Alfie's fabulous blog

• Sports
• News
• Breaking news
• Documentation
• Portrait

 

Breaking news-

• Any event or incident that is unplanned
• You don’t know where all when it happens

Sports news-

• Photography of people involved in sports.
• A basketball game, a football game.

General news-

• Pertains to any event that is planned ahead of time.
• Press conference, product launch.

Documentary photojournalism-

• Refers to long term photography projects.
• Following a campaign, documenting wildlife, following a band.

Portrait photojournalism-

• A portrait that involves a member of community shown in their usual environment.

 

 

Questionnaires are often used to obtain information from a group of people.

We use the because questions can be targeted to get the information you need.

They can also be done in several ways-

• By post or email
• By phone
• Face to face

 

order- start with basic detail and move onto more difficult question.

Clear question- simple language, appropriate to the age of the people answering the questions, relevant to what you are investigating.

Not personal- try and avoid questions that need very personal or embarrassing answers.

 

Easy to answer-

Open questions- allow people to write anything.

Closed questions- restrict answers by giving options.

Keep answer boxes clear and simple and don’t have gaps or overlaps.

 

Avoid bias-

• Don’t ask questions that push people towards an answer. Starting a question with: isn’t it true that? Or don’t you agree that? Is trying to make people say what you want.
• Think about where the survey is being done.

 

 

 

Design for function not for decoration

• Good design facilitates reading.
• Good design draws the reader in.
• Good design leads the reader.
• Good design has multiple points of entry- headlines, decks, photos or illustration, cutlines, sidebars while being clean and simple.

 

Two- page spread- Think of two facing pages as a simple unit unless there’s a full-page ad.

 

Four elements of a page-

• Art (graphics, photos, illustration.)
• Text
• Headlines/ titles and subheads/decks
• Captions

 

Don’t be afraid to use white space.

 

Art-

Every page or two- page spread should have a dominant piece of art, a single focal point.

 

Unity (rule of design)-

• Magazines should be consistent: style, typeface, colour palette, use of white space.
• Consistent design helps give a magazine personality.

Unity: typography-

• One for body copy
• Another for department titles
• A third for photo cutlines
• Use special fonts for display headlines

Find creative ways to use type in display headlines.

Consistency- keep the typography consistent throughout the magazine.

Trend: brief text, lots of images.

• Celebrity covers

 

This magazine cover is using many Different sizes of font, but it is also bringing our attention to the title as it is the only text that is in colour. It is very minimalistic with very little text that briefly explains what is happening in the magazine. It uses a lot of blank space around the subject which draws us into the mystery of the character.

 

If I were to create a magazine, I would create and focus on fashion which would include the latest fashion trends and talk to designers of clothes and a range of fashion students. The target audience would be between 16-22. The magazine will be £1, and the front page will be a vintage style with pastel borders and fashion photos on the front. There will be bold writing/ vintage typography and a colour scheme of pastel. It will be a single image film photography or edited in that way. The adverts that will be used within this would be things for vintage sweetshops, record shops.

Photographic application

 

Naturally every photo has a purpose, and these purposes can be categorised as 12 different application-

• Advertising
• Promotional
• Fashion
• Photojournalism
• Portraiture
• High street studio work
• Architectural
• Medical
• Illustration
• Fine art
• Documentary
• Crime

 

 

Fashion photography dating profile

 

• Fashion photography is required in day to day life as people use it as inspiration to help grow their own personal style and also it is used to inform people on the right way to wear things or alternative ways of wearing things. People use this form of photography to advertise their product to a younger audience.
• Fashion photography is created in two ways either staged or natural, staged is used to show a product for a brand whereas natural is used for things such as Instagram photos. Fashion is used in other medias like video as people are going to platforms like YouTube to show there outfits and people are also using blogs to show way of wearing clothes.

 

Architecture-  

• Architecture photography is used to document history and show descriptions of monuments before they are taken away with time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advertising-

• Advertising is used to advertise a product and is used to make the product look the best it can possibly be. It is also used to give a brief view of a product in all its glory.

