Featured Photographer: Change is Good

Pertaining to my edition's double-page spread, I previously mentioned in a Week 3 blog post that I would be covering my friend Cassie as COLOR CRAZE's Featured Photographer. Unfortunately, with her being busy on her respective Media Studies A Level project and the impending AP Exam preparations that have crowded our agendas, a new direction has been taken.

Considering the extra photos I took of Fabi (as shown in "Picture Perfect"), making myself the Featured Photographer seems to be the best back-up plan. That way I can utilize my original photos without running into the previous issue of not being to include Cassie's photography since I can only include my own photography.

However, I still want to include a picture of myself, like I previously addressed in "'Featured Photographer' Progress". I still want to approach the angle of not only showcasing the photographer's work, but also the photographer his/herself with their own personal photo shoot that goes along with the theme.

In my case, I set up a tripod and a timer in order to take a self-portrait. Here are some of the results:

I know the intended goal of the Featured Photographer section will remain unhindered, even while making myself the Featured Photographer (yet it is feels strangely narcissistic to dedicate a whole double-page spread to myself). So, while this was a bump in the road, I know that this decision will ultimately make it easier on myself so I won't have to depend on other people but myself.

More to come!! 

Until then, 

SLS

Contesting Contents

During Week 3, our group went back and forth on different kinds of layouts for the table of contents. Since last week's ultimate goal was getting photos for the cover/featured pictures, we didn't focus too much on the contents page until now.

We composed several kinds of contents layouts, as shown below:

I

II

III

IV

I: I came with the idea of having six photos that reflected each color of the rainbow as it pertained to a specific segment of the magazine, but our group decided against it since it would not fit as cohesively with the rest of the themes as it does mine.

II: This contents page is another picture-heavy approach with minimal text, however, since we don't have the resources to take pictures that would relate to the wide range of topics each edition covers (from featured photographer to location feature), we decided against it.

III/IV: The two similar content pages both employ a double-page spread layout, with the left page concerning the actual content versus the right showcasing a photo that pertains to the theme. Within the boxes, there will be a sneak-peek photo, which the number will overlay, directing the reader to that page of the issue to find a specific section. We want the photos to be the main stars, not the text, so minimal words was key. Having the "contents" bar background color complementing the adjacent photo would also be a continuing feature between all four editions. Since we have different themes, having similar layouts will add yet another cohesive feature (besides the cover) to distinctively mark our issues as part of the POLARIZE brand.

There is still more to come, and I am so excited to see the final product soon!!

Until then, 

SLS

Calm, Collected, Covered

It is now Week 4 and I am feeling oddly calm at that fact. I am finding that I have paced myself quite well since I have finalized my cover layout and may even have a final product!

Layout Draft

Cover - Finally!!

To edit the text onto the image, I found it easy to use Microsoft Word's text box utility. The iconic font our group chose for POLARIZE was Modern No. 20, which will remain the same throughout all four editions our group produces. However, the rest of the font chooses will be stylistic upon the theme of the respective magazine.

Also, the curvature of the COLOR CRAZE title added a nice dimension to the photo rather than just a plain linear text, which will also feature in all four editions.

The lack of a masthead was a decision made by our group to highlight not only the magazine's extreme minimalism, but to bring more attention to the photography itself. In fact, all of the decisions made to our magazine is to bring attention to the person being photographed; the solid background color that would be iconic to our magazine is to eliminate all distractions of the background and to complement the model. Our magazine is not the usual text-heavy sort of magazine, so our covers want to reflect that POLARIZE is a visual artistic approach to the standard magazine. 

Additionally, each of our editions will be produced and distributed at different times of the year. POLARIZE is a monthly-issued magazine, and the themes all relate to the seasonal mood. COLOR CRAZE would be released in August of 2017 to reflect the summer theme since it would be the last issue before the fall season.

I believe our target audience would react favorably to our covers due to their minimalism and focus on those within their age bracket. With their short attention span, having an eye-catching cover is our main objective, and was my particular goal with using the bright primary colors. I believe with such a strong cover (and lack of textual information - thus evoking curiosity), this would urge potential Gen Z consumers to pick up our magazine and flip through the rest of the edition.

There is still much left to do, yet I am glad to be on the right track! 

