Welcome to my AS Media Studies portfolio. The task was to create a Music Magazine, following the forms & conventions of a professional Magazine. Before this task began, a preliminary task to produce a Student Magazine was undertaken (Link in the Sidebar) in which I explored the concept of producing a magazine, this followed on into further research into producing a professional looking Music Magazine entitled "The Sound". These blogs follow my progress through planning, research to the final product.

Final Product

Front Cover:

Contents Page:

Double Page Spread:

Product Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?




How does your media product represent particular social groups?

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Who would be the audience of your media product?

How did you attract/address your audience?

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

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Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Target Audience Feedback

Creating the Magazine in Photoshop: Double Page Spread

Creating the Magazine in Photoshop: Contents Page

Creating the Magazine in Photoshop: Front Cover

Editing Images In Photoshop: Double Page Spread Background Image

For the background image of the Double Page Spread, I thought that this image would be best, as the bricks would create an interesting background for the text. However, in the top left corner, the bricks stop and on the right, the bricks change into a different pattern. 
To continue the pattern along the top and sides, I used the clone tool to copy parts of the image to fill the areas. In the end, I found it difficult to replace the top left corner area, and used an inner shadow across the edges of the image to hide it. The final image used is shown below:

Editing Images In Photoshop: Contents Page Images

Cross Processing

For this idea I took inspiration from an image I found on Google (Left). I liked the idea of cross processing the images in the darkroom because it links back to how the darkroom is used and the use of a camera as a prop on the front cover. I decided these "prints" would be good for the contents page design. To create these images, firstly, I removed the border from the image on the left, leaving an empty area in the middle. Then I loaded the image that I wanted to Cross Process. Next I went to "Image" > "Adjustments" > "Curves". Here I selected "Cross Process" from the Presets, giving the image the effect I desired. This was then placed under the border from the previous image.

Stroke + Black & White

I decided that other featured bands should be presented in a different way, as if they were literally "popping out" of the page. To create this effect I simply changed the colour settings to black & white (Alt + Shift + Ctrl + B) and then removed the subjects from the background. Then in Layer Style I added a black coloured stroke around them, giving a border around the shape of their body. Then, to avoid confusion and to create a more aesthetic image, I added the names/logos of the artists onto the images.

Editing Images In Photoshop: Front Cover Image

In the end, I decided to use the image on the right for the front page. This is because both of the girls are looking directly at the camera, establishing a relationship with the reader. Although the image itself is good, some aspects had to be changed to meet the professional standards of a music magazine front cover; the background wall had marks, a cupboard is visible and the models could be airbrushed. Using various techniques shown below, I fixed the image to a professional standard.

The Photoshoot

For the magazine, I knew it would be better and more professional to have three separate shoots for the main band. Giving the full picture and overall representation of the band being interviewed.


Shoot 1:
I felt that the main photo should be taken in a room with a white wall to create the effect that the image was taken in a Professional Photographic Studio. It didn't matter that there were parts of the wall with marks, or that the cupboard & shelves were visible, as these can easily edited out in Photoshop. I found the appropriate location and lit appropriately to counteract the flash from the camera. With vintage style popular at the moment, I thought it would be interesting to involve the prop of an old camera; which also acts as a way of engaging and involving the reader.
Below is a sideshow of all the photos I took during the shoot:

Shoot 2:

For this shoot, I was particularly interested in capturing an urban feel, I knew that a large brick wall could be a potentially interesting background for a double page spread. With a short time available for the subjects of the photo, I searched on Google Maps to find a local spot that would fit the criteria of the images I wanted to take.

I found the location and quickly went and undertook the photoshoot. The weather on the day was fairly cold and wet but I took this to the full advantage, capturing a real urban feel to the photos. After successfully taking the main photo for the double page spread, I took other photos of the subjects which could be used for other purposes in the magazine; such as the contents page and for other small photos in between the text of the double page spread. After taking the photos, I decided to tweak the best ones on iPhoto and Windows Live Photo Gallery to make sure that the images looked professional and that the images themselves had aesthetic qualities to them.
Below is a sideshow of all the photos I took during the shoot, including photos that I edited on iPhoto and Windows Live Photo Gallery:

Shoot 3:

For the last set of photos, I decided to take a dark images that would contrast against the bright studio photos. I found a Photographic Dark Room which I chose to take the photos in, which I felt linked back to the camera used on the front cover. In this shoot the subjects were still wet from the previous shoot outside; I took the advantage of this and made the images appear warm by boosting the colour, which gave the illusion that the were in a hot steamy room. Overall I think this effect worked incredibly well in some of the photos.

Below is a sideshow of all the photos I took during the shoot, including photos that I edited on iPhoto and Windows Live Photo Gallery: