Changes To My Double Page Spread

After feedback fro my teacher these are the changes that I have made to my double page spread. It was mentioned that the original looked quite box and I agree with that and so I took inspiration from existing products to see how they combated this. Most products added an outline to the images to break them up a bit and didn't have them in regimented formations and so I altered my work slightly to look more like them. However, I'm not sure I like the effect too much and so I will talk to my teacher again and see if she has any suggestions on whether she thinks it looks professional or if I should change it and what I should so if I am to change it. 

I was also considering getting some more photos for the lounge wear part but I wasn't able to get any and so I stuck with the ones that I had that I thought were the best. 

In addition to changing the layout of the photos I also synchronised all of the text so it matched to create more continuity and I added in a slug line at the top and a page number/issue number at the bottom of the page.

Changes To My Second Page

I received feedback on my original second page from my teacher and there were several things she mentioned that I could change to improve my grade Some things she mentioned would be worth looking into changing were:

- maybe adding a slug line

- the yellow/black text being hard to read

- the boxes of text breaking things up (take them out?)

- maybe add the issue number/page number to the bottom of the page

As you can see I have completely changed the layout of my page. Instead of having information boxes beside the images of the objects I have instead put all of the pictures down one side of the page, with each image being given a number this number can then be found on the other side of the page with the relevant information. I have also taken on board other suggestions my teacher made, including adding the title 'beauty' and the name of the magazine to the top of the page as well as the slug line 'get gorgeous this winter'. In addition to this I added the issue and page number to the bottom of the page.

I have made these improvements and I will give the page to my teacher again to see if she thinks there is anything else I could do to improve my work.

Double Page Spread Layouts

Because it was suggested that I change the layout o my double page spread slightly to make it look less boxy I have looked at some existing ones.

I picked these ones as these were examples of ones that use 'boxy' images in their work and how they make them look professional. In all of them they have separated the images slightly with boarders (and overlapped some to make it more interesting to ooh at) and divided the boxy images up with cut out images. I think I am going to try the former - putting borders around them and over lapping - as I don't have many images of items of my model's clothes that would be very good but I might try to get some more when I am down at christmas. Also it was mentioned to me by my tutor that the loungewear images were of a lower quality then the outside ones so I am considering redoing them altogether. 

Feedback Of My Main Product

I received feedback on my main product (4 pages of a regional fashion magazine) from my tutor and I am going to take the advice she has given me and apply it to my work so as I can achieve the highest level possible on my coursework. 
Some things she has pointed out include maybe taking the boxes out of my second page as they're quite distracting and I will see how this works and have a look at some fashion/beauty magazines to see how they avoid using them. She also pointed out that the tag line on the second page is quite hard to read which I agree with.
On my double page spread it was mentioned that my layout is quit boxy which takes away from the professionalism of it which I agree with and a friend actually mentioned to me before I submitted it. To maintain continuity between the two pages it was also suggested that I keep the same font in the text boxes but having a separate font for the items actually makes it stand out quite well. 
As well these small changes my tutor also mentioned it might be worth adding a slug line to both the second page and my double page spread, along with adding the page number, masthead and issue number as well as maybe the website to the bottom of my page.  

Final Billboard Image

I was unsure what image to use for my final billboard image out of the final 3 that I chose so I asked some friends what they thought of them and this was the most popular answer. However, a few of them did mention that the text was quite hard to read and so I will be altering it to stand out more against the green of the leaves for my final product. 

There are a couple of alterations I could make to this to make it better I think, for example, the image is slightly blurred and so I think I will try to sharpen it in photoshop. The 'sit down and... doll up' bit is quite hard to read against the green as well and so I think I will outline it to make it clearer. 

Website Templates

As part of my brief I have to create two ancillary tasks, one of which is the billboard that I have talked about in previous posts and the other is the website that goes with my main task (a regional fashion magazine). I will be using Wix website designer to help me create this website which is a program that I have never used before so I will be updating how I get on with using it.

As I have nearly completed my main task and the billboard ancillary I have decided to turn my attention to the website. After going through many of the templates that are available I have narrowed down my choices to these four. All four are from different sections but all could be applied to a magazine and all offer the sort of layout I'm looking for in my website. 