Until next time,

SLS

Picture Perfect

At last!!! Visible progress is being made!! I had my photo shoot with Fabi yesterday and we got plenty to work with for the magazine. We used Cassie's light bulbs to create some amazing lighting to include throughout the COLOR CRAZE edition, and lots of pictures to choose from for the cover photo.

Makeup Did! (2017)

Vanity (2017)

Just Messing Around (2017)

I found using natural lighting from the window, as it was around 3pm, worked best to achieve optimal lighting for the cover photo. Later, I will narrow down which picture I'll make the cover and work to edit in the yellow background and text.

Besides working on the cover, Fabi and I also experimented with the light bulbs Cassie let me borrow. Thankfully, the effect is exactly what I'm trying to go for when it comes to the ambiance of "COLOR CRAZE".

Same Old Blues (2017)

Purple Rain (2017)

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take pictures of Cassie as previously scheduled. Hopefully I'll be able to fit that in some time during the week before April 1st, which is our group's goal of having our individual work done. On April 1st, we all plan on assembling our magazines together on Joomag.com so that our separate editions cohesively work together to represent the POLARIZE brand. I think it's a good idea that we decided to pace ourselves to finish the magazine a week earlier so that it would leave us enough time to individually focus on our Creative Critical Reflections and work out any kinks that may present themselves beforehand.

Big thanks to Fabi for being the best model a girl could ask for!

Until then,

SLS

Colors Galore: Finding Inspiration

Considering my photo shoot for Fabi is tomorrow, I decided to expand on the idea of just "colors" and look for inspiration as to what exactly I am trying to go for.

The first thing I thought of when I think "color" is one of my favorite bands, The 1975. Following their social media, whether it be Twitter or Instagram, I have been exposed to many pictures of their concerts and the band playing on stage. In fact, I attended one of their concerts myself this past May with group member Nikki (as previously mentioned in "Time to Get Tech-y"). Their concert sets include intricate bright lighting that coincides with their music.

Besides adding a wonderful visual element to the music, the photos taken during the concerts always come out looking beautiful, as it is posted all over their social media.

The 1975's Matty Healy (2017)

The 1975's Adam Hann (2017)

I am interested in exploring the bright color palette they use at their concerts and applying them to POLARIZE in a practical sense with my photography! 

Until then,

SLS

The1975VEVO. "The 1975 - UGH!" YouTube. YouTube, 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXaU0QzByIM>.

The 1975. "photo." Twitter, 22 Mar. 2017, 11:15am, twitter.com/the1975/status/ 
     844613439607726081

"Featured Photographer" Progress

As mentioned on my last blog post, I added "photo shoot with Fabi & Cassie". Fabi was previously introduced as my "cover girl", yet Cassie's identity remains a mystery... until now! 

One of our continuous segments of POLARIZE will include "Featured Photographer", which my edition will feature in the double-page spread. I asked my dear friend Cassie, who is an avid photographer, if she would be interested in working with me. Since she is in AICE Media Studies A Level, I knew she would understand the gravity of such a request, and she delightfully agreed! 

My initial thought process in asking her to be part of my COLOR CRAZE edition of POLARIZE was to include her wonderful work, which included some concentrated, colorful profiles. However, I realized since I cannot include her actual work, I decided to work a different angle in approaching the "Featured Photographer" section. Instead of showcasing her work, why not showcase the photographer? It is an interesting angle considering photographers are used to being behind the lens, not in front of the camera, yet having a personal photo shoot of the photographer does work well with our target audience; since we want to appeal to Generation Z, and our readers probably already have a previous interest in photography, showcasing other youth pursuing the same hobby can be encouraging and add a more interactive element to our magazine by giving the chance for even our very own subscribers to feature in POLARIZE.

Therefore, I have decided I will do a photo shoot of Cassie, continuing the colorful element throughout the entire edition. She told me she has multiple colorful light bulbs I could borrow to add an interesting light element, which I think will immensely transform the ambiance of the resulting pictures. Thank you for the inspiration Cassie!

Until next time, 
SLS

#ScheduleSZN

It is Week 3 and time to grind! In the spirit of keeping myself on track, I went a bit overboard and make a pretty agenda for the week (making things look pretty give me the motivation to complete my to-do list). 

And would you look at that? I am already ahead of schedule by posting my first blog post of the week today! I am on top of my game, alright. Let's hope it stays that way for the rest of the week (and duration of this project).

