Jason and cigarettes

The top photo is obviously the edit. I've removed most of the saturation making Jason look ghostly, so the magazine attracts all the right kind of people. Kind of gothic-esce people, people interested by the metal scene who are normally interested in horror films and csi type programmes. Ive also increased the contrast to make the image more striking. Ideally, i'd like to use this picture for my front cover, the perspective is interesting and Jason really stands out.

another edit of a previous picture, more colour left in and more saturation.

To explore different looks, settings and people, i'm not going to just edit the photos of my sister. Over the next two days, i'm going to take pictures of other people. My friend Jason (who i previously analyzed on my blog). He goes to the local metal gigs and has the image that i want to feature on and in my magazine.

The original is above, the lighting and shadows turned out very well already so i didn't have to do much editing.

This is the final edit, i drained the saturation out of the photo (like i did in the previous images) as it's the look i'm going for. I think the strong shadows work very well and so does the packed up wall in the background.

This is one of my favourite photos that i took of my sister. I put blonde hair extensions and made her look 'metal' like she fits in with the scene. I then edited this image (below) to make it look darker and more striking. 

This is an edit that i done from the picture above. I changed the contrast and brightness levels on photoshop. Also, i auto leveled the picture numerous amounts of time. I lowered the saturation of the picture to make the colours drab and scary. To me, this picture looks like it should be in a horror film and that's the look that i was going for. Her eyes have very heavy black makeup on which i have made look even more striking by changing the shadows.

This is series of edits of the same photo, i was just messing around editing, changing the hue, saturation, contrast and brightness. The bottom picture is the original and looks boring and not striking as it is. The top two are i think my most successful edits. The top one is the more ghostly and dark edit which fits with the whole metal scene. I like the way my sisters skin looks pale and almost white, she looks neurotic which gives an interesting theme to the pictures if i edited them all like that. The lace hair band adds effect. The second one down is striking because the red lipstick sticks out. I could then feature red as one of the colours for the theme of my magazine. This also means i could bring blood into the whole thing which is dark and may attract my target audience.

Analysing my Polls.

I added polls to the right hand side of my blog so that i could do a 'market research' type thing and members of the public could answer them. This gives me a good idea of what to include in my magazine.

Q1. What would be a suitable colour theme?
4 Yellow black and white
1 Grey and brown
1 Pink, black and grey
5 Black white and red

12 people answered this survey. The outcome showed that the majority of readers would like a Black, White and Red theme. It's qutie a simple theme with not much colours, and the colours chosen are very 'clean' feeling. I'd like to keep my magazines theme these three colours i think.

Q2. Which band would you like to see featured in my magazine?
1 Bring me the horizon
2. Architects
4. Blink 182
0 New found glory
0 ACDC
0 other

This shows that most people who voted in my survey like Blink 182, however only 7 people voted which is not a large enough sample for this to be conclusive. They're a Pop Punk band so i will definitely feature that genre however as Architects are Metal, i could do a mix of both. The bands who had 0 votes, i will probably not feature at all in my magazine as if a band is unpopular, people will not buy the magazine who advertises them.

Q3. For the front cover, how would you like the picture to be?
3 Long Shot (Like Bands on the NME cover)
6 Close Up (Cheryl cole on Q)
3 Medium Shot
0 High Angle
0 Low Angle

The results indicate that most people (6 out of 12) would like a close up shot like the famous one of Cheryl Cole on Q. The shot was striking and well edited and very remembered by magazine fans. I think it must be a well taken photo though as if it was a close up blurry, messy photo, it would definitely not be the same effect. I think the angle of the cover photo doesn't matter the most. I think the editing is important.

Q4. What should the name of my magazine be?
0 Metalread
4 Metalnews
8 Thrasha
0 Chanda
0 X

I was already leaning to the name 'Thrasha' before i even conducted the polls and my audience have confirmed this. 8/12 voted for thrasha and the rest thought 'Metalnews' would be a good name. The name of the magazine has to be something that sticks in your head. Thrasha's quite a unique name and i could even have it in capital letters or include an exclamation mark at the end. Thrashaa sounds like the metal band Thrasher so you might have a vague idea. I think i'll call my magazine Thrasha!

Q5. How much money, a week, do you spend on magazines?
1 £0-£1
3 £2-£3
2 £4-£5
1 £6-£7
0 £8+

Most people spend around £2-£5 a week on magazines. This means i can't charge too much for my mag. Kerrang and NME both charge around £2.20 which is similar to the price i want to price mine up as. The first issue could be an 'exclusive' offer so it could be about 50p cheaper to introduce more people to buy the first issue. If they like it, they can continue buying it.

Q6. Male or female?
4 Male
5 Female

The results of this poll are near enough half and half. This indicates my magazine will have to target both sexes which is what i was going to do anyway. This is a music magazine, not a housewife magazine or FHM!

