Music Photographers

Anatomy of a Magazine

 

1) The saying, "don't judge a book by its cover" is completely inaccurate when it comes to magazines; everything about the front cover of a magazine is designed to stand out and appeal to audiences. For example, the image is placed as large and often has interesting perspectives and effects in order to attract audiences to the look of the product. Additionally, a lot of thought goes into the placement of every single detail on the cover such as the cover lines that cannot make the magazine look too sparse or cluttered. Especially for new readers, they would not know anything about the product apart from what they can infer from how the cover LOOKS. In particular, experiencers are attracted to how a front cover looks. The cover is extremely important; it needs to say: what genre of music it revolves around; what type of bands are written about and what target audience is appropriate.

 

2)Magazine front covers are a challenge to design; it is important that the house style is prominent but also that the cover does not restrict the target audience; they want as much circulation as possible. For example, this front cover depicted above will have been a challenge to design; a lot of thought has been put into the house style colours as blue and pink appeals to BOTH genders. Furthermore, the design of a magazine includes the placement of the different components such as cover lines, straplines, pugs, puffs and mastheads. Designers will need to ensure that no writing covers a large amount of the image, especially the face as this would look too cluttered and take attention away from the model in the photograph.

 

3) Mostly, the image on the front cover consists of people; I think this is because human audiences would relate more to seeing humans on the front cover and make the magazine seem more approachable and relevant. Also, on a lot of music magazines, there is often a band of people rather than just one person-even though both can be used-as this creates the sense of cohesion. Moreover, I find that when the image consists of a group, the perspectives are always better and there is more depth to the cover in the models' positioning. Personally, I find that group images look more interesting on the cover. There are also lots of single people though as this seems more exclusive and, seen as they do not need any other people to make it more interesting, it creates the sense that the magazine is more exclusive; the model is more famous.

4) The arrangement of cover lines can have two effects on the main image, draw attention to it, or take it away. For instance, when cover lines completely fill the area around the face of the model. we are drawn to the face of the model which can make us relate to the model more. However, as soon as the cove lines begin to look cluttered, this draws attention away from the image itself and looks messy. I think that the most efficient in drawing attention to the image is the front cover on the top left; this is an interesting image with good perspectives but there are no cover lines anywhere near the bulk of it therefore it stands out the most. The top left cover looks on the edge of being too cluttered; all of the image is covered apart from the head and the cover lines are in front of the image rather than behind, suggesting that they are more important than the image.

 

5) Most of the cover lines are always situated on the left because we read in this direction. Therefore, this is designed to be the first thing we see so they are important. Otherwise, the image would catch our attention and we probably would not read any of the article titles on the right hand side. As a result, we are more interested in the contents and are more encouraged to continue reading.

 

6) The older versions of Esquire magazine have a lot more cover lines but they are on the right hand side meaning that audiences will be less likely to read this text immediately. However, the more modern ones either do not have any, or have very little amounts of cover lines. This could represent that the brand became so popular that they no longer needed to attract audiences using the cover lines as incentives.

The images also became of real people instead of the cartoons that they used to use, perhaps to make the product seem more approachable and relevant to their human audiences. I think that it became more of a human interest product and got more of a following. The photographs in later editions of Esquire, after George Lois revolutionised the product, became bolder and more eye-catching. Consequently, they looked more interesting which will have increased their circulation.

Music Magazine First Photo Shoot

First Photo Shoot

Today, we went to take some location shots and these are some of my favourites from the set...

I tried to direct each image differently so that ultimately I got a range of different photographs that could be used in my final product.

This is the first image I photographed and what I like about it is that it is crisp, clear and appropriate for a music magazine. Particularly, I like the contrast between the white and black keys as well as the intricate detail of the ring. I also think that it looks natural; the keys are pressed as though someone is actually in the middle of playing a song.

I love this image for a number of reasons. I chose to focus in on the bottom right yellow dial as this provides readers with a focal point. Also, I decided that the dials in the background should be out of focus and I am in awe of the way you can still see the colours as this makes for an exciting, interesting image. I also chose to incorporate the purple switches from the amp in the photograph as this provided me with more colour and intricate detail. Even the dust on this object is clear and-in a music magazine-this could represent that the old ways of music have changed and they used to be better so people need to feel their music again.

 
 
I liked this photograph which I shot because I was experimenting with perspectives. By pointing the camera at the middle of the guitar using a low angle, the image had more depth and looked more open and interesting for a music magazine. I like that the foreground of the picture is not in focus; I did this intentionally in order to draw the audience's attention to the strings themselves which are clear and crisp. I think that this photo highlights the musicians need to get close to their music and go about it from different ANGLES!