Of these four the 'menswear' template actually has the closest resemblance to what I was planning on doing for my website but I actually really like the 'fashion stylist' and the 'fashion photographer' layout. I will have a bit of a play around with them and see how well they give the effect I am looking for before I  choose for certain which one I will use for my final product. 

Time Management

As it is nearing the end of the first term I am doing an update on how I think my time management is going. In my first time management post I had hoped that I would have my main product and both ancillary tasks completed by the christmas holidays but at the moment I still have some finishing touches to make on my main product. I also have to choose the final image that I am using for my billboard and I am yet to start my website. However, The billboard won't take very long to do and neither will the last touches to my main task. I am allowing about two weeks for my website over the holidays and the start of the next term as I have never used Wix before and from experience, when I was learning to use Dream Weaver, it shouldn't take me too long to work out how to use it and complete my product.

Final 3 Billboard Images

Here I have narrowed down my options for my billboard image to three options. I'm replicating the Widfox 'take me to paradise' billboard slightly having the slogan to the .left and the name of the product on the bottom right, so hopefully by creating it like a similar product would make it successful. At the moment I think I am more leaning towards using the 3rd image for my billboard ancillary product. 

Why I narrowed it down to these image:

Top Image
I chose this image to be in my top three because it is simplistic and the model looks quite coy but not in a sexualised way. This enigma of the models face might sppeal to the audience and here the clothes are quite on display.

Middle Image
I selected this one as it is the front facing version of the top one which I am very keen on, the lighting is good and the model's facial expression is clear as well as the clothes being well on show. The facial expression she is pulling is also one that isn't sexual but gives off a slightly questioning look which may entice the audience in, and reminds me slightly of the expression on the Wildfox billboard.

Bottom Image
This is the image that I feel is the most powerful as the model's body language and facial expression give the appearance of confidence. The clothes are too displayed nicely in this image and another thing is the horse has his head up in this image so as his neck frames the edge nicely. This is the image I have received the most positive feedback from peers on using as my billboard image, but I am yet undecided as the image is slightly blurred and so I would need to fix this to make it the same quality as the other two already are. 

Comparison - Third/Fourth Page

With my third/fourth page I did a double page spread of a focus trend. I am comparing it to Glamour magazine's version of a double page spread on current trends. The way I have done my double page spread is quite different to how most magazines do it and I have merged a few styles of trend page to create my product. 

Glamour magazine makes the page quite simplistic and easy to look at, with plain titles and easy to spot looks. It has most of the clothes separate from the models with just a few model images to demonstrate how the trends have been taken from the catwalk and what they look like when worn.

My product, however, doesn't have any images of the clothes separate from the model but instead various images of the model in a few different outfits. I have also added quite a bit of text to give the audience more information on the trends but I have done it in quite a chatty way as this is a regional magazine I feel it doesn't need to be quite as professional as some other magazines that are national international, that said Glamour is quite colloquial. If my magazine were a real product it is likely an article like the Glamour one would follow within the next few pages as my article is more of an introduction to the trend rather than just featuring it.

Comparison - Second Page

Here I am comparing my product (on the right) with an existing product. On the second page of my main product (a regional fashion magazine) I have done a beauty edit. Unlike my cover I couldn't find a winter version of a beauty page and so I'm having to compare to a spring one but seeing as trends change each season this isn't too much of a problem. 

Like the existing product the colour trends in colour of the season are reflected in the colours of my product. I used the existing product as a reference when I was making my own product so there are similarities in the ways they are layed out; there is a slogan, with a little bit about the page below it, and each product has a small amount of information on it, along with one main item that goes into more depth than the other products. I have also added random spolodges and kisses like other magazines do to create a background. 

Comparison - Front Cover

In this post I am going to compare the main product that I am producing (a regional magazine) with an existing product. For more accuracy I have picked the December 2014 edition of Glamour, so both of the magazines in question are focusing on the same time of year and are both roughly interested in the same things (although Glamour is more of a general lifestyle magazine than purely a fashion and beauty magazine). Here are some of the similarities and difference I think are notable between the two products.


