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.