The thing that stands out for me in this image is the perspective of the guitar. I chose to take the photograph up a step so that it was a slight high-angle shot. I also really like the way I manually focused the camera so that the foreground was actually the blurry part this time. I think that this image has a lot of depth and is consequently appealing and intriguing to the eye. Also, it would cause readers to pay more attention to the image; what they want to see is not the first thing that catches their eye...they have to look for it. Moreover, the model is still in sharp focus so attention is still drawn to her.

Continuing on from my experimentation with different perspectives, I decided to set up a photo where the model's foot is in the foreground. I think that this represents an 'edginess' commonly associated with Indie music. Moreover, the brick in the background provided me with a plain-ish backdrop whilst still being interesting and again reiterating the idea of an edgy location shot.

Seen as the brick worked well as a background on the previous image depicted, I decided that it would be a nice backdrop with people stood in front of it. I also liked that the wall itself was bright and colourful where as the floor was dark and gloomy. This reflected the edgy style of Indie. It is also a background which is natural to all magazine readers therefore it hints at the naturalism and realistic models. Some readers will relate more to what they know and will be more likely to buy the product. Furthermore, I instructed that my models should look moody and sultry to increase this sense of Urban style. They also look more like professional models this way. All of my models are looking at the camera on this photo to suggest that they are looking straight at the reader in order to involve them. Although, in another image I told the model at the front to look directly into the camera while the girls on her left and right looked at her. This creates a focus for readers and implies that the "celebrity" in the middle is extremely important. Consequently, the reader feels like the product is more EXCLUSIVE and is more likely to purchase it.

In my next shot, I decided to mimic the look of "Charlie's Angles" which is a common action. As a result, this is intriguing and also reflects a sense of fun in the music industry. The fact that my photograph is based on this means that it will appeal to a larger target audience; lovers of this may also be attracted to the product from this image. I think that this shot is extremely fun and would echo that the product is also interesting.

This is the last image I decided to take a really fun picture. The poses are similar to that between friends therefore by having this on a front of a magazine, the readers feel like the product is more approachable and relatable to themselves and their own personal situations. I also think that it presents that Indie music is very natural and down-to-earth, just like the models here suggest.

I could use all of these photographs in my magazine: the ones incorporating the models as the front cover images and the others to be incorporated onto my contents page as thumbnails; the quality is good. However, I think that for my front cover page, I will decide to use an image that I shot in a studio setting because I can control the lighting more, especially seen as the weather at the minute is not co-operative for outdoor location shots due to rain and dark clouds disrupting my lighting. Not only are some images too dark, but others are too light; it hits their face from above which is the wrong angle; it brings out shadows on the face instead of brightening it up and creating a clear focus on it. The face is important for the front cover as this is the only part which will NOT be covered up with writing.

Understanding Audiences

Magazine Audiences

Why are audiences important in media companies?
A target audience is CRUCIAL in media companies; many products such as magazines are created specifically with a certain audience in mind. For example, a rock music magazine is made particularly to suit rock music-lovers. Without a company knowing their target audience, it would be impossible to know how much circulation they are likely to get. Furthermore, magazines sell advertisements to companies who they know would suit their audience and this is how they make money to sustain their production. If the advertisements did not link to their audience in some way, they would lose their advertisers, lose money and would not be able to stay in business. Also, they need to know that they WILL have an audience as if the don't, it would be utterly POINTLESS!

What are demographics?
Demographics are a method of organising potential audience into categories such as age, gender, social class, race, location and profession. Surveys and questionnaires are put together by publishers to better understand what audience they will be getting. By doing this, they can evaluate which areas their magazines are targeting and the type of people who may be receiving their product.

Constructing an audience
With this data, they can alter things like the articles to suit the audience in relevance, language and information. They can also measure audience engagement as young people may react differently to an article about a pop band than older people. Audience expectations can also be changed; many producers want their product to be exciting and surprising so by knowing what their audience expects, they can blow it out of the water. On the other hand, they could succumb to expectations in order to appeal to the readers. Audience identification is also important as this allows the reader to feel personally connected with the text, willing them to continue buying the product. After all of this research on the demographics, the data is kept and ultimately, they need to focus on transmitting the product to their target audience. They do this through market campaigns such as adverts and posters. At the end of this, the circulation is counted to give to the advertisers so they know how far their adverts are reaching.

What are psychographics?
Psychographics (AKA:VALS) are the values and lifestyles of a specific audience., relating more to the person inside than demographics do. For instance, two people may live on the same street, be the same age and earn the same amount of money but their individual tastes may be very different. This is why psychographics are also EXTREMELY important to marketers and publishers; they determine the type of LIFESTYLE that their audience likes, making it a more accurate representation of their audience count.