Until next time, 
SLS

Time to Get Tech-y

Considering the little knowledge I have on photo editing, I knew that when it came time to start learning how to edit, it would be tricky. However, today I just embarked on the small but crucial journey on learning how to fill in the background a solid color.

Going back to my last blog post on the primary color cover, I looked into how to fill in the background a solid color on Microsoft Paint. I want to leave using Photoshop to the last resort considering it is quite expensive and I don't have too much of a need for it at the moment. Therefore, using Microsoft Paint would suffice for the moment being.

I did a couple rough drafts on pictures of my own to get the gist of how to work with Microsoft Paint. I found it quite simple, yet of course I plan on being more precise when it comes to the finished product.

- BEFORE 1.0 -
Me (left) and group member Nikki (right) at The 1975 Concert in Miami, May 2016

- AFTER 1.0 -
the first very rough draft of filling in the background with a solid color

- BEFORE 2.0 -

- AFTER 2.0 -
the better, second rough draft that will coincide with the COLORS theme

Next blog posts will include the layout plan for not only the cover, but table of contents and double page spread pages!

Until then, 

SLS

"How to Change an Image Background in MS Paint (Green Screen)." WikiHow, 

     www.wikihow.com/Change-an-Image-Background-in-MS-Paint-(Green-Screen). 

     Accessed 19 Mar. 2017

Cover o' Colors

Being now the end of the second week, it's about time to stop researching and start doing. Which is exactly what I am going to do! It is finally time to create the cover!

Since my edition of Polarize will be the "Colors" edition,  I really want a cover that pops. I looked for inspiration at the Aperture covers, which happen to be some of my favorite that I've come across.

Aperture Magazine

Our group decided we wanted to do cohesive covers that involve a single or couple subjects with a solid color background. I particularly think this would strike an aesthetic appeal to our target audience of Gen Z, with its clean ,but intriguing look that makes it stand not only as a magazine cover, but artwork as well.

I decided to ask my friend Fabi for her assistance as the "cover girl". Considering she is a model (and one of the prettiest people I've ever met), I knew she wouldn't be shy in front of a camera. However, what mostly made me ask her was the inspiration she already gave me for a cover:

Instagram: @_fabimontenegro

I was in love with the contrast of the red Champion hoodie up and the blue eyeliner, and wanted to expand on the idea. I brought the idea to her, and she loved it so much she started to go all out and try some extravagant makeup looks with her eyeliner!

"I tried" - Fabi

Lastly, to complete the red and blue, I decided our background should be yellow. It'll be a nice pop to make the cover encompass the three primary colors. I still have yet to take the photos, but I will this coming week!

Until then,
SLS

Creating the Right Content

Progress is being made! And it is oh-so very exciting to see things come together (even though this is still in the idea stages). However, there are some big announcements that definitely make this project seem more than just a thought.

POLARIZE. 

Yes, finally! A masthead!!! Our group wanted to title our magazine that alluded to photography, but was not overtly on the nose (such as Popular Photography). Polarize is meant to allude to the classic Polaroids, yet we were also intrigued by its definition:

polarize (verb): cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions

While we want our magazine to be accepting, (see last blog post on our target audience about the progressive Generation Z) art can attempt to express a belief or ideology. Photographers have opinions and have the right to express them through their work, which leads to our standard content segments that will feature in every respective edition of Polarize.

• Overall Theme: Taking inspiration from Aperture Magazine, each edition of Polarize will feature an overall theme presented on the front cover that ties in all the pieces within that specific edition.
• Featured Photographer: This segment will include an up-and-coming youth photographer, with either a Q&A format or narrative interview format. Their original content will be showcased (with their permission, of course). 
• Location Feature: This segment will feature a location that somehow relates to the overall theme.
• Behind the Shot: This segment will include a photograph along with a narrative piece parallel to the work by the photographer, where they are free to tell their inspiration "behind the shot", express their opinion, and the reason they felt the need to take that picture.
• Culture & Media: This segment will include current events and trends within the culture and media that influences and affects the photography community, including new technology.

All the segments together will culminate to make Polarize not just the standard photography magazine. The convergence of art and technology/culture/media influences will merge to become our magazine, and I am very excited to see this come together even more the next couple of weeks. 