SIMILARITIES

• kept the colour shemes simple (using white and one other colour)
• model/star in front of text
• grey backgrounds (mine is more 'busy' though) 
• made a key feature out of a fashion article

DIFFERENCES

• no barcode on the glamour one (it's featured on the back)
• different lighting (natural lighting is used in all my photos where as the Glamour ones were shot in a studio)
• my magazine has a tagline
• my header doesn't stretch right across the page
• glamour looks more simple but has the same number of articles

Possible Billboard Images

Here are the 5 photos I have selected as a possibility for my billboard image. Typically billboards are made up of one large, focus image with a small amount of text added on top of them to get the point across quickly and simply as they are often located in places that don't allow the audience to view them for long. I feel that these pictures I have selected reflect the target audience of my magazine (young females from the East Midlands) whilst being simple and striking at the same time. 

IMAGE 1

This is one of my favorite pictures that I took on my shoot as the fact the model is looking down adds an element of mystery to her, it makes her look quite shy and feminine but the way she is sitting makes her seem at ease and confident on the horse. The only thing is with her looking down she can't make eye contact with the camera and you can't really see her face as her hair is in the way which takes away some of the personal connection she could have with the audience but even with this I think this is a strong image and I am seriously considering using this for my billboard.

IMAGE 2

This image is one of the more sexualised images that I took. The facial expression she is pulling is similar to the ones you see on the likes of FHM, or like Marilyn Monroe's classic look of head tilted with lips slightly parted and eyebrows raised. The model's body language is also quite sexualised in that she appears quite open to the camera. Because this is a fashion magazine I don't need her to look too sexualised as Laura Mulvey stated that to enjoy certain media texts a female must look through the eyes of a male, as this is a text aimed at women this wouldn't be necessary and the lack of a 'male gaze' can be seen on virtually every fashion magazine and so I don't think I should use this image for that reason. 

IMAGE 3

This is another of my favorite images. The model looks confident here and unlike the first image is making eye contact with the camera so the audience can make a connection with the model. The facial expression is quite neutral so there is not the problem of applying to the male gaze which may have isolated some female readers. One minor thing about this image is that there is a bit of hair across the model's face but I think that makes it look more natural and this again is definitely an image I am considering using for my final piece.

IMAGE 4

Again this is another of my favorite pictures. The model appears very confined, both in herself and on the horse. The holding of her coat in that way makes her look confident in herself and the fact she isn't holding on and is sitting side on shows confidence in her ability. This confidence (in both aspects) may appeal to my target audience as many of the girls in my primary audience will likely ride horses. Her facial expression is slightly sexualised but not enough to isolate female readers and may actually entice more male readers (though they are mainly a secondary audience). The lighting in this picture is good and I generally think it would be a striking image to use as my billboard.

IMAGE 5

In this photo I like that I managed to get the horses face in with the model. The model again looks very confident, and in my opinion looks slightly fierce, especially with her body language (with her hand resting on the horses neck). However, I am worried that with such an obvious presence of the horse it would be mistaken for a horse related magazine instead of a fashion based one, especially as the model is pushed to the side of the frame slightly. Another problem I have here is that her face has blurred a bit which again may remove emphasis that this is a fashion and beauty magazine. Although I do like this picture I don't think it'll be one that I'll use as part of my product. 

Today's Lesson

In today's lesson I am hoping to add the finishing touches to my main product and if I have time I will start my billboard ancillary task. 

Front Cover

Above was my completed front cover to my magazine which I submitted to my tutor to get feedback on and below is the adjusted cover. To the cover I added the website address of the magazine and a tagline. I also changed some of the punctuation, added a slight shadow to some of the text to make it easier to read against the white and made a couple of other little changes with the aim of making it look as professional as possible. I will again submit this to my tutor to see if there are any other areas which could be improved upon or if there is anything she thinks I could do better.

Institutions Research

Institutions research from Eve Lopez

Here I have done some research into publishing institutions that could publish my magazine. There are a few which are local to where my regional magazine is targeted, however, most of these publishers focus on enthusiast or niche magazines. EMAP (Top Right Group) is probably the most successful group of publishers that are based in the East Midlands. If I did not go with them I would go with Time Inc. as they too are extremely successful, but EMAP would be my first choice as they are local to where the magazine is focusing.

Today's Lesson

In todays lesson I managed to complete my second page and nearly complete my third page, I also made some alterations to my cover that were suggested to me by my tutor for ways to make it look more professional and more aesthetically pleasing in some ways. As well as these tasks being completed, like I had aimed for, I also started some work on my blog. The tasks I started on my blog were ones mentioned to me in a one-to-one session with my teacher on ways in which I can improve my work on my research and planning to achieve a higher grade. 

