Photo Inspiration: Poses

I was particularly inspired by this shot by the way that the model is standing. She is sticking her bum out to the side and bending her leg. This allows shape, which would not be achieved if she kept both legs straight. Her arms both look triangle shaped. One hand is on her neck, with the other one on her hip. This creates a 'S' shape, by the way that it goes from one hand to the other. This has inspired me to create and think of shapes that could be made for my models initials as I think this would be a very good idea for a pose. It would also look fun. It has also inspired me to prehaps use a pose like this for just one of my models so that it would be an individual pose, as I think it would look over the top if they were all to pose like this. Also, it would look like their arms are all over the place.

I love the way that the model is kicking her leg back behind her in this photo. I also like the way how her head is kind of swung back, and she is smiling. It makes the photo look very lively and energetic which I think would be ideal for my magazine because of the band and the models that I have chosen. I also like the way that she has a tie for a belt, which she is holding onto. This gives her something to do with her hands so that it doesn't look as though her hands are just hanging down beside her body. I think this would be a good pose to use for one of the models, instead of everyone doing the same pose. This is because due to the fact that it is a band, it would mean they would all be very cramped together as there is quite a lot of room needed to achieve this pose because of the way that the foot kicks out behind. However, it would be a really good pose to use for one of the models, especially the one thats on the end. It has also inspired me to experiment by thinking of doing a photo with the both models on the end to kick their legs out so the photo looks symmetrical.

For this example, I was inspired by the way that the model is holding both her hands against her face. She is very faintly just touching her face, which gives a kind of elegant effect. The way her body is positioned adds shape, by the way that she is sticking her bum to the side. This brings out the curves. I also like the way that her hair is blowing to give that windswept look. I think this would be a very original pose to use for one of my models. As well as being inspired by the pose, it has also give me inspiration to create a windswept effect for my models. This could be done by using an air fan. However, it might not work without being done professionally because the fan might not be strong enough to work. However, it could be done outside, but that means i'd have to rely on the weather for it to be a windy day which might take up valuable time.

I was inspired by this photo by the way that the model is standing. She is standing to the side, with her hand against the wall. She is tilting her head slightly so that she can have eye contact and look at the camera. She also has her hand on her hip. This accentuates her curves, whilst giving somewhere to place her hand, rather than it just hanging down beside her body. She is in high-heels. This makes her look taller. It also makes her legs look longer, which again accentuates her body. She has her feet spread evenly apart and is standing up straight to bring out her posture. I think this would look very effective if I were to do this with my models all in a line behind one another.

Mock Version: Double-page Spread

Mock Version: Content's Page

Mock Version: Front Cover

I edited this mock by enlarging the image, because I felt that it would improve the cover.

Front Cover Photo Edits

Before creating the mock cover of my magazine, I decided to edit the photo I am going to use to come up with different ideas and techniques. It was quite handy because it gave me some practice and preparation ready for starting my mock. Because I want my magazine to look bright and vibrant, I decided to edit the photos brightness, both by using edits that made the photo brighter and lighter so that I could compare them and decide which looks best for my magazine. I did the following edits:

Edit number 1: 'Smudge Stick'

Edit number 2: 'Diffuse Glow'

Edit number 3: 'Ink Outlines'

Edit number 4: 'Waterpaper'

Edit number 5: Changing brightness level

I adapted the colour of the photo by increasing the brightness and contrast. I changed the colour to +25% and the contrast the same. I also changed the shadow level so that it was 0%. This was to stop the photo looking too bright and over the top.

Edit number 6: Changing the layout of the models

Edit number 7: Red eye removal

Edit number 7: Editing lip colour

I decided to edit the colour of the lips. As my models didn't wear any make-up for the test shot shoot, I didn't get the effect I wanted. Therefore, because I was particularly inspired by the idea of lipstick, and didn't get this for the photos for my mock, I decided that I would get the effect I wanted simply by editing the colour. I think this looks very effective, however it would look more professional if the make-up was done. Also, it is more time-consuming to edit compared to simply putting the make-up on beforehand.

