Photoshop Work

Creases evident on the sheet behind...

Removed using Adobe Photoshop CS4 tool...

And also had Adjustments made to it changing brightness/contrast, levels, hue/saturation, etc..

Contents Page Research

October Custom Publishing Magazine

In this contents page, the picture is only partially shown in the top right corner. This allows the majority of the page to be reserved for the text. The picture is also very bold and stands out due to the excellent quality of the photograph and bold, contrasting colours. The item shown is also very intricate and interesting whilst not stealing the focus. The picture would also appear to relate to the sub-title referring to page.112 making a good link. However, a picture position such as this would not be suitable for my magazine as it is not floating, meaning it continues off the page and this is a very specialist technique.

The text uses three colours; red, black and grey, with a variation of font sizes. There is roughly around 6 font sizes on this one page. Despite being advertised as a contents page, only around half the page is actually dedicated to showing readers the pages different subjects are on. The bottom half of the page is used as a place for the credits of the magazine. The text also flows very nicely. The eye is drawn from the top left, down to the middle of the page, and towards the right. This a very nice layout and gives the page a partially dynamic, flowing feel.

Glenmere Primary School Magazine

In this preview of the Glenmere Primary School magazine, the contents page is half visible and demonstrates a much more simple layout of a contents page. All the page numbers are listed where there is new content for the magazine and descend down around the first third of the page.
The text is a simple and sans-serif style to keep the text basic and easy to read. There are around three font sizes used, contents, numbers and the text. In addition, there is only two colours used, red and black.
This red theme is used throughout as the font colour, headings and picture borders.
Surrounding the text are a number of pictures which relate to the pages listed and are labeled with the page they correspond to.

Mendocino Arts Magazine

The pictures seen on the left side of the page stay within the first third of the page leaving the rest for the text.
The text is relatively small and black making it quite simple but is balanced with a slight serif font.
The pictures relating to the content on the left of the page match in colour with the page numbers they relate to giving the page yet more simplicity, yet a more colourful and easy to read contents page.
The 'Contents at the top is simple and yet serif font. It is kept small to keep the readers focus on the content of the magazine. The small details are at the top of the page separated by a decorative, yet functional, line.

Detailed Photoshop Editing

From a distance it wasn't instantly noticeable...

However zoomed in, a small unknown blemish could be seen on the sleeve...

So used Adobe Photoshop CS4 to remove it.

Focussed Font Research

Picture Practise, Ideas, and Possible Cover Photo

    

    

Magazine Research #2

Belmont Magazine

This image shows what appears to be a staged action shot placed over a second picture, the background, a school field. This adds some realism to the picture whilst being able to take the best possible image.

The cover is kept very simple and plain with the image being the main focus. There are no sub-headings around the page, only a small title at the top and a date below. The heading and date both have a white background behind making good use of the cloudy sky, meaning it is easy to read without distractions around. The bright yellow shirt and the grey/silver Olympic torch contrast with the light and dark greens of the background making the individual stand out more. There is also a crest in the bottom right corner which would appear an appropriate place for it as this is again an area of the background where there are no distractions behind.

The photo being so clearly a staged and amateur action shot however does not seem like something I would want to do for my magazine photographs although the use of the blank areas of the background, for the features such as title and crest, appears very smart and easy to read.


Westchester Magazine

This magazine is presented as much more professional with a minimalist look and a more plain background. The model is presented sitting down, relaxed looking, straight at the camera. The blackboard contrasts well with the models' skin tone and allows her to stand out more. She is also presented very well with clear skin, bright teeth and straight, brushed hair.

There are two fonts being used in this magazine with multiple sizes and colours. The title takes up a very large portion of the page - around a quarter. The sub-headings have been placed so that they do not cross the face of the model which is an important thing to remember during the layout of my magazine.The sizes of the font are kept similar with the subheadings being one size, the text another, and the title another size.

There is no crest present but there is a bar code placed bottom right of the cover page.


I much prefer this image with the model sitting at a desk and set with a book under her hand compared to the above picture of a standing action pose with the Olympic torch. The second magazine has good use and placement of font and the layout is much more professional in the Westchester magazine. Both have a contrast of colours which is effective at having the model stand out more and this is another feature I would like to adopt for my photographs.

Font Ideas