Tasks for Today

In todays session I will be continuing with my main task and working on the third and fourth pages. I will also be making some alterations to my front cover as I have received feedback from my tutor on it. 

Time Management Update

Since my last time management post I feel that I have come on quite a long way. I have completed my first draft of my cover and started work on my second and third pages. This quick working has moved me more on target for completing my products by mid December to being analysis of my work compared to existing products and ready to begin evaluating in January. 

Today's Lesson

Today I intended to start some of the other pages that go with my main product and I achieved this. I have also included an image of the completed front cover which I have submitted to my tutor for feedback. The two pages which I started will need work at home as I need to take pictures for my products for my beauty page, the other page was started just before the lesson ended and so I didn't get a change to get much of that done.

Tasks for today

I have completed my front cover outside of class so I will move onto the second page of my magazine today and possibly the third page if I complete the second today but i won't want to rush the second page as this is probably the most intricate page. 

Work So Far

I have so far finished half of my front cover, it'd been finished prior to this but I decided to change the picture I used as the one I used previously was only of the models face and most lifestyle magazines use most of the models body. 

Existing Regional Magazines and Competition

I have created a Go Animate video to present my competition findings unfortunately due to some sort of bug I was unable to embed it in my blog without it saying that the video was unavailable and so I have just had to link it in. 

Time Management Update

Currently I am a bit behind on my time management as I have not yet started any of my products but I have been focusing on the finer points of my work, for example I have been getting the photos for my potential products for my second page which has taken quite a while. However, I do hope to be starting my main product (a regional fashion magazine) within the next week or so. 

Images For My Second Page

Here are some of the pictures I am considering using on my second page which will act as an editors pick for beauty products. Seasonal trends include dark lips and neutral eyes along with a 'bare' face and deep contouring so I've put in products that would allow this look to be created, a lot of which were used on my model during the photo shoot. As well as putting in makeup I've also added in fragrances that I associate with winter along with some skin care and bath products that are seasonally appropriate Soap&Glory's Righteous Butter is a personal favorite over winter as it's deeply moisturizing and the bath products are specifically made by their brands (Philosophy and Lush) for the christmas period.
The products I have included are higher end drug store and mid-range products. All of the products are affordable but as individual products may be seen as relatively expensive. My target audience, I know, owns several of these products, shops at the stores or has other products by the brands featured. That said many people in my target audience that I have interacted with aren't that bothered by beauty but are keen to keep up with trends and often prioritise where they spend money with makeup and beauty products (for example, when talking to one of my audience members she said she has no problem spending more on facial products if they work well but wouldn't spend much on the likes of mascara as she goes through it so much and sees no real difference in products). 

Possible Images

Although I refined down the images on my flickr from what I had originally taken I was still left with 45 images to choose from, which would be too many to be able to use all of them in my main product. Here I have refined down the possible pictures for my main product further.  

Untitled Presentation from Eve Lopez

Products For My Second Page

My second page for my main product (a regional fashion magazine) will be dedicated to top seasonal beauty products, like an editors pick. I will take pictures of products I (or my model) own and think are seasonally appropriate. 

Visual Record of Research and Planning work

As I was working through my research and planning I took screen captures of the work I was doing so as I could keep a visual log of the work I was doing. Here are some of those screen captures, showing my work from getting the information for my artist post to my deconstructions. I have since done quite a bit of work that I have not logged me doing for this diary.Much of the work I have not logged though has been in preparation for my final products (so the planning stage) and much of the work has been done physically and so a visual log would have been harder to do.

Flat Plans - Website

Rationale

The colours on my website will be white (as the background) with seasonal colours that have been reflected on my magazine and billboard, this will keep up continuity. The font will also be the same as what I have used on my magazine and billboard, again maintaining continuity through all of my products. The lighting and colour on images on the website will be the same as they are on all other products as they will have been taken at the same time - high-key, natural lighting and I will likely keep them their original colours.
By keeping the website simple I will attract my target audience, or appeal to them more through having used 'classic' layouts and colours. 