Profiles
The profiles that would be suitable consumers of a music magazine would include the struggler. They are alienated from society, disorganised and enjoy drinking alcohol and betting on the lottery. Their style also depicts trainers. Therefore they may be interested in music magazines as the packed front covers reflect their disorganisation. Furthermore, being alienated from society, they may be likely to rebel and many magazines may appeal to them for example a rock or punk magazine.



 Aspirers may also be a target audience for certain music magazines; they often buy products due to what they look like on the cover and music magazines are always appealing to the eye. They are also materialistic therefore may be more interested in the purchasing of the product than actually reading the contents from cover to cover.


 
Moreover, explorers would be an appropriate reader group for magazines; they crave new and unique brands to stay ahead of the status quo. Additionally, they seek adventure and magazines are often packed full of excitement and adrenaline-loading events.

Lastly, a reformer would be suitable in the category as they thrive on being different and not getting judged. They also support the growth of new products so would be an IDEAL audience for new magazine products as it is clear that they would be loyal if they liked its natural beauty.

 

After taking the quiz as to which VALs you have, I have found out that my primary type is a Striver. This means that I am the centre of low-status street culture. I am also fun-loving, aspire to better my life and am strongly into video games. As a consumer group, marketers would then place advertisements in magazines that I was likely to buy such as video games and fashion. My secondary consumer group is an Experiencer. Therefore-as stated in the results of my survey-I am trendy, up on current fashions but also go against the current mainstreams so could be a trend-setter. Seen as this consumer group allegedly have a heightened sense of visual stimulation, the front cover image would have to be appealing to them in order for this group to be willing to read the rest of the magazine. I agree with the categories to a certain extent but some things were not true. For example, apparently Strivers have difficulty realising their desires but I know exactly what I want to do. In general, the results are quite accurate but they cannot be the only form of results.

My Questionnaire

I have devised my own survey to determine what type of things on the front cover of my magazine would appeal to the audience...

1) How old are you?

2) Male or female?

3) Would you prefer to see a moody or happy model on the front cover of an Indie music magazine?

4) Which setting would you choose for the location of the front cover photo...against a brick wall, in a studio or on a grassy hill?

5) Would you prefer a single model or a full band on the front cover?

6) Which gender would you prefer in this image, males, females or a mixture?

7) What colour scheme do you think supports both genders the best...blue and pink, green and black or purple and orange?

8) What do you think should stand out most on the cover...the image, the title or the band depicted?

9) One  large image on the contents page or lots of thumbnails?

10) Cluttered titles or reserved?  

                                                                

            OR?

Music Magazine Comparison

Music Magazine Research and Comparison

I began by researching two different music magazines from the same genre: Indie. This is what I found.....

 

FRONT COVERS

A readers initial impression of a magazine is vital; it leads to the potential purchasing of the product.  The first thing I think when I see this cover is that the photograph is good. This creates a nice focal point for the product and everything else falls into place around it. The model's hair and glasses clearly link to the genre and the background is not too busy. On the other hand, it is rather sparse, which creates the impression that the magazine is not full of interesting articles and reviews and could consequently lead to the prospective readers not buying it.

 

 The cover of this magazine is my favourite as a whole. Firstly, I love the colour scheme of blue and pink as this allows vibrancy but not so much that the readers' eyes start to ache. I love the way that they have incorporated this house style as an effect on the image; this successfully reiterates the uniqueness of Indie music. I like that the band name is also pink as well as the font to tie in the house style. I also love that the colour choices are blue AND pink as this displays that the magazine appeals to both genders undoubtedly. Moreover, the image itself is black and white so it stands out on the front cover and reflects the deepness in this style of music.

 TITLES

This magazine is literally called "INDIE" which I think is a good title; it is clear to prospective readers what genre the mag explores. However, this title is totally BORING obvious and seems like very little thought has gone into it. I think the title of an Indie mag should be thoughtful and deep so that readers can relate to it and enjoy the unique side of the genre they love.

 I prefer THIS title for a plethora of reasons. To begin with, I like that thought has gone into it and it is not plain and simple. There is a meaning underneath it; often people who like Indie music are "Under the Radar" as they aren't interested in fitting in and being "COOL"    the same as everybody else. I also like the logo as it links in well and can be recognised easily by readers. Although, on the front cover the word "PHOENIX" looks more like the title as it is larger and in a more prominent colour where as it is actually the name of the band. Therefore, this layout could be altered to make it clearer.