Front Cover Photo

This is the photo from my test shots that I have decided I am going to use on the mock front cover of my magazine. I chose to use this as I found that this was the shot that I liked the best, and also worked the best compared to the other test shots. This included things such as eye-contact because everyone is looking at the camera. The lighting is also very effective because all the models can be clearly seen. It is also against a clear white background, so that the models stand out and aren't detracted from anything going on in the background, such as the location (the locations in my test shots wern't too great because I had to do my photo shoot at school). The size of the models is also a good point, the photo is zoomed in enough so that they are clearly seen and of a suitable and simple size to be able to edit/photshop. They are also all pretty much in the shot (with a slight bit of Nav and Abbie cut out).  I am very keen on the way that each of the models all have individual poses, I think this is the key feature of the photo.

Mock Version: Planning

Mock Planning - Front Cover



Mock Planning - Content's Page



Mock Planning - Double-page Spread

Band Name Font: Ultralove

For deciding the font I will use for the name of the band for my magazine, I decided to pick out the best fonts I was inspired by the most from when I researched fonts to use. I particularly liked the following four fonts: 'Journal', 'Sunshine in the Soul', 'Complete in Him' and 'Rolina' (from http://www.dafont.com/). To ensure that I got the best idea of what the band name 'Ultralove' would look like in the font, I made sure that I showed some examples. This will enable me to be able to be 100% sure that I choose the right font, which is suitable for the magazine and the band. I also decided to develop the title. For example, I found that for some of the fonts ('Journal' and 'Complete in Him') had heart shapes that you could use. This fitted in with the name of my band, as hearts are associated with the word love (which is in the band name). So I decided to include hearts and develop the title by putting hearts in different places.

Font number 1: 'Journal'

This was the first try that I did to test the font. I think this alone, looks very effective. I think it's a fancy and stylish font, which is ideal for the name of my band, because it suits the band. I like the way that it is slanted and some of the letters join together to give that stylish effect.

I decided to see what it looked like if I did a heart instead of the word 'love' as an abbrviated version for Ultralove. Although it's an original idea, I don't think this would work for the band name font because not everyone will assume or know that the heart stand for 'love', so they would just think the band is called Ultra which I don't want to happen!

I then decided to develop another idea because I didn't like the last one. So I did another example that included the 'love' as well as the heart. I think this makes it look a lot more effective. The use of the heart adds some decoration, whilst keeping it clear what the name of the band is. However, the use of the heart might make the page look a bit tacky, as though it is aimed at younger children which won't appeal to my target audience. Therefore, I will have to make sure I consider this when making the magazine.

I then decided to develop the font again by using a heart instead of the O. I think this is a very good and orginal idea. However, with this particular font it doesn't look completely right. It looks slightly spaces away from the other letters and takes away the slanted, joined up effect which is the effect that makes the font fancy and stylish, which I want to achieve for my the font for my band.

Font number 2: 'Sunshine in my Soul'

I decided to look into this font for the name of my band because it is a stylish, fancy font. This is by the way that all the letters are joined up and the way that the font slants to to side. This font would be an ideal font for the name of my band due to it fitted in with the female gender and having that 'girly' look/appeal to it. The only problem with it is that it is quite a thin, narrow font which would make it stand out less.

Due to there not being any hearts for this specific font, I decided to develop this font by seeing what it looked like with a lower case letter at the beginning of the title, instead of a capital letter. I think this looks more effective, because it looks less cramped together against the L.

Font number 3: 'Complete in Him'

I like the originality of the font, by the way that all the letters are individual because they are of different sizes/heights. Also, some letters are randomly in capital letters (the R for example). I think this is a rather catchy and interesting effect. I also like the boldness of it. It would work very well on the magazine as it would stand out. It is clear and understandable to read, which again would work well on the magazine. However, I think that it looks rather plain and simple which I think would look boring on the page.

Like the previous font I looked into, this particular font including heart shapes. I wanted to see what it looked like instead of an O. I found that the heart looks too big and out of place compared to the other letters.

I then wanted to see what this particular font (compared to the previous font), looked like with a heart on the end to add that extra detail. I again found that the heart looked too big and out of place. Therefore, I think that the font looks better without the heart idea.

Font number 4: 'Rolina'

I liked the simplicity of this font and decided to look into it. I like the shapes of the letters and the way that some look thicker than others. However, because it is so plain and simple, it doesn't look very stylish. I think that this makes it less interesting.

This specific font didn't have any heart shapes. So I decided to create a heart shape using the arrow symbol '<' and the number '3' to see what it looked like. I don't think it looks effective. It also looks quite tacky and childish, and unprofessional for a magazine.



Font number 5: 'Candy Inc'

I decided to look into this particular style of font by the way that it has everything that I am looking for in a font. This includes the way that it is stylish and fancy due to it being joined up and slightly slanted, whilst being bold and clear at the same time.

I decided to develop the last font by adding this 'curled' effect on the end of the band name. I think this works well because it makes it look more interesting. It also . However, I am not too sure exactly how this would look on the magazine cover, because it might not slightly over the top against everything else that's on the page. It might also be clashy against the background/image etc. Therefore, if I decide to use this font, I will have to see if it looks better with this effect or not so that I ensure I get the best possible font I can.

Font number 6: 'Cutie Pop'

I was particularly interested in this font by the way that it has that 'pop' look and feel about it. It also has the word 'pop' used for the title of the font, which suggests it was purposely inspired and themed around pop. I like the way that it the letters look curly which suggests that it looks 'girly'. This therefore, fits in well with my target audience as well as the genre, because it is aimed at young girls (which is who my magazine will be aimed towards). I also think it would fit in well for the band, because they are also young teenage girls. It is a clear, understandable font that is spaced out. All the letters are all the same size/height. This makes it easy to read. I was inspired by the use of the heart inside the O, as the heart fits in with the word 'love'.

I adapted this by including an exclamation mark at the end, as I found out that this particular font had a heart on the exclamation mark. Therefore, I was inspired by this because the use of the heart adds to the title as it fits in well with the whole 'love' idea. However, I don't think an exclamation mark would be ideal to use for the font for my band name as I think it makes the band name taken less seriously.

Masthead Font: Muze

To ensure that I got as many ideas as possible and to enable me to get the best font for the title of my magazine, I got every example of the fonts that I previously researched in the word of my magazine name 'Muze'. (The examples are in the same order as the first picture shown). This way, I know exactly what the title for my magazine looks like in all the fonts. This will enable me to be able to decide what font I think suits the title 'Muze' best and what will look best on my magazine. I will also be able to decide which fits in most with the pop genre, and what will appeal to the target audience, young females aged between 15-21. This will ensure that I am definate about my choice, so that I don't have to change my mind at a later date.

The particular fonts I were inspired by were:

Font number 1: 'King Cool FC'

I think this particular font has a 'pop' look to it by the use of curves and curls at the end of the letters. I also like the way that every letter is the same size/height. This would look effective for a title. It is also very clear and easy to read. Overall, I think this would be ideal for my magazine because it fits in with my genre. It also fits in with my target audience, because I think it would appeal to young females between the age 15-21.

 Font number 2: 'Sunshine in my Soul'

This is an example of a more stylish, fancy font that I am inspired by. I like the use of curls on the letters and the way that it is slightly slanted. I also like how some of the letters join up. This gives the stylish effect. I think this effect would work well for my magazine as it would fit in very well with my target audience. However, it is a very thin font which wouldn't stand out on the page. It is also not very clear, because the Z doesn't look like a Z. This makes it difficult to read.

Font number 3: 'Pastel Crayon'

I like the way that this example has a blurred effect. I think this is a very plain, simple font which is clear and easy to read. It is also very edgy. However, I don't think this would be ideal for the title/masthead of my magazine because I don't feel as though it has a music feel to it as it doesn't look very 'pop' like. I think it's more artistic. It also doesn't fit in very well with my target audience, as I think it would suit or appeal to the male gender more.