Flat Plans - Billboard

Rationale

I am currently unsure what image I will use for my billboard at the moment but I am leaning towards using a mid shot picture of my model, with foliage to the left of her, this will resemble the Wildfox "take me to paradise" billboard. This sort of image would appeal to my target audience as they would very probably be aware of the previous campaign by Wildfox. However, another possible image would be my model on horseback but I think this may look a bit too 'country' and distract from the fact that it is a fashion magazine.
I will keep the colours the same as the real image, so add no filters or make any adjustments to the colours at all, this will give a more realistic look and hopefully make the image more relatable to my target audience; I think that if I adjusted the colour too much it would make the image too fantastical and so become unrelatable for my audiences. For the same reason the lighting I use for this image will be high-key, natural lighting. 

The font used on my billboard will be the same as that used on my magazine so as to be identifiable as for the same product without having to actually have read what is written. The colour scheme for my magazine will also be bought across to reflect the season. 

The clothing my model will be wearing in this image will be the same as those that are present in my magazine as the pictures will be taken at the same time. The clothing she will be wearing will likely be high street clothing and so my target audience will be able to see what she is wearing and relate to the image, especially if they own items of clothing that my model is wearing which is entirely possible.
My model's hair and makeup will be done relatively neutrally - with the makeup being slightly more dramatic than would normally be worn day to day for a stand-out effect. By keeping the hair and makeup relatively uncomplicated this will also make the product relatable to my target audience.

As with my magazine my model's facial expression and body language will be relatively neutral so as to not exclude any potential audience members, especially my primary female target audience.

As this is a billboard its purpose is to promote my product in locations where there is only a limited amount of time to do so (for example, on a motorway or on the side of a bus). Due to it only having a short period of time to make an impact the settings and props should make the image stand out, so they shouldn't make the image too 'busy' but they should also aim to generate a certain amount of interest in the billboard so as the public pay attention to the product being advertised. My billboard will either be empty of props and just have the countryside as the setting which will be enough to be interesting to the audience, or there will be a horse present which may grab more peoples attention as it's not something many people see every day.

Flat Plans - Magazine

Here I have produced a more up to date version of how I am planning on doing my magazine pages. In my original flat plans I had intended to do a road mapped with clothes at various points but I have now decided to do more of a focus on your typical fashion magazine style layout. Although my original style was quite fun and my target audience is quite young I thought it best to keep to quite a classic look as it is easier to read and I think it will actually appeal to them more rather than being just a novelty page.

Rationale

The type of shot I'm planning on using for my front cover will be a full body/three-quarter body shot of my model taken from the front or slightly to the side, this is because most fashion magazines tend to use this set up as it allows you to see a majority of an outfit which would pull the audience in more as they can see the sorts of clothes that are going to be featured inside without having to even open it.
As with most of my images the front cover picture will likely be taken outside so the lighting used will be high key, natural lighting. I think for the colours I will black and white the background of the image while leaving the model in colour, this is because while taking the pictures outside will create a beautiful backdrop, it could also make the image appear quite 'busy' and so by muting this by filtering it black and white the focus will remain on my model. This more subtle imagery will also likely appeal to my target audience more as they will likely be more attracted to more simplistic and elegant designs.

I have, in previous posts, explored fonts and colour. I am planning on using two or three of my top 5 selected fonts for the entirety of my magazine, possibly with one neutral font put in in the 'article' and 'trend' sections on my third and fourth page as that would be easiest to read and most like what would be present in a real publication. 

The colours I am planning on using have also been shown in a previous post but I am thinking of only displaying two or three of these colours on my front cover, again to reduce an appearance of 'business' as this, if it were a real product, may put off my target audience.

The costume, hair and makeup that will be on my model will be the same as it will be on the images inside of the magazine, as it would be on many other magazines that are already available. It allows my audience to see what the theme of this month's magazine is without having to open it and will encourage or deter people from buying it depending on their interests. The facial expressions and body language she will display will hopefully be quite neutral and so this will not directly appeal to men but not put them off buying it if they so wish, and it will not isolate women from purchasing the product, again increasing the likelihood it will appeal to my target audiences.
There will be no real 'props' in my work other than my model's horse, who will be bareback for some if not all of the photos, we may also use other locations around her village if we see fit and so the settings and props will all be very realistic. Again, this will appeal to my target audience as they will be able to identify with the lifestyle if not the specific area.

