Taking photos for cover page

Today I have took my pictures, but before I have done it I have met my model and make-up artist with hair stylist that have looked at my magazine research and models and decided what they should do with my models to make them look like magazine cover models. The hair stylist have curled theirs hair and pushed them up, after make-up artist put make-up one that looked very natural and suit my target audience. I have taken many different pictures where the models were posing differently. No all the photos came up well and I had to sit down with the models and hair & make-up artist and wrote our opinions on each photo and said what we like about each picture and decided to choose best photos. No all pictures were clear and after deleting the ones that didn’t come up too well I have realized I don’t have many photos left.

I have also changed these pictures by deleting the background and trying to add more colours on the model face using Photoshop.

This picture was taken with a background which will stand out on a magazine cover so if I wanted to use this picture I would have to crop the background. This mode is also no smiling which may give the audience a negative felling. The models face is not clear.

This picture is when I have cropped the background, but the models hand is not clear and the face looks bigger than the body.

The colour of the models face is much darker than arms. This don’t seem to relate to music theme.

This picture is well done I like the colours, but I would add more colours. The models face look really clear and I can see that she is concentrating on the camera. The readers will have the feeling that the model is looking directly at them.

This is the picture of a guitar that I’m going to place on the top of my magazine. I like it as it is very clear and the white background allow me to see the whole guitar and their orange-brown colours. It will suit with the cover page as the background is going to be white.

I like this photo as with the white background the model stands out, the model is also represented in dark cloths, where the face in very white. I would add more colours to the models face that may be represented better.

This picture is the same as above, but I have added more orange daylight, which makes the model stand out more and make her face look glamorous.

I really like this photo as the light is very bright, but at the same time her face is still in darker colours that reflect the background and make a contrast. I think this photo looks professional even though the model is not wearing dark cloths.

I like this photo as it is persuading it also adds a little bit of mystery and secrets. I don’t like the set of colours so I would have to change it in photo-shop .  

Research and feedbacks

I have tried to collect some information about my design. I have created a questionnaire and handed to 20 people a copy of my design and questions. I have given those questionnaire to girls between the age of 16 and 24 as this is the target audience I'm going to reach by my magazine. The feedbacks I have received were mainly positive. So I think I will go with this design and try to base my real magazine on this plan. 

Here is a copy of  the questionnaire I have produced; 

Here is example of the feedbacks I have received; 

I have decided to put this feedback up as it gives me and idea of changing the main picture on my magazine cover. This could create a juxtaposition with the theme and logo (guitar) on the top of my magazine. This could also suit with the main feature of this magazine which is music. the picture have to represent microphone as it goes with the R&B theme.

Most of the feedbacks I have received were positive that's why I have placed this photo up, this give me an idea that I should keep up to the design I have. 












This feedback give me an idea of changing different sort of colours.

Researching ideas for magazine cover

As I have planned to put some cloths on my magazine I have researched many popular shops that teenagers are mainly shopping. I have produced a questionnaire to see if my target audience R&B listeners shop so I could use some of the shop chosen cloths. I have asked people between 16 years old and 24 and asked them 2 questions. From all answers I have received I have chosen the one where somebody ticked box saying they are listening to R&B and I have compared all answers and compared them to see which shop is the most popular.

 40 out of 50 people asked answered that they like R&B which shows that my magazine will be popular as many people may be interested in reading it.  24 people answered that they shop in River Island which was the most common answer.I have taken a research on River Island website and took pictures of the clothing they are there, so I have put them in the boxes linked the price and commented.

Here are the cloths that are really fashion

 
£10



These leggings are in black colour so it would go with the colours that the model is wearing.
 

£10

This could be used on my magazine as the colour is suitable and will create link with the model.
 

£20




I could use this as it will look good with the white background.
 

£15



At the bottom there may be pictures on different clothing and this hand bag will represent accessories.
 

£10



This will not stand out on a background.
 

£10


The picture is not clear enough to be on the front cover.
 

£12


Magazine is going to be in white and black colours mainly and pink may not be suitable.
 

£10



May not go with the colours on the magazine.

Cover page design

Today I have created a design for my Cover page. I have put some things that I have based on research. 

I was thinking very carefully of adding the picture and where to place my features. I had to think of the colours I wanted to use and how toi create a connection between my magazine and target audience   

Researching the Sugar and Seventeen magazine

Researching the Sugar and Seventeen magazine 

The age level for the American magazine “Seventeen” is 13 to 17 years old girls, where the English magazine “Sugar” age level is 16-24 years old.

“Sugar” magazine title is over the picture. The font is very large and purple where the “Seventeen” magazine titles is cover by the models; the font is smaller and orange. “Seventeen” magazines is full of orange, white, and yellow colour, the “sugar” magazine contain purple, pink, blue, black and white colours. The pictures on both magazines are very different. There is two models on the Seventeen magazines are dresses up in very colourful clothes where the model on the Sugar magazine is dressed in classic black dress, suggesting that this magazine is for grown teenagers that like classic dresses.