Font number 4: 'Complete in Him'

I like the way that the letters are different sizes. The Z adds a bit of shape and bulk to the title. I am also inspired by the way that that the letters curl on the end. The use of the curls fits in with my target audience, as it's more appealing to females. I also think it suits the genre as I think it has the 'pop' look to it, due to it looking edgy and stylish at the same time. It is also clear and easy to read, due to the boldness that makes it noticeable. I think this font would work well as a masthead as it would look effective.

 Font number 5: 'Brushed'

This is an example of a very artistic use of font. I think this because it has a brush effect to it. I like the way that it is clear to read and all the letters are capital letters which makes it stand out. It is also thick, which again makes it stand out. Therefore, it is a bold, eye-catching font. I think this would look good as a title because it is an interesting font. However, I think it would be more aimed for an arty magazine, compared to a music one.

Font number 6: 'Blake'

I was inspired by this font. It immediately caught my eye by having the 'pop' look to it. I also like the way how the letters are all in capitals. I also thought the dot in the middle of the E made it look rather effective and added an edgy effect to it. However, it is quite a thin sized font which might not long too effective as a title because it might not stand out as well as bolder fonts would.

Font number 7: 'Levi Brush'

This is another example of a brush-effect font. It is similar to the font 'Brushed' apart from the fact that it isn't in capital letters. I think the use of this effect makes it an artistic font. Like the other font, it is thick, which makes it stand out. Therefore, it is a bold, eye-catching font. Again, I think it would be more aimed for an arty magazine, compared to a music one.

Font number 8: 'Candy Inc'

I was particularly inspired by this font because it is quite similar to the font of Rolling Stone magazine, which is a music magazine. It is a stylish, fancy font by the way that it is slightly slanted and has a curl to the letter. I like the way that it is bold, which makes it stand out. However, it isn't completely ideal due to it not being very readable. This is because the Z could get confused, as you can't tell that it's a Z very well.

After looking into these fonts that I was particularly inspired by, I have compared them. From comparing these fonts, I was particularly inspired by font number 1, number 4, and number 6. All of these fonts would be ideal to use for my music magazine because they have the 'pop' look to it. From doing this research, it has enabled me to decide the font that I would like to use for my magazine. I have chosen the font number 1 that I researched called 'King Cool FC'. Out of all the fonts, I think this will be the most ideal for my music magazine. This is because it is a suitable font that suits the genre, target audience and the band for my magazine. It is also suitable for a magazine by the way that it is clear and easy to read.

Test Shots Evaluation

Overall, I think the tests shot went okay. However, I don't think it was very productive as I didn't get many pictures. This was because I had to take the photos in school, and we found it very difficult to find good places to do the shoot. We were also short for time so it was reasonably rushed. This stopped from getting the best shots possible, as I don't have a variety of lots of different poses.

Myself and the models all found that poses were an option that we struggled with. I didn't research any poses for the inspiration of my test shots, so I think that was the reason why we found it difficult to come up with new ideas on the spot. I have decided that I am going to research some poses that inspire me so that when I take the real photos for my magazine, we don't face this problem again.

Another problem I found was that the frist room we went in to take the photos lacked space. This stopped me from being to able to get the models full body into the picture, so I decided to go into a corridor to get them all into the shot fully. However, the lighting was rather dull in the next room, which meant that the quality of the images didn't look too great.

Because I took the photos at school, the models wern't able to wear full make-up like I had planned, or get too dressed up because they felt uncomfortable in the school environment. Therefore, when I take the real photos for the magazine, I have decided to do it at home. This will give me more time, and then the model's can get dressed up. It will also mean that I will be able to take a variety of plenty different shots and poses.

Preliminary Magazine

Doing a preliminary magazine enabled me to gain some experience using Photoshop. I created a front cover and a content's page. I have learnt how to format the layout of the page, by using fonts and images. I have learnt how to use Photoshop, and how 'layers' need to be structured. The skills I have gained are learning how to insert images. I have also learnt how you can edit them, and cut an image out of the photo, to remove the background. Special effects can be used to edit the photos. To begin with, I found Photoshop was very difficult to use. I found that it was very confusing using the 'layers'. However, as I started getting used to using it, I become more familar with how to do it. This gave me some good knowledge so that I had a good idea of how to create a magazine for my coursework.