TAGLINES

 This tagline for "Indie" magazine is good as it encapsulates the "independence" of indie-lovers. They are unique in their values and lifestyles therefore having this line appeals to their audience.



 I have to say that, as well as the front covers and titles, "Under the Radar's" tagline is the BEST! I love the way that they have addressed the issue of music changing to become too "pop-y" and losing its core purpose. Furthermore, the rhyme increases the sense of fun and makes the magazine seem more relatable in its issues.

PUBLISHING

The publisher of "INDIE" is called Clemens SteinMüller, who owns 'Plastic Media' which allows the advertisement of both of their magazines: "INDIE" as we already know and another called "Material Girl." By the publisher owning this, it could increase the circulation of their product. For example, I know that "INDIE" magazine reaches many countries in the world including Germany, Japan, Spain, UK and many many more. Therefore, it is a good idea that the publisher owns a website to advertise all of the products internationally so that they can be found easily.

College Magazine Feedback

PEER FEEDBACK

 





Do you think that my magazine looks professional?
Yes, I believe the magazine looks professional yet also colourful, drawing the readers eye to it.

What do you think of my house style?
Despite the fact the colours are quite vibrant, I think you have a good house style due to the readability.

Is my magazine sparse-looking or cramped?
I believe you have a good balance of content on the front cover however the inside seems a little too full, most likely due to the bright yellow colour being quite strong on the eyes.

Does my product look suitable for the target audience of students?
Yes, the content is relevant as is the language used.

Anything that stands out and looks good?
The placement of the text around the images and the images themselves. They look very professional and break up the information well.

Anything that should be done differently or improved?
It's understandable you wish to stick to your house style, however I believe that the text on the contents page that was yellow should be a dark grey or black to make it easier on the eyes.

Is each page pleasing to the eye?
The front cover is very vibrant and eye catching, I feel that the inside could be too vibrant to be easily read.





MORE PEER FEEDBACK

 

 

Do you think that my magazine looks professional?

I definitely think it does, especially the contents page.

 

What do you think of my house style?
I think it correlates well.

Is my magazine sparse-looking or cramped?


I don't think it looks either, I think you've balanced them out well.

 

Does my product look suitable for the target audience of students?

Yes, because it features articles that a student would read.

 

Anything that stands out and looks good?
I think the contents page looks well done, especially as the writing is placed well with the image.

Anything that should be done differently or improved?
I think if I was to be 'nit picky', I think I would have changed the picture on the contents page, to something more relatable.

Is each page pleasing to the eye?
Definitely.

Any other comments?
Well done on each page, they look amazing.

MORE PEER FEEDBACK

 



Do you think that my magazine looks professional?
Yes, it looks authentic and very sleek.

What do you think of my house style?
The house style looks great, the colours are bright and eye-catching and the font is readable but not boring.

Is my magazine sparse-looking or cramped?
The contents page has, in my opinion, the perfect amount of content. The front cover maybe could've been improved with additional anchorage but I definitely wouldn't describe it as sparse.

Does my product look suitable for the target audience of students?
Yes, the images used are of people the same age and the content included would appeal to students.

Anything that stands out and looks good?
 I like the images, the style of the masthead and I think the colours compliment each other well.

Anything that should be done differently or improved?
Other than maybe additional anchorage as I previously mentioned, no.

Is each page pleasing to the eye?
 Yes, they're both attractive and colourful.

Any other comments?
Overall, I think you've done a brilliant job, they're both very well done!

RESPONSE

Thank you for your helpful feedback. During the time I was creating my magazine, I also thought that yellow would be a difficult colour to read therefore I did try to use black however this did not look suited to the rest of my text, as well as the photograph. For this reason, I chose a darker yellow and a black outline to try to ease this which I think worked better but I understand that this may still be difficult to read. Next time I would perhaps use a different colour scheme for my text. I did want to use an image depicting a student carrying a folder to convey work however I found that this image was more suited in size to my magazine and looked professional and appropriate in a magazine. Although, next time I would use a photo that is more related. Overall, people made similar points to that which I had thought of so I am happy that I have identified areas to improve on for my next project and my magazine got the desired effect from my text-appealing to the target audience.
 

College Magazine Contents Evaluation

Contents Page Evaluation

The photograph depicted on my contents page is from a modelling shoot that I did. I chose to use this photo as it really reiterates the professionalism of my product. Also, I edited the image in order to: apply my own spin on it; make it fit with the house style of my magazine and to echo the photograph on my style model. The thing I particularly like about the placing of my photograph is that it lies behind my article text which adds levels and depth to my contents page, making the whole product look more convincing.