Until then, 

SLS

"Polarize - Definiton." https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/polarize, 
     Vocabulary.com, aperture.org/shop/magazine. 

"Aperture." Aperture, aperture.org/shop/magazine

The Three C's: Culture, Creativity, and Consumerism

I have been thinking a lot lately about garnering a target audience, and who is it exactly I would want to open our magazine. To think our magazine would intrigue everyone is too broad, and too naive of me to think our tastes would be so universal. So, as to narrow down our niche, I did some research and came across Sarah Jacob's "The 5 Steps to Figuring Out Your Target Audience". While her steps were more directed towards an audience of photographers rather than magazine creators, I figured the steps were applicable in both circumstances. Her most striking question follows:

"Who is your ideal client?" 

I believe our magazine would want to embody an easy-going spirit, with more of a youthful undertone. We wouldn't be afraid to explore color and be experimental, and would hope our audience would feel the same. Therefore, I think our audience should target the older bracket of Generation Z (16-21 year old). 

Looking more into Generation Z, I wanted to see what kind of tactics and character traits could influence the direction of our magazine. Matt Kleinschmit's infographics on Generation Z characteristics provided lots of marketing information to cater to such an audience.

Vision Critical, 2015

• Technology, to nobody's surprise, comprises a lot of Gen Z's consumerism. Interacting with social media and trends in reference to art can be attractive.
• Activism is a big part of the culture, and so is counterculture; integrating our magazine with political background or social commentary can prove to be beneficial.
• "75% of teens want to convert hobbies to full-time jobs" -- showcasing young artistic photographers can inspire and bring attention to the go-getter spirit that should be embraced, not diminished, by society.
• "Generation Z has an attention span of 8 seconds" -- our cover should be eye-catching, minimalistic, yet bold. 
• "Edgy, and should be progressive..." -- providing atypical magazine production should be key to standing out. Conformity and blending in with the rest is the opposite of what we should go for.
• "Provide visual depth" -- along with the movement against conformity, "Generation Z likes storytelling", and providing information and inspiration behind art, along with personal encounters may add to our product.
• "Go global, in terms of both locales and backgrounds" -- our content should embrace people and subjects all around the world. There should be an inclusive feel towards our work where Generation Z should be wholly accepted and represented (with the majority no longer being Caucasian, Gen Z comprises a mixed set of backgrounds).
• "Promote an uplifting and positive message" -- Gen Z doesn't seem to be as cynical as the previous Millennials and Gen X. Leaving a hopeful tone, rather than a dreary look, should be one of the main goals. We want to promote the "60% [who] want to change the world".

Lastly, in Adweek's infographic, one point was stressed that impressed me as the most important aspect to incorporate to our product:

"They don't simply consume it. 

They make it.

They create it."

AdWeek, 2015

With my group all being part of our target audience, as fellow Gen Z-ers, we can create the most authentic content for others to enjoy. We can integrate our friends who fit into our magazine's paradigm and truly emulate the culture we want the world to adopt. It may seem like an ambitious task, and it is, but, after all, entrepreneurial instincts are part of the Generation Z dogma. 

Until then,

SLS

Jacobs, Sarah. "The 5 Steps to Figuring Out Your Target Audience." 

     Photoshelter Blog, 30 Oct. 2013, blog.photoshelter.com/2013/10/ 

     steps-to-figure-out-target-audience/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017.

Kleinschmit, Matt. "Generation Z characteristics: 5 infographics on the Gen Z 

     lifestyle." Vision Critical, 4 Dec. 2015, www.visioncritical.com/ 

     generation-z-infographics/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017.

Morrison, Kimberlee. "How Should You Be Marketing to Generation Z Through 
     Social? (Infographic)." AdWeek, 8 Oct. 2015, www.adweek.com/digital/ 
     how-should-you-be-marketing-to-generation-z-through-social-infographic/. 
     Accessed 12 Mar. 2017. 

Picture This...

After a lot of talking and deliberation, it seems to have been decided: we are creating a photography magazine!

While I was unfamiliar to actual physical photography magazines in circulation (besides homemade zines and fashion photography magazines), I decided to do some research and derive some inspiration.

Starting at the simplest level, I looked into the most popular photography magazines out there, and found a top ten list. I was able to classify the magazines into two basic categories: informative or artistic.