On the “Seventeen” magazine cover there is a slogan used saying “Great body, Tons of $$, amazing clothes + mega confidence!” this shows me that this magazine is mainly for teenagers who ar4e going to Secondary school and care about their looks and shopping only. On the “Sugar” magazine I can see “14 must have celeb trends+ little black dress guide + accessories special” This shows me that this magazine is about fashion and love celebrities looks, so this magazine is more for girls who are going to sixth form or collages girls who like to compare their selves and looks to somebody wells known.

Both magazines uses different fronts and writing style, but the “Seventeen” magazine contain much more mixed styles and colours then “Sugar” magazine, which has less writing and the styles of writing are quite similar. The “Seventeen” magazine uses symbols $ which is used instead of dollar or money.

“Sugar” magazine contain pictures of “ring, handbag and other jewellery to show the best accessories deals that the reader can find inside the magazine. The “Seventeen” magazines have a star where I can see “coupons & freebies inside” this is trying to persuade the reader to buy this magazine as they will get many coupons with this magazine.

The “sugar” magazines expects the reader to be interested in reading their magazine, find fashion interesting, emotional, and love pretty looks and fell pretty , be confident about their looks. Also to be interested in their main stories those are put in to this magazine to grab the audience attention. The “Seventeen” magazines also expects their readers to buy their magazine but also to find pretty looks very important inspiring be sexual – loving their bodies. Both magazines have some similar expectations from their readers. The “Seventeen” magazines is trying to show the school fashion where the “Sugar” magazine shows a designers fashion that can be used at normal day life & work or higher education school.

In “Seventeen” magazine careers is given the same important as fashion and dating as both of this things are very important for teen girls. The “sugar2 magazine career and confidence is just as important as fashion because that is what the 16-24 years old girls think and care about.

Each magazine is trying the sell as many magazines as possible that’s what they are using shocking stories and advertise them on their cover page also they advertise what the reader can find inside and the best deals as special offers.
For me the “Sugar” magazine is the best I like fashion and beauty but career is very important to me this magazine helps me to look pretty and classic also teach me confidence which is very important in fashion, school and life.

Researching magazines

I have researched 3 different magazines in order to find the features I like about them and try to get some idea of what I want on my magazine and also spot what I like about each magazine. 2 of those magazines are music theme and one related to girls in age of 16 and 24 which is what my target audience is. 

 I think I will trying to make my magazine similar to this one as I like the feather of the cloths on a side as it grabs the audience attention and it is different to other magazine. I think if I wanted to put this in to my magazine my target audience which is girls between the age of 16 and 14 will be very interested in this as they like fashion. I will try to choose the cloths that will be similar to the R&B style which is classical and colourful cloths. This will help me as people will what to see what is in side there if I add the circus with low prices will make my target audience even more interesting as this will persuade them to have a look inside and also they will feel like their artist would ware it. These cloths will also be similar to the cloths that my model will represent on the cover. 

This magazine is a music magazine related especially to girls I like how the mast head goes will the main features and how it goes with the colour of the model hair. I like how the main features are also highlighted in boxes white and black. If the box is white the text is black where as white box includes black text, both boxes are slightly opposite which makes nice contrast on the cover. I like the white background as the models hair stand out which reflects her face. The box representing cloths is yellow which suit the text and plug. This really inspires me so I will try to link yellow colour on my magazine by having plugs or the features in the same colour. 

 In this music magazine I like how that mane of the artist go across the picture so this is what I will try to do in my magazine. I also like how the picture is shown in white background. I love the cloths that have been chosen as they will the POP theme. This will grab the girls attraction as girls like pink which have been used on title and the shiny dress that the women on the picture is wearing. There is a lot of pink and black which is linked with the cloths, eyes and hair colour of the model on the picture. The Mast Head is used more like a logo on a side of the magazine. 2 plugs are placed and they are in the same colour. 

Researching adverts in Look magazine

Researching adverts in "Look" magazine

In order to see the structure of a magazine I have bought Look magazine and looked through the pages. I have counted the number of pages used for advertisement as this is what the company is making their money from. The company is producing magazine and every advertisement placed in the magazine cost money.  The first page contain double spread advertisement the magazine contain122 pages where 34 is used for A 4 page size adverts.  

Placing adverts in women magazines are useful and can make a profit only if those adverts relate to women. The adverts in look magazine are only representing cloths and cosmetics for women. The adverts contain a big picture and little descriptions. This brings women attraction and also guarantees that somebody will buy these products. It shows the reader that these products are used by artists represented in the magazine and are fashion.  

I have found that in the Look magazine adverts are also related to the features that they are representing in their magazine. This also shows that are recommended and placed on pages all over the magazine so all adverts are not together as not many people like to spend time on advertisements.