Q7. What is your favourite genre of music?
3 Poppunk
0 Dubstep
2 Metal
2 Rock/Pop
1 Rap/R&B

The public listen to mostly Pop Punk, Metal and Rock/Pop. This gives me lots of different genre i can work with. My magazine was already intended to be a metal magazine but i will also feature small parts on Pop punk artists and some Rock/Pop. Dubstep and R&B would not fit in at all with the magazine. This was an important question to ask as it's what my magazines all about.

Q8. Are You...
2 At college full time
3 At college part time
0 In full time employment
2 At university
0 Unemployed
2 At school

Most people who took my polls were either in college (part and full time), At uni or at school. This indicates that funds could be limited so it again effects the price of the magazine. Also, it influences the language i will use in my magazine. If most of the audience were unemployed, funds would be almost non existant and they probably would not buy my magazine. My polls tell me a lot about my audience and help me understand how to make the product more available and interesting to them.

Q9. How old are you?

I havn't written the answers for this poll as only two people answered it. The outcome was that the audience was between 14 and 21 which is a pretty large age range. To make a conclusive statement, i'd need much more people to answer this question.

Q10. Would you rather the contents feature...
9 More pictures
2 More insight into the stories featured
1 All text, no photos

Most people voted for more pictures (more than 3/4 of the people) so i will therefore include more pictures in my contents. I was going to before i even done the polls as i think it makes the page much more interesting. The reader will never run out of things to look at!

This weekend, i will take my photos for my magazine cover, my double page spread and my contents page. I will either use my friend Sally, my sister Caris, or my friend Declan who looks like a typical metal fan. I'm going to a gig tonight in london, so i'm going to try and get some good photos there which i could feature as smaller pictures in my magazine. The main image, i'd like Sally to be smoking and blowing it away into the camera so i can edit the smoke to look striking. I'm thinking of possibly having my final image in black and white so the writing on the cover stands out in different colours. I could shoot the photos on a trampoline, in a brickwork garage, in a dirty kitchen (so it looks like a bit of a horror set), in a messy bedroom, on a plain white background, outside in the dark or simply in a field. I'm going to use a few sets so that i get some different type photos.

Initial front cover idea no. 2: Firstly, the masthead and image are the most striking things on this cover idea. The magazine name is in bold letters, on a strong background to make it stand out. Above that, i have included a banner of a list of 'exclusive' bands. When something is exclusive, it makes the reader seem like they will find out something that not many other people new. It's new news. The barcode is at the top on this cover alongside the masthead with the date and issue number just underneath that. There's the sub-story, on the left with a small picture and a description of the article. Another banner is used at the bottom but this time it features new 'upcoming gig news' where the reader can find out about 'exclusive' gigs. On the right hand side, there's a column of 'LIVE' bands, this will feature some of the biggest names so the reader will be familiar with them and want to read more, influencing them to read the magazine. A pug is used to make the cover a bit more interesting! The main artist and description will be directly centered underneath the main striking image.

Initial front cover page idea no.2: The masthead is at the top of the magazine, aligned to the right. It's quite big, big enough to notice but it isn't the most important element of the cover. Underneath is the date and issue number. The main image is in the center of the cover, with the artist name layered directly on top of the image, i would like the image to take up the whole front cover as there's not many other images. This is good because the readers attention will be undivided and they will focus on the main image and story. A pug is in the top left hand corner with bands who are 'Live this week'. I'd like to include a pug in my final magazine idea because i like the way it looks like a sticker, and normally they draw attention in as they are a different colour from the rest of the page. In the bottom right hand corner, there's a column with some of the more important artists featured in the magazine so the artist can skim through and find an artist they particularly like. The barcode is out of the way in the other bottom corner and a 'FREE' posters part is next to that with two small images of what posters are inside.

Initial cover design no. 3: I placed the magazine title 'X' in the top left hand corner, big enough to be striking and bold. It can be seen by the customers and intrigues the target audience to purchase the magazine. There's a banner at the top of the page. It adds more information to the magazine cover, which could be what reels the reader in. In this case, the banner is advertising the 'New acts of 2010'. Down the left hand side of the page, there will be a column of the bands featured in the magazine so the customer can scan through and see if they like any bands featured. The main image will be in the center and i will try to make it take up as much space as i can as i want it to be the main focus of the cover. The artist name will be in big bold font, possibly a different colour to the rest of the cover. I could even make the image in black and white so the artist name stands out more. In the bottom left hand corner, there's a pug (which will look like a sticker) making the reader aware of 'band reviews. The barcode will be in the bottom right out of the way of the rest of the magazine elements. With the date just above, and issue number. In the top hand right, there's two pictures advertising 'free posters' with the 'free' in a different colour to attract the reader. This is quite a packed cover but very easy to navigate around.

