The magazine cover features a model friend of the creator's dressed casually in a burgundy and black checked shirt, curly hair, and holding a yellow ukulele to represent the folk and indie music genre. The photo was taken in nearby woods to depict the natural, peaceful atmosphere often associated with folk music. Inside, a group photo shows friends playing various indie folk instruments in a field, resembling a music festival. A Katy Perry concert photo was also included to challenge expectations of the target audience. Overall, the magazine represents its target audience interested in folk and indie music through the clothing, instruments, and natural settings featured.

1. Question 2How does your media product represent particular social groups?

2. The model that is portrayed on the front cover of my magazine is a friend of mine who I knew was passionate about the genre of music my magazine is based upon. I asked the model to dress how she normally would as this is what singers/bands sometimes are asked to do on shoots for magazines as it makes the photographs more realistic and personal, this being what I wanted to do. My model wore a burgundy purple and black checked shirt – this being the main element you can see the model dressed in on the front cover. The checked shirt relates to the folk and indie vibe that was to be achieved. The model I used has noticeably curly hair which I wanted to be featured predominantly; I made sure that her hair was especially curly and ‘big’ so that it would again make the genre of music of the magazines more distinctive. I took a mid-shot picture of my model so that the yellow ukulele would be featured, this being a typical conventional instrument that is often used within the folk indie genre.

3. The mise-en-scene that was used for the photograph on my front cover was taken in nearby woods. As the main genre of music consists of folk, the folk genre is very much related to the countryside, forestry and open space. Inspiration for this came from viewing music videos of folk bands, in particular, British folk band, Mumford & Sons’ music video, Winter Winds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KCg_QEHtkY The reader interested in the genre would find the mise-en-scene of the front cover image serene and calm just like the genre of the music they enjoy listening to. The location also provided great lighting, it had a dark yet calm which related to the genre as some folk, indie music can be relaxing and emotive. The scenery made the images of my model look as if she is an independent artist and that she doesn’t require conventional studios like pop stars to perform music.

4. Typical attribute to many folk listeners and singers having curly and ‘different’ hair to be original like the genre. Folk inspired mise-en-scene. The woodland makes the image peaceful like the music genre Long shot (profile) image taken as the reader will understand that it isn't about the performer as such, it is all about the music, so the model’s face isn't a necessity to be visible completely. Yellow ukulele contrasts against the purple shirt making it stand out. Ukuleles are commonly used within folk music, to add a cheerful and summery feel. Checked shirt relates to the indie genre. A staple item of clothing.

5. My contents page included a variety of photographs that I had taken. The top photograph portrayed was taken on a large field. I asked a group of friends to bring a variety of indie folk instruments with them. I wanted this image to look ‘festival-like’ – this being an event that my target audience would mostly attend. I simply took their picture without their acknowledgment because they appeared to be interested deeply in listening to the acoustic jam occurring which folk artists do when they are passionate about their music, The colour of the guitar relates to the dark clothing worn by people associated with ‘indie’, yet because the guitar is acoustic it refers back to the folk genre being a main instrument used. The bottom photograph was a picture I had taken when I went to see Katy Perry, with taking this image I felt that I had challenged the social group that I was aiming at as Katy Perry’s music is associated with pop, but her music involved a diverse range of genres and because of this decided to include this image.

6. The product represents my target audience as it specifically relates the genre of music my magazine conveys and that my chosen audience are interested in which is folk combined with indie/rock. In particular, I think that the colour chosen (burgundy) refers to the folk genre. As I toned down the purple it now isn’t stereotypically aimed at a female audience but at both genders. My media product supports the social group I aimed at as the clothing and appearance of my model refers to the genre chosen. The main images of the my magazine are all set in woods, which again is a stereotypical representation of the folk genre, as I didn’t want to promote that all folk artists are ‘tree huggers’ I used a variety of other images taken on different location throughout my contents page. The image I took of a cushion with the British flag on it was used because the social group targeted are interested in the folk and indie genre, and these genres have madeBritish music contain a lot more originality and diversity just like the audience interested.