine research

During this lesson we looked at student's work so far and how they have blogged. We then decided to continue our research on what makes a good magazine front cover. This includes arrangement, the photograph used and text and colours used. My issue of the school magazine is going to be focused on new improvements in the school, the recent sports day and upcoming charity events.

Magazine Research

I think that this magazine cover clearly shows what it is advertising but the photograph is fake looking and over posed. However, any photograph that would be used would be mediated. the photograph also lacks any definition and effects, so it is quite plain. The colours aren't particulary attractive and almost clash with one another. I do like the building in the logo for 'Home School' as it is clever but there are also empty spaces around the cover which makes it look a bit boring.

I do not like the cover of this magazine as I feel that it is not compelling and appears to be quite spacious and lacks information on the front. This could give the impression that there is not a lot of content inside. I do like the big bold title as it clearly portrays the name of the magazine and the colour and font is attractive. The photograph used posses great lighting but does not seem too relevant to the 'style' magazine as you can only really see the persons face; when you would expect to see clothing. The text at the bottom of the page is difficult to read as it fades into the image and does not fill the cover so it isn't really noticed. Although this magazine is not school related I thought it would be good to anaylse a different type.

This magazine is not clearly school related and the image appears to be squashed. The photograph used is not mediated well and does not represent the school as a whole. The quality of the image is not great and there is too much light focused on the person's face. The text is too colourful and overpowering and the various fonts clashe. The composition on the page is untidy and the fonts used are unattractive and there is not a consistent design throughout the cover.

I like this magazine front cover as it is the most relevant to what I will be producing for a school magazine. The image is well mediated and quite clearly demonstrates what the magazine is about. The text used is bold, consistent and the colours coordinate better than the other magazines. I like the idea of using a student studying for a magazine cover so I will use this idea to develop my own photographs for creating a school magazine cover.

07/09/2010 - Planning

Today we discussed and learnt how to use cameras. We focused on what makes a decent camera and how the more pixels that it has the better quality picture it will produce. To take a good picture you also need to ensure that the lighting is correct and the settings of the camera.

We then  planned who our magazine would be aimed and produced for.

School Magazine



The magazine will be produced for the Wilmington Grammar School for Girls which is located in Wilmington, Kent. It was built in the 1960s and used to be two houses belonging to the Whitehead family. It is now a functional secondary school for over 700 girls and serves as a sixth form also.


Target Audience – The students and parents.


Type of School – Secondary and sixth form. It specialises in maths and computing.

06/09/2010 - First Media Lesson

This is my first media lesson and we have discussed what media is about and what is to be expected within the course. Using this website, we looked at blogs created by previous students. We then signed up to blogger and created our own account and began to blog. Tomorrow we will bring in our own cameras and learn how to use them. This will help when photographing for magazine covers and to understand how media is produced.