Analysis of double page spread initial idea no. 1: The main image this time is on the right of the double pages. The magazine name/logo is in the top right hand corner with other images of the artist below that. These will probably be live shots or images to do with the artist's current album or tour. This way there is a variety of images and the reader can see what the band look like when they play live or if they have already seen them, they can relate to the images. In the bottom right of the image page, there is a page number so it's easy to navigate through the magazine. Also, there would be a quote next to the image so the reader can get a quick insight into what the interview is all about. On the left hand page, the title is aligned to the right, mentioning the artist name in a different colour but still keeping with the magazine theme (which willl probably be yellow, black and white) and a smaller blurb underneath. So for example it could say something like 'With a new album, a headline show of 12 gigs all around the country, brutality will prevail look like they're here to stay...' and the blurb will then explain what the article is about. The interview will be divided into three columns with a quote inserted in between and a small image in one of the columns also. This is a very easy to read double page spread.

Analysis of double page spread initial idea no. 2: The main image is on just the left hand page here, a medium close up would be used, probably on a white background to create a very clean looking effect. This image would be from the same series as the one on the front cover and in the contents but obviously different pictures. The page numbers clear in the top left hand corner so it's easy to find the article you are looking for and the magazine logo is on the right of the page. The artists name will be aligned to the left below the picture, with the article starting just to the left of it continuing onto the next page for three columns. A quote will also be next to the main picture somewhere to grab the readers attention and give them a quick insight into the article. On the right, there is a large image at the top taking up about half of the page. This image would not be from the series of images on the front cover and contents. It could be a live shot of the artists, it would allow the reader to see a snapshot of what their live show would be like or if the reader has already seen them live, they would feel included and personal as they were there when the photo was taken. The article would finish with a small caption on when the artist was touring, a new album, or new side project to publicize the artist more.

Analysis of double page spread initial idea no. 3: This idea is very much based on the Biffy Clyro double page NME spread. The image is the main focus of the two pages and it catches your eye as you open the page. Again, i'd like the page number very prominent as it is in the top right hand corner, it's easy to find a page as you are flicking through. The artists name would be on the left hand side, just above the writing of the article. Not too big as if they are a main star, the reader would definitely know who they are. A small description of what the articles on will be on the right bottom hand side of the image so that the reader can firstly read this and then decide whether they are interested in the article. The article will be simply set out in four columns along the bottom third of the page, with quotes thrown in, in some places to make it more interesting. The interview would continue on another page or two. To show this, there would be a small arrow in the bottom right, pointing to the right so we know we have to turn the page. This is a very simply double page spread but i think it's very striking. Images speak words.

Contents Page Initial idea 1: All of my initial contents pages are very busy as i think it makes the reader more interested. If the reader doesn't like the main article, there's loads more to pick from. This contents page does not include the magazine name so i am not that over-keen on it. The main feature and description is on the left hand side just above where the list of artists and page articles starts. I don't think it's big enough for the reader to easily notice. In the center of the page, in between the list of pages and what's featured, i have put a picture with another article in a small box. The photo is smaller than that of the main feature, but not that much smaller! On the right, there's a column of 'LIVE' bands so that if the reader went to a gig that week, they can scan down and find the band they're looking for. I'm going to feature very small pictures of live bands in this column on the left and right to make it interesting. There's a very small editors letter in the bottom right, with a picture accompanying of the editor possibly with one of this weeks artists. Gives it more of a personal feel. I think this contents is a bit too busy and not that easy to read overall!

Contents Page Initial idea 2: I like the idea of the magazine name/logo being very prominent on the contents page so the reader remembers the magazine name. Down the right hand side of the page is the list of bands 'this week...' in alphabetical order with the page number to the right of that. So it's easy to skim through and find the band you are particularly interested in. The main story image is big enough to take up about a quarter of the page, it's from the same photoshoot as on the cover and in the double page spread so the theme continues all throughout the magazine. Smaller articles are underneath the main article with a small caption describing them and a clear page number just underneath that. As i want to page numbers constantly very clear throughout the magazine, i have put one in the bottom right of the page. Big enough to be easily read. Also there is a small letter from the editor and a picture of him/her and also a special offer at the bottom center of the page. Possibly money off a subscription, a deal would reel the reader in. This page is less packed than my third initial idea, i think it's much easier to read and the title and main article are the most striking elements.

Contents, initial idea 3: I have the magazine name along the top, big so it's obvious that this is the contents page. I've featured the main story dead center just underneath the masthead so it's the main focus of the page. Other not as important stories are on the left hand side of the page including the page number in the bottom right of each photo and a small description of the artist/article. On the right hand side, there's a 'WHAT'S INSIDE' header with a list of what's included in the magazine including page numbers on the right of that. This makes it very simple for the reader to find what they want. Just below the main story, there's a section which includes articles which are in the magazine every week and a letter from the editor and a picture of him/her. At the bottom of the page, there's a deal about subscribing to the magazine and how you can apply. This is quite a busy magazine page however it's still simple to read and find what you want. People like looking at pictures and i've packed in the pictures on this contents page.

bands i will include in my magazines

I want to include quite grimey/dirty looking pictures, perhaps with the person smoking as that is commonly associated with the metal scene of music.