Justification of Ideas

Reader Profile

My Photos

I have used flickr to present a majority of the photos I took for my media work, there are a selection so I have a range of shots and scenes to choose from when producing my final works but it is unlikely that I will use most of them. I already have several favorites I want to use in my work and I will see how I can incorporate them into my tasks.

Location Scout

I chose to take many of my pictures in Ridlington which is in the county of Rutland in central England. Although I live in the North East I have chosen to take my pictures here and aim my regional magazine at the young females who live in Rutland and the surrounding area as I grew up here and know the target audience here on a more personal level. 

Due to my magazine being a regional magazine I thought it would be best to take the images within the region I am targeting - the East Midlands, this means that my product then has a relatable edge to it and my target audience can identify more easily with my product as they may know the area or, in fact, live there. That said, the East Midlands is a relatively big area and so it would be unrealistic to think that everyone would know where Ridlington is, however, much of the countryside within the Midlands does look quite similar and follows a lot of the same formats so it would still be somewhat relatable.
I have also chosen to take pictures in my model's bedroom - this will be deeply relatable for my primary target audience as my model is a female in her late teens from the Midlands. The genre I am aiming for is slightly more sophisticated than some current magazines available and I think that that is because of the area I am targeting, but both locations I have chosen should reflect that well and appeal to my target audiences.

The mise en scene of the setting will not be very carefully thought out as I want the images to have a 'natural' look so as they are more relatable. However, I will look for there to be no cars visible in any of my shots and there to be bright, high-key, natural lighting in all of my images. 

Time Management Update

So far I think my time management is going okay. I have almost completed my research and planning and I just need to check that I have everything covered. I created a survey and gathered the results so as to gain more in-depth knowledge into my readers and their likes and dislikes about current fashion magazines so as I would be more able to create a product they would potentially buy. 

I also carried on looking at the finer elements of my work and I have now decided on the name 'Doll Up' for my magazine and also a colour scheme to match the season and some of the items of clothing that the model is wearing. 

Before taking my photos I also created a recce which looks at the potential risks I could encounter and how I would tackle these and I feel I addressed this well. I also got in touch with my model to give her more exact information on what sorts of things to wear and where we will be going to take the pictures.

As I am at the moment all of my photos have been taken and so I am ready to start producing my actual products. I had intended to have my ancillary products done by now but they shouldn't take long and also it was not until the half term did I get my pictures. 

Colour Scheme

The colours used are very important as they give the audience member a lot of in depth knowledge on the product before they have even picked it up; for example, from simply using some of these colours on the front over the audience member may be able to tell that this is a magazine for females, that the theme is more autumnal while at the same time remaining professional. The colours I have chosen are slightly muted, dark colours to reflect the autumn style that I am incorporating in my work while the black and white are elegant and timeless when it comes to print. These colours will also play a running theme throughout my work to produces some form of continuity which will help to create more of a professional looking product. 

In terms of the colour scheme relating to the genre and my target audience I think they do this relatively well. My genre is that of a fashion magazine, focusing in on autumn/winter trends and I feel these colours suit this genre well. All the colours I have selected can be seen during this season on much of the high street - where my target audience will most likely shop. In addition to the color scheme I have chosen fitting in with the genre of my product, I also think it matches very well to my primary target audience (young females). The top four colours could even be considered to be appealing to all levels of my audience as they are relatively unisex.

Font Ideas

1. Lemon Milk

2. Bebas Kai

3. Breamcatcher

4. Olympic Branding

5. Nova

I have chosen to do my masthead in is Breamcatcher as I feel that it fits the genre of my magazine the best. It is not a typical font you may see in a magazine which is good as it will stand out to my audience in comparison to my competitors but it is still classic enough not to put off any audience members from buying my product.

Magazine Name

The name that I have chosen for my regional fashion magazine is Doll Up. The term "dolled up" means to dress or apply makeup in an elegant way to look your best (like a doll) and so to 'doll up' would be the process of doing so. This term is more applicable to relatively young women - my primary audience - as dolls are primarily youthful looking. This term can also apply to fashion and makeup so is works well with both aspects of my magazine. 