 

 

Crime-

• Crime photos are required for finding evidence in a crime scene, they are created by professional group of forensics, they don’t use any filter as this can corrupt the evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

Fine art-

• Fine art photography is photography created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer.
• You need to have work that is fairly consistent and looks like it all belongs together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photojournalism-

• Photojournalism is used to tell a story in places that most people are too afraid to go to as it can be dangerous for them and risk their life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• I believe that photographic application is the purpose in which a photo is taken, there are many forms of photographic application and all of them have a purpose that it is made to fulfil.
• I can use photographic application in my magazine for fashion as It can be used it to show trends that are coming back, and I can also use it to show diversity in fashion and the many ways in which it can be worn. I will 100% use fashion because that is my passion whereas I would not use architectural as I find it un interesting and boring.

 

Photography for media products-

Consider what could improve these photographs-

• The photo is extremely pixelated, and it has no connection to the product.
• It could be a bit more interesting for the eye.
• It is an extremely ugly photo that looks like it’s been taken on a bad iPhone camera.
• You could improve as it’s not really framed right.

Can they be saved by just a filter? –

• This picture couldn’t be saved as it is poorly focused.
• Yes, this photo could be saved as it is in focus.
• No as its ugly.
• No as there isn’t a lot of detail, but you could bring the colors out a bit more.

Do they focus on the product? –

• Yes, it does as it is a landmark in Hollywood.
• No as we don’t know what the product is as there is no branding
• Yes, as we see the rings, but we don’t see the branding.
• Yes, as we see the quality of the camera on the phone.

What do you think the purpose of the photograph is? –

• To show a big landmark of Hollywood and to show what you could see.
• To show the hair.
• To advertise their rings.
• To show us the detail of the camera and the focusing abilities.

 

The purpose and functions of photography in media products- inform/ educate, advertise/promote, entertain.

My magazine page will be used to inform/educate the audience on the styles that are making a comeback like retro/vintage, and to show inform the audience on how to wear them and the best place to buy them.

It will promote a vintage clothes shop that is up and coming.

It will entertain a younger audience of fashion enthusiast.

 

 

 

Brandon woelfel

• He is a New York based photographer.
• he like to use neon lights to his advantage with a darker lighting.
• he uses a Nikon D850

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positive and negative media effects.

 

Mass media is a medium to communicate to a mass audience by using different forms of technology this includes television, radio, internet, newspapers, pamphlets, etc, today. A life without the presence of mass media is unimaginable.

 

History-

The mass media in the 1940s and 1950s were perceived as a powerful influence on behaviour change due to the popularisation of tv and radio.

 

Present day-

In today’s society media platforms are far vaster, thus having the ability to reach mass audiences t lightning speed. However, more people are able to participate in creating media content

 

How does it impact on a passive audience-?

 

Definition- the hyper dermic needle model is a model of communications suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver

Several factors influenced the development of this theory-

• The fast development of the media industry. As it gained power to reach mass audiences.
• People quickly began to believe everything within the media and accepted its messages as the norm with little resistance.

 

How can media products influence individuals-?

 

Historically tradition media platforms found it harder to create products to smaller, niche audiences due to the cost and risk of producing an unsuccessful product.

 

 

How does the media impact on an active audience-?

 

Diversion/ escapism- people use the media to escape from everyday problems and associate it with an emotional release.

Personal relationships- substitution of media for companionship.

Personal identity or individual psychology- self-understanding.

Surveillance- using media to find out what is occurring in our surroundings.

Positive impact	Negative impact
Being able to connect to people/ friends.	Spending too much time on the internet and not realising what’s happening around you.
Being able to see the news in the world and see what affecting you and the people around you.	Can prevent you from learning.
Entertainment and being able to escape from real world.	Thinking everything that you are reading is real.
Being able to understand different cultures and communities	It is a place for racism and homophobia.

 

 

 

Negative impacts-

• Security implications can be difficult to monitor and trace.
• Copy-cat violence has been linked to the media on several occasions and relates to crime or violence.
• Negative role models.
• Loss of privacy
• Effects on physical and mental health
• Impact on languages.

 

Members of editorial board-

• Editor-in-chief
• Assistant editor
• Managing editor
• Design editor
• Photo editor
• Copy editor
• News editor
• Feature editor
• Opinion editor
• Entertainment editor
• Sports editor
• Package editor
• Shorts manager
• Business manager
• Web editor

 

Positions-

• Artist
• Advertising manager
• Ad design
• Marketing manager
• Accountant
• Staffer
• Distribution manager
• Public relations director
• Events coordinater
• Blog manager
• Web designer
• Web staffer
• Web programmer

 

Body language, posing and gestures in photography-

 

‘photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution’ – Ansel Adams

A pose is a coded message that speaks directly to your brain in a language as old as the origins of human life on earth.