While Digital Camera World employs a more traditional magazine cover layout, Aperture is simplistic in design. For my aesthetic choices, I prefer Aperture's direction integrating both art and photography into the cover to attract readers. 

On the topic of attracting readers, I noticed the headlines of Digital Camera World direct themselves to a professional photographer audience, while Aperture seems open-ended as to who would open its pages. In that sense, I am intrigued more by Aperture as in it seems to not appeal to just a photographer, but an art enthusiast as well. Its minimalist nature is a method I would be interested in pursuing. 

Considering my interest in a more aesthetically-pleasing cover, I also looked into several other magazines as a means of inspiration. 

GUP Magazine, 2013

i-D Magazine, Issue No. 316

HUNGER, No. 12, March 2017

The bold colors in HUNGER and i-D Magazine are so eye-catching, while the geometric design of the GUP cover also make the photograph more dynamic. I also noticed the minimal text on the cover, which brings more attention to the cover art instead of enticing content. I realized these covers followed the guidelines Rebecca Gross, a design historian, sets for successful magazine covers: 

"There are two important goals when designing a magazine cover; the first is to attract the potential buyer’s attention and the second is to express the content or theme of the magazine."

Have faith in me, Rebecca Gross. I will live up to these goals.

Until then,

SLS

Anna Cleveland is our Hunger 12 Cover Star! 9 Mar. 2017, www.hungertv.com/ 
     feature/anna-cleveland-is-our-hunger-12-cover-star/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2017. 

Cameron, Chris. "GUP MAGAZINE Brings Art Photography to Life." Layar, 27 May 
     2013, www.layar.com/news/blog/2013/05/27/ 
     gup-magazine-art-photography-with-layar/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2017. 

Gross, Rebecca. "50 Design Techniques That Made These Magazine Covers Awesome 
     [Epic Case Studies]." Canva, 8 Aug. 2015, designschool.canva.com/blog/ 
     magazine-cover-design/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2017.

"Top 10 Photography Magazines." All You Can Read, www.allyoucanread.com/ 
     top-10-photography-magazines/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2017. 

A Promising Start - An Introduction to Our Foundation Portfolio

I used to be an avid blogger back in the late 2000s when I thought the entire world would immensely benefit from my posts about Webkinz stuffed animals. And yet, here we are, the year 2017, and somehow, I am back to where I was in elementary school.

This time around, however, my return coincides with my AICE Media Studies Foundation Portfolio. Truth be told, I have never felt as excited about a project since... well, honestly, I loathe group projects. The remark may seem contradictory, especially since I decided I would not only work with one partner, but with three other people (a crazy decision for a perfectionist like myself). However, I want to push my boundaries both at an interpersonal level (considering the skill to be vital in virtually every single career field) and at a creative level.

My first thoughts originated back in October when we finalized our commitment to either a film opening or magazine. I immediately gravitated towards the magazine option. Writing has always been a strong suit of mine and I didn't know much film jargon back then to feel confident in creating a film opening. 

While the class was discussing their initial thoughts, I had realized that three of the classmates around me all decided to do a magazine. We all toyed around the idea with an unconventionally-themed magazine, such as a men's fashion magazine. All of us liked the idea so much that it felt wrong for one of us to the claim the idea as our individual work. So, Camila, Nikki, Iggy and I all figured:

"Why don't we just all work together?"

And the rest is history!

That is, until, March 6 rolled around.

Analyzing the situation, it would seem as if coming up with a genre with all of our contrasting personalities would be difficult. But this wasn't the case (at first).

Yet, as the school year progressed, the group all discovered something quite profound: we are all extremely different. I am what they consider the "artsy" one since I love to write short stories and poetry, plus analyze film and literature. 

So, by March, the initial men's fashion magazine that got us so excited back in the beginning of the year seemed to have waned in its luster. 

Now back to square one, we have created a quick brainstorm for topic ideas:

1. Food (an interest we all share)
2. Travel 
3. Anthropology 
4. Dogs (as a non-dog owner, I find this topic to be quite difficult to dedicate a whole magazine to)
5. Art

We will have to wait until Wednesday, March 8, to discuss further and to narrow down to one topic. It seems to me that we seem to be leaning more towards an anthropology magazine, yet nothing is set in stone. Finding the middle ground, even with some sacrifices here and there, is but just the beginning. Here's to compromise and promising beginnings!

Until then,
SLS