Research and Planning - Double Page Spread Draft

Research and Planning - Plan For The Week

• Draft double page spread
• Draft Contents Page
• Take final photos for the magazine
• Start production of magazine on Photoshop

Research and Planning - Location Change

Although I may be able to use the Dominion Theatre foyer and stage for my location, I can't take my three models with me to London, which makes using the Dominion as my location a bit pointless! I have decided to use a church and graveyard as my locations as I am naming the rock band, which my models form, 'Crypt' which suits the Church/graveyard location and my models will be wearing red/white/black clothing to suit the rock style and the colour scheme of my magazine.

Research and Planning - New Models

I originally wanted three female models for the cover of my rock magazine, however there are not three suitable female models available and so I am using one female and two males, which looks just as good - the ranges in height makes photo poses even easier to create too! Rather than drawing completely new drafts to show the change in the cover image, I went on http://www.weeworld.com/ and created little characters of my three models and dressed them as close to how I want them dressed for the photoshoot as I could. I then possitioned them in a pose which suits a rock band. I am keeping the same layout as my final draft, but using a different style cover image and different gendered models.

Models: left to right: Vikky (16), James (16), Danny (17)

In rock clothing:

In different rock clothing:

This rock band is going to be named either "Meltdown" or "Crypt" depending on which location the cover image is taken in. As if it is taken on a stage (one of my possible loaction options) they will be called "Meltdown" and if the photo is taken infront of a Church or in a grave yard they will be called "Crypt". I want everything to link together on my magazine. I want my models to wear the colours which are on the rock magazine and I want the photo location to match the band name, which will have to match the rock style and the over all look of the band. I want it to be as professional as possible!

Research and Planning - Pose/Model Test Shots

The pictures below are of my final models, in some test poses, in their own clothes, in preparation for the actual shoot for my rock magazine. Although I really wanted to use three female models on the front of my magazine, I can't find three which look appropriate enough and so I'm going to use one female and two males, which I hope will still make my magazine look awesome! I considered using myself as one of the models and setting the camera up on a tripod, however I feel it would just be easier and of a better quality for me to be the one taking the pictures and just use two male models and one female. The location is not my final photo shoot location, as we could not get there in the time frame we had, however I do like some of the test shot locations I have used and so I may take some real/final shots there too. The models are in their own clothing, which is why they don't particularly look like a matching rock band; when I take the final photos they will all be wearing black, red and white (which fits with the colour scheme of my music magazine) and will have their hair styled differently. They will also have props to work with when it comes to my final shots. These pictures were just to give my models and myself an idea of what was actually possible to do in preparation for the real shoot. Some of the photos turned out blurred and I'm not too sure why, as I spent an awful lot of time during the shoot ensuring that I focused the camera properly and held it as steady as possible, so I have only included the best shots from the session (I took over 40 pictures) however they are still very useful as preparation test shots.

I really like this shot, however I should have directed the models to look at the camera, as it would have looked better. Also, this image doesn't contain my third model (as he was running late). But I do really like this pose and I can easily recreate it in one of my final photo shoot locations and add my third model into the pose by sitting him in the space on the right hand side of the shot beside my female model. I really like the lighting completely whiteing out the entire top left corner, I think it is a really nice effect and I could easily put text over the top of it when creating the cover of my magazine, which is a bonus! The photo is clear and the lighting compliments the models nicely.

I completely love this 'power rock' pose as its eye catching and the stance, pose and intensity of the eyes makes it really powerful! the light coming through the window makes my models stand out more and makes the over all appearance more powerful. As the location is in college it is less than ideal, however the pose is one I can easily recreate in one of my final photo locations.

The tighter framing of this image, as apposed to the one above it, makes it look slightly better and more powerful, however I fear that if I was to use such a tight framed shot on my cover, I would have to put text over their faces. In all cover shots I need to leave plenty of the background location in the shot so that I have places to add the masthead and the text. However a tight framed shot like this would be perfect as the main image on my double page spread.

This picture is too dark, however I really like the pose and I think it would look great in a different, lighter, location.

As the light got brighter coming through the window the pictures I took got more and more blurred, so I turned on the flash (see pictures below) but then I had the problem of trying to avoid thick shadows forming on the picture.

I really like this pose, it looks similar to ones I've seen on proper rock magazines and it looks the most professional out of all the photos I took during the test shoot. I hope to recreate this when my models are in their costumes and in my proper location. The below pictures are just close/tighter shots of the above one.

Although the above picture couldnt be used as a cover image as its landscape, not portrait, it would still be a great picture to put on the contents page or double page spread.

I really like the picture above and below as it looks the most 'rock' out of all the pictures I took. I like the way the natural light illuminates my models' facial features as well as creating shadows around certain facial features, giving the images a distinctly rock style.

The above image is probably the least suitable for the cover of my magazine as any text I put on the cover would definitely obscure the faces of at least one of my models, which is not at all desirable! I like the pose, however I'm not sure it can be recreated in my final location, as it doesnt have the same stair structure.

Research and Planning - Photo Planning

Things I need to consider before taking my cover image:

• The lighting in the area
• The image should be bright enough to see the artists faces, but still dark around the edges to keep with the rock style which is dark and edgy

• The location its self
• Make sure no one else in the area ends up in my shots
• Make sure the location is completely appropriate and suitable and suits the rock genre
• Make sure it fits the colour scheme of red/black/white

• Magazine colour scheme (Red/Black/White)
• All images need to fit with both the style and colour scheme of my magazine
• Match the colours on the models clothing to the colours on my magazine cover
• Match the location colours to the colours on my magazine cover

• The Model & Pose
• Model HAS to have the 'rock look' about them before putting them in costume and restyling their hair, otherwise the images will not look convincing
• Model has to be someone co-operative who will do what is required
• Pose has to look suitable for the rock genre and has to look convincing
• The over all effect from the model and pose has to look realistic and believable that they ARE a real rock band.

Things I need to consider before taking my contents page images:

• Consider all the above points for the cover image and apply them to the contents page image
• Make the images suitable for the contents page and what it contains
• Make the locations slightly different to the cover image
• Work out how many I will actually need and take more than needed in case some turn out undesirably

Things I need to consider before taking my double page spread images:

• All of the above points from both the cover and contents page images
• Make sure the photographs are suited to the title and over all style of the article and layout on the double page spread
• Make sure they are as good a quality as the cover image, as they will be the second largest images in the magazine I'm creating.

If I follow all these steps I should be able to get pictures that look realistic, that are believable, that completely fit with the genre and colour scheme and that finish off my magazine perfectly!

Research and Planning - Plan for the week

• Make double page spread drafts, one just a sketch/layout outline and one in full colour with an actual article/interview on it.
• Complete location recces/model consent forms/risk assessments
• Dress my models up and take test photos of them in the poses and locations I want in preparation for my real shoot.
• Get a definite yes/no answer off the Palace Theatre in Manchester & Dominion Theatre in London and a get pictures of my back-up location.
• Create a post on what I need to consider before taking the photographs for my magazine