The software we used to make our contents page was InDesign. The main thing I noticed when using this software compared to Photoshop is that it was a bit more difficult to get used to. I think that this was because we had already grown accustomed to the previous program so some people were trying to use each software in the same way, which did not work. However, I did like InDesign after practicing with it. One tool I learned a lot about was the 'framing' tool which allowed us to place the image in a designated area and fit it proportionally. This made it much easier to place the photographs and ensure that their sizing was not too big that the result was blurry. Additionally, I wanted to get my house style the same on my magazine AND contents page, which was important for my product to look professional, although I was a little worried that it would be difficult to reproduce the same colours on font on a different program. At first, I tried to print screen my font from Photoshop and insert it into InDesign so that the colours and style were exactly the same but it was a blurry image. Then I tried to reproduce the same effect on InDesign and it actually worked out well as I applied the same blending options that I used on Photoshop and it worked well. 

Overall, I am pleased with my product. It turned out as expected; I followed my flat plan "to a T" which, looking back, was really helpful as I knew exactly what my layout would be and could picture my finished product before I started it. I was happy that I got my desired effect, particularly with my title. I really wanted my "CONTENTS" title to stand out against my background. Therefore, I made my rectangle behind the title 2 shades of blue and split it in half so that it was 2 triangles. I put my title on an angle parallel to the white gap between the triangles so that it stood out. Then, I looked at the effects and blurred out the edges of these shapes. This effectively made my title jump out of the page more in comparison to the background.        

One thing that was important to me was getting the right balance between a cramped contents page and a sparse-looking one. I think I achieved this correct finish; my magazine looked like it was full and had lots of interesting articles without making it more difficult to read. This was perhaps because my numbers, titles and descriptions all linked together well. I think that this finish made for a convincing magazine; it looked professional and appealing to the target audience. One thing I did not like on my style models was that the article titles were all different colours therefore there was no clear house style, colour scheme or fluidity. This made for an unprofessional product so i chose not to use too many colours. For my scheme, I chose two shades of turquoise and a mustard yellow. The mustard made the colour darker so that it could be read easily on a white background. As a result, I added a black outline to make it stand out more. The two shades of blue make it easy to differentiate between my number and the article description.

 
I think that my audience research was extremely helpful; it led to the creation of my flat plan which was a real help when it came to putting my contents page together as a whole. The style models aided me in my exploration of what looked convincing and what would not appeal to my target audience of students. Moreover, the class poll was useful as I heard other people's opinions and not just my own which enabled me to get an insight as to what the majority of students look for in a magazine. At first, I was going to create a formal student magazine although I chose to use a different approach; I came to the conclusion that a magazine revolving around gossip and scandal would be more suited to the target audience. Therefore, I chose to use a fun colour scheme and make my articles sound more intriguing to a young audience.

College Magazine Contents Pages

 Contents Pages

Following my research into front covers of magazines, I looked into some examples of contents pages in order to gain some inspiration as to what looks best.

In order to find out which of the contents page examples were the most favourable by everyone, we conducted a class poll. These were the options:

And these were the results...

Clearly, number 1 and number 7 were the most popular during this survey; the group all appreciated that these looked sophisticated and professional. The colour schemes were also very simple, which worked in their favour as some of the others were too busy and cluttered.

We conducted A second class poll on some other examples of contents pages. These were the options:

And these were the results...

 It is apparent from the chart above that the most popular examples from this poll were 16 and 17 as we all agreed that these looked simultaneously professional AND appropriate for our student-based target audience.

My PERSONAL TOP 3

#3  The thing I liked most about this design is that it is sleek and sophisticated, whilst having a professional and interesting colour scheme. The columns are clearly separated with fine lines therefore the titles are easy to understand and read. The aspect that stands out for me most about  this cover is that the photographs are simple and the coloured circles go a long way to give the magazine a theme and consequently, an all-important house style.

 #2  I liked this magazine cover, mostly because I feel that it is very suitable for my target audience of students. The black, white and red colour scheme is appealing to the eye and I particularly like the font; it is cool and easy to read. The page numbers are clearly visible, making the contents page clear to follow. Also, I like that the photos included correspond with the articles and the titles. Furthermore, the sections are easily distinguished.

#1   This was my favourite of all of the magazine covers for a number of reasons. Firstly, the title is easy to read from a distance. Another thing that stands out on this contents page is obviously the photograph. I particularly like that it is black and white as this suits the colour scheme and house style of the entire magazine. It also conveys a sense of the product being exclusive. Moreover, I like the layout of the page; the titles are clearly linked to each article and the numbers being a different colour goes a long way to make them jump out of the page.