Before humans evolved into speaking beings, we communicated with each other through gestures, sounds and expressions. This mode of communication is commonly known as body language, and our brains learned how to recognise emotions linked to different behaviours, so we could survive and live together.

As it turns out that body language is trusted 14 times more than spoken words. When you feel an emotion, your body instinctively moves in response.

Micro expressions-

When our body react through movements, they can be big movements with your body or smaller movements with your facial muscles; the slightest tension in the face can make your subject look angry, sad or disgusted and can impact the overall feeling of your portrait.

Real happiness doesn’t happen in the lips or mouth, but around the eyes. When humans feel real happiness, it’s the muscles around the eyes that pull up the cheeks, not the mouth that pushes them out.

Angular posing-

Because out torso holds all of our vital organs, making it one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, well only leave it open and unprotected when we feel safe and comfortable.

Pacifying and blocking gestures-

Rubbing or pressure movements are called pacifying gestures and are meant calm down the brain when we are feeling discomfort by releasing a hormone called oxytocin.

Mirroring-

Mirroring has roots in body language theory, too. It’s a key human bonding behaviour that creates an immediate connection.

Gestures-

Gesture in a subject body or, an emotion captured on a subject’s face are both elements that have the power to be the defining reason that a photograph is great. They can be the basis for an entire image.

Emotions and body language-

Boredom- yawning

Defensiveness- you cover vulnerable parts of your body.

Relaxed- open hands, limbs and body slouched

Planning for photography challenge-

 Boredom: Yawning, looking tired, with a blank expression and a slouching or leaning body, you tap your toes, drum your fingers, doodle, and glance at your watch. You don’t seem to be paying attention to someone or something that should be your focus.

We could go to the library and have someone doing their work.

Romance and Sexuality: With dilated pupils and a fixed gaze, you point your feet and hands towards the other person. You lean in while you seductively play with something in your hand, something sexually symbolic. You copy the other person’s body language, preen, brush your fingers through your hair, caress yourself, display your body and expose some part of it while pursing, touching, and licking your lips. Moving into the other person’s personal space, you brush by, gently touch, then caress the body.

Happiness: The corners of the mouth lift in a smile. The eyelids tighten, the cheeks rise; the outside corners of the brows pull down.

 

 

 

The two photographer I chose to research was Damon Baker (photo on the left) and Byron (photo on the right). These two photographers have very different styles but I think the two styles are styles i would to incorporate into my own magazine cover. The differences between these two photographers is that Damon uses mainly black and white and use darker themes with harsh shadows one side of the models face whereas Byron uses very light tones and uses a lot of props like cameras. He also uses a lot of a more vintage theme throughout his pictures. Damon shows emotion in his images and explores gender identity by using men wearing bras and knickers.

The signature these two photographers have is different Damon uses blackened white whereas Bryant uses lighter tones in his images.

In my images I can use the black and white theme of Damon and use the lighter poses and props that Bryant uses.

Throughout this subject my idea has evolved. My initial idea was to create a fashion magazine cover that would include trends that are ‘hot or not’ as this is a subject that is very popular, I was planning on analysing fashion trends on what is good and bad about them. Below are the initial pictures I was planning on taking inspiration from-

However since the subject has evolved we were told that were allowed to work in pairs so me and izzy decided that we should work together as we would be able to think of and develop an idea better together.

but since then me and Izzy have decided to join our ideas together, our new idea is mental health within the fashion community whether that is modelling or retail stores as there is a set standard for people who are part of this, the set standard is how the normal body is tall and thin. Our idea is to use issues like social media and how it can effect people mentally.

We will be able to complete this photoshoot by using the studio in the correct manor to be able to execute the shoot. We have booked the studio on Wednesday the 12th December 2018 at 10:20am.

Mis-en-scene- We will be using flowers to add to the models, we will potentially be painting the petals black to show the darkness and evil the expectations that are put on women and men are. The poses will be very up tight and timid, these poses will include fettle position to show the defensiveness and trying to hide from people.

How are we going to complete this?-

We will complete this by following our schedule, the schedule is-

Monday 10^thDecember 2018-

• 1-1 with Chloe on our idea
• Complete blog post about our idea why and how.
• Book equipment with Freddie
• Revisit mind map, mood boards and think about props that are needed.
• Permission forms.

