Research and Planning - SLR practice

This is the first time I have used a SLR camera and these are the shots I took:

I particularly like this photograph as the lighting compliments my model nicely and it is a clear sharp photograph. 

I think this photograph would have been better had there been a little more back-lighting,  as the light is causing dark shadows which don't look particularly good and it doesn't compliment the model.

This picture appears more blurred than it did when I took it, which ruins the picture and detracts attention away from the artistic shot angle. I did manually focus the image until it looked clear through the lens, but I obviously didn't focus it well enough - or the distance from the camera to the model caused a problem with the clarity.

This picture isn't as clear as I would have liked either, I must practice on focusing the camera properly, as I manage to focus it when I'm looking through the viewfinder, but after the picture is taken, it isn't as clear or focused as I expected it to be. However, the natural light compliments my model nicely.

I feel that my college magazine photographs were slightly better than these photographs, as they were clearer, the lighting was better and the colours were more vibrant. However, I know the SLR camera is far superior to the standard digital camera I used for my College magazine photographs, I just believe my college magazine photos were better as I am more familiar with standard digital cameras and had never used an SLR before. With more practice I should get better quality photographs from the SLR camera.

Research and Planning - Prezi

Publication Plan on Prezi

Research and Planning - Models

What my model needs to look like/be able to do

As my magazine is a rock magazine, my model needs to have/do the following:

• rock style hair: messy, choppy, long, 'emo', typical rock style hair
• rock style clothing: the clothing covered in my costume list
• Be able to look good in a rock style pose, such as:
• doing a rock jump in the air
• playing guitar
• singing into a microphone
• doing the rock symbol
• looking moody
• writing lyrics whilst looking intense

• Be comfortable having make-up put on them
• Have a love of rock music themselves, so the photographs and poses are more realistic and believable.

I will get each model to fill out a consent form before re-styling them and taking photos of them.

Inspirational styles/poses for my model/photograph:

 

Poster from We Will Rock You the musical - typical female guitar rock pose in the middle. Perfect pose and style of clothing for my rock music magazine model. Perfect cover photo pose as it catches the eye.

Male power rock pose - perfect for a male model to show the rock genre, suitable for the main eye catching image on a double page spread.

 Cute rock pose for a teenage girl - a suitable and subtle rock pose which a softer, smaller looking female model could do, good cover or inside photograph style pose.

Aggressive female rock pose - perfect for making a female look powerful and totally rock n roll! a perfect mid shot for a female rock style model. perfect eye catching front cover pose.

Sexy rock style female pose - perfect for a more seductive angle on the genre of rock. Suitable for my magazine as it will attract my target age range to the magazine and will appeal to both rock chicks and rock guys.

Intensely staring into the distance - a classic rock pose for both male and female models. Possibly more of a shot for the inside of my magazine rather than the front cover.

 On stage photograph - perfect for the double page spread because it is an onstage photograph and a good rock style pose which would fit a gig review double page spread article. Great lighting on the photograph also - makes the model appear to have a glowing outline.

In the air rock pose - amazing rock style pose which I doubt my models will be able to pull off properly. However, it is a great rock pose for a male and would look amazing on the front cover of a rock style magazine.

Research And Planning - Possible Photo Locations

The location of the photographs included in and on my music magazine are just as important as getting the right look for the models; if a model is in the wrong location they will look out of place, which is definitely not desirable!

As my magazine genre is rock, the location has to reflect that. It could reflect it through colour, through association or through the architecture of the location.

Location colours

• Red - often associated with rock because it is classed as the 'devils music'
• Black - often associated with rock because it is dark and mysterious like rock artists
• White - often associated with rock because it is a contrast to black and its simple
• Silver - often associated with rock because of the punk/rock jewelry rock artists wear.

Any of those colours combined with other dark tones would create the perfect colour for a rock photoshoot location.

Locations suitable through association and architecture

• Gig venues - inside/outside
• Arenas - inside/outside
• The woods at night
• A messy bedroom full of rock posters - inside/in the doorway
• A music shop - inside/outside
• Dark street corners
• Outside Urbis in Manchester
• Outside Hard Rock Cafe in Manchester
• A Gothic church 
• Tall dark building with dark old brick work

The photo location I would love to use would be inside the Palace Theatre in Manchester because it has an amazing stage with reflects light back onto the person standing on the stage when a photograph is taken, which looks very 'rock n roll' and it is a professional location which should help my photographs of my model look more professional and authentic as I could then write an article about my pretend rock star model doing a small scale gig in the theatre for their biggest fans.

Research And Planning - Week Plan

Plan for the week/next few weeks

• Post about possible photo shoot locations and locate/take images of them
• Contact Manchester Palace Theatre to see about using the foyer/stage as a possible photo location (and upload the letter I send/manuscript of the phone call to prove contact)
• Take photographs of possible costume and props items and upload them onto blogger
• Post about the type of models I require for my magazine
• Take photographs of possible models for my magazine, upload and evaluate them
• Print out model consent forms and risk assessments in preparation for my photoshoots

Research and Planning - Cover Inspirations

Here are some existing rock magazine covers which were the inspiration behind my drafts and will help to shape my final rock magazine cover style, layout, colours, model poses, clothing style and shot types:

      
 

Research and Planning - Music Magazine Draft (New)

Using the feedback I have collected through my audience interviews and questionnaires I have created new drafts which are more appropriate and suited to what my target audience want to see in/on a rock music magazine.

Cover

This cover draft has changed majorly to my original as I have taken on board my target audience feed back and shaped my new draft around it. These are the changes and why they have been changed:

• My audience feedback told me the front cover image they most wanted to see was a female/females in a rock pose, so that is what is now on the cover. My original draft had females in a band playing live as the cover image. This also encorporated the feedback that the majority of my readers will be female and around 16 years old, as my picture models are female and around 16 years old.

• My audience feedback also told me that I should style my layout like Kerrang magazine, as it was the most popular magazine read by my interviewees. My original draft layout was very busy and not focused upon an existing design. I've now changed it so that my new draft is not so busy and follows loosely the Kerrang layout.

• My audience feedback told me I should sell my magazine every two weeks and change between £1 and £2. My original draft was to be brought out monthly and cost £4. I changed my draft so it comes out every two weeks and costs £1.50.

• My original draft had no slogan/slugline/possitioning statement, so I added one to my new draft.
• My audience feedback also told me that my colour scheme should be red, black and white, which is what my colour scheme was going to be anyway.

I much prefer my new draft to the original first draft as it looks more proffessional and suits my target markets requirements more.