Weather Forcast

As I am planning on taking a majority of my photos outside the weather is quite important. As it is going to be one focusing on Autumn/Winter clothing it's not too important that it's sunny but it needs to be good enough weather to be able to take the pictures without ruining the look so preferably it should be dry. Based on this need I've looked at the weather forecast over the next few days while I'm in the area that my model lives to be able to see when would be best to take the pictures.

I have chosen to take my photos on Thursday as the weather is set to be the nicest of the days that I am here.

Possible Names

Here are some of the names that I am considering using as my magazine's name. Fashion and lifestyle magazines tend to have names comprised of one word or a phrase associated with fashion. Based on this I have produced a list of possible names I will chose. 

Deconstruction of Website

Here I have deconstructed some of the elements of a fashion magazine's website. I have looked at such elements as colour and the content which I can then perhaps use in my own work, especially as such elements as minimalist colours are often used in fashion websites. 

Organisation of Model

Here I have gotten in contact with my model so as she knows the sorts of things to wear and when I will be coming to take the photographs for my products. As I am creating a rural fashion magazine aimed at girls aged 15-25 these are the things I felt would be appropriate for my target audience. 

Billboard Recreation

What Went Well...
This was quite an easy product to reproduce as there is so few elements to it but I do very much like the product I have made. The text I have used is very similar to that of the Wildfox advert (top), and I think the headdress the model in my work (bottom) is wearing gives it a certain mystical look that really reflects the 'paradise'.

What Could Be Better...
It is relatively obvious here that I couldn't get an image that was similar to the one on the Wildfox advert and that is the thing I found most frustrating while making this piece, that said I think I worked well with the picture I did find from my artist source.

Overall I am pleased with the product I created, despite not being able to get an image similar to that of the real Wildfox advert I really do like the one I made.

Photography by Charlie Pallett.

Magazine Recreation

What Went Well...
I feel like in general I managed to accurately recreate the Cheryl Cole Q Magazine cover. Personally I think the text down both sides of the page were the best features, especially the John Lennon circle.

What Could Be Better...
There are areas that could be improved I think, I didn't have an image that was hugely like the one of Cheryl Cole on the cover so I had to improvise with the one that I used, also because in the image it wasn't raining I had to place that over the top which darkened the image a little too much for my liking, also because of this it removed shine from the models face which is present on Cheryl's because of the rain. Also elements of the text that I did aren't exactly right and could be done better.

Overall I am quite happy with this recreation and I think it displays my Photoshop skills relatively well, however, there are still areas upon which I could improve but all in all I'm very happy with it.

Photography of model Florrie Parsons by Charlie Pallett. 

Deconstruction of Billboard

Billboards are often in places where they only have a very short period of time to make an impact on the audience and so I think it is important to note some of the elements that are used in a majority of billboards already present so as I can potentially incorporate them into my own work to make my own piece as authentic as possible.

Deconstruction of Magazine

This Cosmopolitan front cover is not dissimilar to many other lifestyle magazines; using flattering words and phrases such as "sex goddess" to entice the audience and the cover being dominated by one character - usually a celebrity. Often lifestyle magazines are aimed at women, focusing on areas such as true-life stories, fashion and beauty and celebrity issues and these features being present on the front cover make it obvious of it's genre. In addition to this being aimed at women, it specifically targets a type of woman, one who is interested in the way she looks and how she is presented to men, as well as being able to connote this from what is actually written on the page we are also able to denote this. Ways in which we can denote this includes the way in which Isla Fisher is standing and her physical appearance; assuming the audience is drawn to the magazine because she is on the cover it could be assumed that women aspire to look like her. Isla is dressed particularly feminine and is positioned in a way that makes her look 'girly' and 'innocent' almost, which is a trait women are told is appealing to men. Such theorists as Butler believed that gender was merely created, and by looking at such media texts as Cosmopolitan magazine this theory become quite apparent. 
Other ways in which we can denote that this is aimed at feminine women is the fonts used, especially on 'Men Talk' and on the number '7', it is cursive and has an overall girly appearance, the quote "you're beautiful" actually appears as if another woman has written it. 
Every aspect, from the light colours to the text used to the physical stance that Isla is taking is used to appeal to their target audience and this is something that I'll need to keep in mind when producing my own front cover. 

