CCR

Practice for CCR

In these clips, I'm using Canva to remove the background of the photos to create the desired effects I hoped to reach in my magazine. While I had many other pictures, the recording unfortunately stopped and the files were not found. After was footage from when I wrote my article. I took a few breaks in this because I couldn't find the words to properly express myself for a while. Ultimately, this article is the one I put in my magazine. After I stopped recording, I debated on whether or not to actually use the article or to rewrite it. I didn't feel it was my strongest article, but I was mostly nervous that the attempt of normalizing being unsure of one's identity is normal wasn't getting across. After getting my friend to read it, he told me that he understood exactly what I was trying to say so I put it in my magazine. The bulk of the process (actually assembling my spread and table of contents) was done more periodically, so I don't have footage of it. Using flipsnack.com worked out very well for me. I had certain limitations but this website gave me the most freedom to do whatever I wanted to do. The limitations were worth it in my eyes.

Final Product

Click here!

Final Edits

 I've made some final revisions to my magazine, including some things I almost forgot such as the photo credits and my signature at the end of my editor's letter. I found the footage of me working on different aspects of the magazine that I'm planning to post and comment on. I think this practice, though written, will help with my Creative Critical Reflection after I've turned in my final product. I've asked a few of my friends outside of the course for their opinions and they've given me very good feedback from the perspective of a viewer/ audience rather than the technical design like my classmates. I will continue to make sure I have everything I need for the final product.

Photoshoot Day!

 Today was the day of my photoshoot. I think I've been able to get all the needed pictures and will start editing the pictures as I filter through the ones I want to use and the ones that I don't. It will require a lot of editing because I want to remove the background, so it will take some time to get them to the level I am comfortable presenting. I'll start making the graphics I aim to create as well.

Self Lines

 I've decided to not use self lines in my publication. Because I want to keep the style fairly simple, I think that self lines would take away from this. Publications such as Vogue do not have self lines, and while my magazine is very different from Vogue's, I want that same classy feeling. I think that the title and content speaks for itself in terms of delivering information to the audience. Incorporating the colors of the lesbian flag as much as I can are what is important to me. I realize that I most likely won't able to do this because I'm basing the publication on the color scheme worn by the main model, but it would be nice to attempt to coordinate the colors. 

Update on Models

 Many of my models have been unable to schedule dates for photoshoots for extended periods of time. Two of them said they weren't comfortable taking the pictures anymore, and I completely understand.

However, I now only have one model to photograph. Though I think I will be okay with only one model, I want a bit of variation to make my spreads seem like a true magazine so I will be modeling alongside them. I have asked a friend to help with the photoshoot and ensure that the photos where I will have to model are properly positioned. Alongside this, they will be helping me with technical aspects of the photoshoot. 

Our photoshoot is scheduled for March 5. Once this photoshoot is done, I will be able to complete almost every aspect of my magazine, as I am featuring the model and myself in the cover, table of contents, and in the inner spread.

Moodboard

 Belles-Lettres aims to be a safe space for young queer women. I want the magazine to be simple but still have personality come through with every picture, as it is a very picture heavy magazine. I want the feel of the magazine to be reminiscent of early 2000s magazines with their funk and fun, all while staying true to the model's own sense of self. 

Masthead Analysis

 Progression in health sciences means that health magazines have limitless prompts for articles and covers. This is especially true when it comes to the world of psychology. In a sense, my magazine is a health magazine. I aim to tackle dismantling the stigma that comes with being a sapphic person today, even as the LGBTQ+ community becomes more widely accepted. 

In the many issues of Psychology Today, it is true that the only recurring theme in these magazine spreads is the typeface and placement of the masthead. Each issue has a different color scheme and different framing of text depending on the subject of the picture in their front page. The masthead usually matches the color scheme where it will stand out without feeling like a foreign object. The title of the magazine also leaves the subject very broad, letting them cover topics such as mental illnesses like depression, grief, and self help. The title may change fonts and placement, but the masthead stays tethered to the same place.

Runner's World magazine has a very steady and repeating style to their magazine. The house style is very obvious in just looking at a few issues from the magazine. There front cover tends to be action shots of the model running in different settings. The masthead always stays in the same place, even if the model covers the title a bit. This is one of the pros of being a well established magazine with a steady following. The models all look happy/ content and radiate a positive energy that transfers to the audience to motivate readers. The typeface itself is blocky and gives a solid presence in the magazine, locking down it's place on the layout. 

Women's Health has changed design over time but has stayed true to its new typeface. Each issue features a fit woman who is usually showing her muscles (in many issues, it is their abdominal muscles). If they don't show their muscles, they show a skill they excel at. In Women's Health, the model is much more important than the masthead. Much of the masthead is covered by these models, which is interesting. The typeface is not as blocky or solid as Runner's World. The presence isn't as intimidating as the others may be due to the curves in the font chosen for the masthead. The actual masthead seems to be an afterthought as the cover focuses on both the model and the actual content inside the issues.

Depending on the purpose of the magazine, the masthead changes considerably. Some mastheads give a sense of permanence and others give a more welcoming feeling. I will continue to study this as I prepare my own model for our first photoshoot. I want Belles-Lettres to be welcoming and a safe space for the beauty that is a sapphic identity.

Marketing Project

 

House Style in Magazines

Though I will only have one issue of this magazine, it is important to establish a general house style and determine what my outstanding features will be. I aim for my magazine to look reminiscent of a 2000s magazine but modernized. The same editing in the layout but with cleaner lines and more focus on specific hues rather than a large variety of colors. 

I want one of the main house style features to be the feature of the pink/ reddish hues in the color scheme I’ve chosen. Inside the colors most likely will be different because of the styling of the subjects, but what truly matters is the first impression that people get of the magazine upon first viewing.

In class, we reviewed house style for different types of magazines. I focused on “Car and Driver.” Here are my notes of what this magazine’s house style is.

• Big blocky text for title

• Primary colors

• Old western looking font for subheadings

• Text is formatted to not cover any of the car

• Some text goes behind the cars need be

• Mostly ‘action’ shots

 

Photography Lecture— Joshua Shear (FIU) Notes

Exposure Triangle

• Aperture
• Controls amount of light that enters camera
• Fixed in camera, can be controlled by lens
• Specified in terms of f-stop
• Lower numbers mean more light\
• Lower numbers have more depth of field (focus)
• Shutter speed
• Determines how long light is permitted to enter camera
• Shutter speed and exposure time refer to same concept, where faster shutter speed means a shorter exposure time
• ISO
• Low number— less sensitive, needs more light, gives more details
• High number— more sensitive, needs less light, photo can have noise
• Low numbers less noisy
• 200-400 usually best
• Camera usually come with a “native ISO,” a range where the camera will come out well and without noise

Other Aspects of the Camera

• Wheel thing on top is to switch between exposure presets
• Where there’s a camera icon with the word auto (or just the word auto)
• M— manual
• White balance
• Process of removing color casts so objects that appear white in reality appear as white in photo
• Has to take into account the ‘color temperature’ of a light source
• Refers to relative warmth of white light
• Essentially how the camera interprets temperature of the picture
• Usually has some presets for inside light types, sunlight, cloudy days, and staying in the shade
• Depth of Field
• Smaller aperture— greater DOF
• Larger aperture— shallow DOF
• Zone of sharp focus
• Extends in font of and behind subject and gets deeper in both directions as you “stop down” lens

Rules of Composition

• Rule of thirds
• Image separated into 9 equal boxes
• Points of interest fall on intersections of boxes
• Leading lines
• Leads eyes to subject (think about line of sight in yearbook pictures)

What makes a good photo?

• Truth and accuracy
• Storytelling
• Action
• Expressions and emotion
• Sense of place
• Technique
• Patience!
• Don’t be afraid
• Pay attention 
• Not only for pictures but for safety
• Keep. Shooting. A great shot may come up out of nowhere

Tips

• Usually better to move rather than to move subject, especially in photojournalism
• Vary angles to avoid harsh lighting (i.e. straight forward shot at noon outside not as interesting as with angled shot to get shadows)
• Lead room for action shots (helpful for yearbook!!!)
• Choose how much headroom to leave (space between top of head and end of frame)
• It’s okay to use flash outside to create proper lighting and capture subject appropriately
• Set camera to appropriate image size:
• Print 4x6 (3:2) is norm
• Slideshow 16:9 norm for video
• Stills for video should be in landscape (NOT portrait) 

 

Revisions to my Editor's Letter

 This update is fairly small. I've made some grammatical revisions to editor's letter and changed some things to make it easier to read/ understand. I condensed it some because I felt that I was rambling near the end. I'm starting to organize the photoshoot ideas I have more and more and I hope to finalize them soon.