Tuesday 11^thDecember 2018-

• Pre-production paper work

Wednesday 12^thDecember 2018-

• Production and execution of magazine cover.

Thursday 13^thDecember 2018-

• Editing of cover and images to put in our magazines.

Monday 17^thDecember 2018-

• Completing post production of subject.

Rest of the week will be focused on completing evaluation and post production we will also be tying all of the work together.

Why we are doing this?-

We are doing this to show how damaging the expectation are that are put on women and men on their size and height. We re doing this because photography is my passion and I really want to pursue fashion photography as a future career.

Below is the mood board that I created to show all the subjects that we will be trying to use.

This was the action plan for the rest of the topic, this is what is needed of me to complete.

We decided to complete our photoshoot in the studio as we could get the best lighting and be able to shoot un interrupted. We decided use our false flowers that we were able to acquire from the art department, we used these to add a pop of colour. As we were shooting I decided to use a chair in the shot in which were able to wrap the flowers around it and were able to use the flowers in many different ways, these images might be the ones that we use for our covers as we both agree that they were impressive and fit the idea we had for our cover. The emotion that Izzy was able to portray was amazing and fit our initial idea.

Our final decision for the name of our magazine is going to be Polaroid, it was either that or Thorny Rose but we decided that the simplistic nature of polaroid matched our theme much better.

Things needed for photoshoot-

Props-

• Roses for models hair and chair.
• A chair for the model to pose on.

Hair and make up-

• Simple make up to show that not a lot is needed to fit the idea of ‘beauty’
• Roses fro in the models hair.

Lighting-

• We will use high key lighting.
• 4 lights that will be used these include: two soft lighting and two harsh lighting.

Equipment-

• personal canon 750d
• lighting

Models-

• Izzy sherrell

target age range-

• the target age range will be 14-20, this will be because this age range is most at risk of feeling depressed because of simply how they look.

movement- An image that contains, in some way, movement that enhances the image. This can be the model or prop.

Projection- projecting an image onto a model or object.

I could use projection in my photography to create a high contrast between the forground and background this will add a dramatic effect.

movement photography is a form of photography that allows you to see movement and most of the time it has something other than the person frame like paint or powder, also it has a harsh contrast included.

These two images represent movement portraiture photography these images allow us to see the movement without it being distorted.the first image shows an adult male you is flipping his hair with particles of powder in it. There is a harsh contrast between the forground and background this allows the focal point to be on the man in frame and not the background. In the second image it shows dancer also flipping her hair back whilst doing dance movement, but compared to the first image it has something else in frame apart from the person it has a floor which is covered in what I can only assume is powder or dust.

projection photography is a form of photography that projects an image onto the model in frame that has a deeper meaning or just creates texture to the skin.

In the first image selected it shows a man with scissors on his skin which is made via projection, I believe that this could suggest that the model could be potentially trying to break through his own skin and be who he truly is but this is never told so it is just an assumption. The pose the model is in suggests a defensive nature or being afraid. In the second image in which was selected creates a lot texture on the models skin which reflects to the time period of the 60s as the style is of Andy Warhol. The makeup and the projection fit nicely and reflect the style that was aimed for.

Planning for projection photoshoot-

For my projection photoshoot I am planning to project a bed of roses onto the model this will allow me to have texture and colour on a usually blank and boring image, there will be a flower of some sort on the model in either there ear, hair or hand. The flower will allow there to be an even brighter pop of colour which will make the focal point the actual model. The place in which I will be shooting will be the studio as I will need complete darkness for the projector to be vibrant and bold. I will have max as the model and he will be posing with flowers.

Planning for movement photoshoot-

For this portion of the photoshoot I would like to use fabric to produce movement within the image and also include flower into this so that the images for projection and movement are able to link and have a similar theme. For this photoshoot I will be shooting outside in nature so that I will be able to have more vibrance and have a lot more in the background. We will be outside by the trees with the flowers for more natural images.

For our projection photoshoot we were un able to use the studios we used the classroom instead so the lighting wasn’t as good as it could of been. In post production I made it as dark as I could and made the red brighter then it added a harsher contrast. The next step in producing a better photoshoot would be to use the studio and use equipment that I am familiar with.

In this image we were representing motion through photography, I believe this shoot went better compared to the projection shoot as the lighting was better and also the actual execution was a lot better this is because the flowing and the structure of the image was improved upon a lot and also we were communicating a lot better as a group through this set of images. In the post production I decided to make the colours brighter to make the reds pop.