Recce

Survey Results

From this I have learnt an array of things which I think will help me when I produce my products as it will help me decide on exactly what sorts of contents to put in and who I should aim it at. 

All of my TA are between 15 and 20 years old, though I expect people up to the age of 25 to be interested in my product as up until then I think my audience still dress and act relatively the same. 

At this age most of my target audience are students, however there are a couple that work alongside study and some who just have jobs. At this age as well it is likely that they are still living at home or live in halls and so although some may have a lot expendable income others may not have so much so I should mix between higher priced products and lower.

Most of my target audience is female and at least slightly interested in fashion and buy fashion magazines sometimes. However, they tend to read magazines which incorporate elements other than fashion (such as Cosmo and Glamour), although fashion was one key feature they like to see in magazines, on par with beauty, they also looked for articles on relationships and sex. As they don't tend to read fashion magazines often the majority agreed that a monthly magazine is best, and would pay between £2 and £3.

Most of my target audience are also interested mainly in high street clothing, although do like higher end beauty products and accessories. Most of them are interested in alternative dress (i.e. not high fashion) and look more for practicality in how they dress rather than appearance, although this is also an important factor. 

Survey!

I have produced a survey that will help me gather quantitative data on my target audience. The results of this will also help me produce my magazine in certain ways so as to appeal to my audience.
Here I have asked a group of my friends to complete it for me.

Time Management Update

So far I feel like I am quite on track with my time management and at the moment I am just preparing to start taking my pictures which will then allow me to start making my products. I also have created flat plans of my magazine so I have a rough idea of what sort of images I want to take so as they can fit in with the style that I have chosen.

As it stands I have gained consent from my model about using her to take my photos for my products and a photographer that I know about using some of her images to recreate existing products in the mean time. As well as having her consent I have also added in an artist page which focuses on some of the work that the photographer has done to credit her work further. 

I have also outlined and interviewed my prospective target audience which has helped me in deciding on outfits and makeup for the photo shoot and I have also decided on a location as to where to take these pictures. 

I currently still have to make a recce which I need to do before I take my photos and I hope to get this done within the next few days. I am also planning on creating a survey for my target audience to get more in depth information about what sorts of things they would like to see. I will also be deconstructing and recreating existing products in the near future to see what sorts of codes and conventions they typically hold and to see how easily I can make a professional looking item. 

Target Audience Interview

Carrying on from my brief outline of my intended target audience I then conducted an interview with one of the members of my audience in order to gain a more in depth understanding of their interests to give me a better idea on what would suit being in place in my regional magazine. 

From this interview I learnt several things which may help me when planning the contents of my regional fashion magazine:

• They are interested in both fashion an beauty elements
• Interested in high street fashion
• They look to both friends and celebs for inspiration
• And also heavily lean on social media to learn about trends
• They already read fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle
• They would pay around £2.50 for a fashion magazine

Location

I was planning on taking the fashion photos outside as I'll be focusing on autumn/winter trends and being indoors with a large coat or lots of layers will be uncomfortable for my model. As well as it being uncomfortable I think that being in the autumnal setting will add to the images I'm taking. Currently my model lives quite a distance away from me but will soon be traveling to see me and that was when I was going to take the opportunity to take my pictures but I'm now considering whether I would be able to travel to see her as she owns horses and I think incorporating them into some of the pictures could be very nice as a lot of fashion magazines, especially in colder months, take pictures in the likes of barns and around animals. Providing that I'm able to see her before the end of October my location will feature here (in the North of England) and in Rutland as it is very rural. Despite there being a large distance in the locations i plan on shooting my images in there will be no real indication of distance in the pictures. 
I am planning on targeting my regional magazine at the East Midlands so by shooting the pictures in Rutland it would be at the heart of the Midlands and hopefully increase the relatability between my magazine and the target audience. 

I also will look into taking some of the pictures indoors (likely in my house or my model's house) as lounge wear is particularly focused on at this time of year in magazines and it would add some variation to the main locations.

Peer Feedback

Here is the feedback I got on my blog from our feedback session in class. The feedback I got was really useful and I've already followed some of it up, however, an AS reflection would not be particularly useful as it was done with another examination board in a different format (largely on paper rather than with e-media) but asides from that I agree with what has been said and have taken their "wishes" on board for consideration to add later on.