PS-PROBLEM SOLVING FOR A PHOTOGRAPHY FANZINE

PROBLEM SOLVING
Hannah McNeill

Problem Solving is a important aspect of research/production. Problem solving allows me to review all the things in my project that could go wrong, and by addressing
the issues in my project then I can address factors that I will put in place in order to eliminate any mistakes that are made, and if I do face any problems through my
problem solving research I will know how to efficiently overcome these issues in a time effective way. Through problem solving I will be going through a range of
different practical, technical and theoretical problems and what tools I will use to overcome them.
What’s the problem:
Practical/technical -
Equipment
How will it affect my production Solutions or alternatives
My project is obviously heavily influenced
by the intention of having a wide aspect of
the fanzine featuring photography.
Therefore equipment is an important part of
my project and can also be problematic. The
equipment I will need for my photoshoots is;
a camera, a memory card, a battery, and a
tripod (at the moment) and I will get this
from College supplies.
1. However the first problem with this is
that I will need to rely on college to set
me up with equipment as I don't have
any of my own.
1. This will affect my project in multiple ways;
a. The first problem that this will cause is that it means I can only have the
equipment for an allotted amount of time, with college equipment I can
only book it for (at the most) a long weekend, four days. This takes
away the freedom to chose which days I conduct my shoots. This can
cause problems because what if the days that I book out the equipment
the weather could be really bad and therefore ruin the photoshoots. Also
if I book the camera out over a period of days and then I fall ill then the
camera is wasted and I have to wait for another week until I can book
out the camera.
b. My second problem caused by relying on college for equipment is that I
am not just relying on the equipment but I am relying on other students
at college. A college student could return the camera, faulty or with no
battery charge and therefore set my project back as I will have to take
my own time going back to college and fixing the camera/or charging
the camera myself when I should be conducting photoshoots.
c. As well as this, if a college student doesn’t return their camera on time
then there will be no camera for me to use. At this time period in the
college year there are three adjoining classes that have their Final Major
Project which will require college equipment as well. My class isn’t the
only one. Therefore, for the time that I plan on booking out the
equipment other students might of already booked it for. Massively
setting back my project.
1. Here is how I plan on eliminating these problems
a. To overcome the first problem I will make sure that in my planning
stage I create a strict timetable in which I plan specific days that I will
book out the equipment and in that plan I’ll make sure I explain what I
will be doing on each specific day, therefore I will of spent the days very
time efficiently getting the most done in the time that I have.
Secondly I will look at the weather forecast before I conduct my
photoshoot and if the weather isn't compatible with an outside shoot then
I will choose one of my indoor shoots.
b. To avoid any problems that could occur due to broken equipment
when I’m at college collecting the equipment I will take time looking at
the equipment by checking the camera lens making sure there are no
scratches, I will also use the camera to ensure that all the controls on the
camera are still working, while I'm looking at the camera I will look at
the battery and check whether it will need charging before I use it for my
shoot. I will then check the tripod and then make sure that there is space
on the memory card. After I have checked the camera thoroughly I will
then make sure that I have the appropriate equipment, e.g. a lens cover to
ensure that when I have the camera I can keep it safe
c. To address the issue that there might not be enough equipment due to
students not bringing them back on time I will email on the morning
double checking they have enough equipment for me, and if they don’t
then I will still have the rest of the day to successfully reorganize my
time.
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What’s the problem:
Practical/technical - Equipment
1.
d. Relying on cameras from college could be risky because
some of the cameras at college have little differences, this might not
seem important but if I have got used to how to use the controls and
shortcuts on one of the cameras it will be difficult to change to
another camera.
1.
d. In order to eliminate the risk of having a different camera I will
take a note of the make of the first camera I use and then in the future
request the same make.
2. Another problem that could occur in my
production is different issues surrounding
booking out the right equipment. Judging
my project now I think I will only need a
camera, an extra memory card, a battery,
and a tripod because for the photoshoots I
have planned I don’t need any complex
pieces of camera equipment as they are all
still images.
a. If I forget to book a piece of equipment, for example, booking the
tripod. This would massively affect my production as the photos I
take wouldn’t be set up properly making the outcome of the
photos look ammeter and unprofessional, subsequently ruining
the quality of my end product.
b. If the battery for my camera runs out. This would affect my
project in an obvious way, if I didn’t have a battery for my
camera then I wouldn’t be able to take any photos as there would
be no storage. This would affect my production because I would
have to hold my photoshoot until I had charged the battery,
wasting time that could be used more efficiently.
c. If my memory card is full. If my memory card is full then this
introduces the same issue as above, I wont be able to conduct the
photoshoots.
2. . Here is how I plan on eliminating these problems
a) To make sure I don’t forget to add any equipment that is
crucial to my photoshoots in my production stage I will
thoroughly plan all the equipment that I will need and then when
I am applying for the equipment I will take my time and make
sure that I am careful, and simultaneously tick the equipment of
the list as I apply for it, making it as efficient and organized as
possible to exclude mistakes. Also, if I forgot a piece of
equipment that was very important to the shoot then I could
always use my phone as a back up. The quality wouldn’t be as
clear but it would be something I could then write about in my
evaluation/analysis.
b. To overcome this problem I plan to bring extra equipment, I will
apply for an extra memory card incase either the first one is full
or if (in a rare occasion) I loose the first one. This defeats chances
of not being able to conduct my photoshoots and means that no
matter what I can still conduct the shoots.
c. In order to blemish any problems that not having a battery might
cause I will adopt the same idea that I did for problem 3b, I will
bring extra equipment. To protect the cameras charge I will get
an extra battery and a charger. In this case, if the first battery dies
then while I’m using the second one I can charge the first one.
The only issue with this would be that if I planned on using the
camera somewhere outside where I wasn’t able to use the
charger. However, for my project it is unlikely that I will be
anywhere for longer then two camera batteries. But if I plan to be
somewhere for a long period of time then I will ask for more
batteries.

What is the problem:
Equipment
3. My main focus of the fanzine is
photography, however, in my fanzine I
plan on having other attributes that
require different elements of equipment.
For my product I am interested in
including interviews and therefore for
professionalism I will use a voice
recorder or a boom microphone for the
most effective results. However a problem
with this is:
a) This could have a negative affect on my production because if
I don’t know how to properly use the equipment then if I
accidently press the wrong button and not record anything then
this is a waste of time. Also, if I am interviewing a stranger who
I have got in contact with specifically for the interview then I
will seem incompetent if I have to ask them to repeat themselves
or admit that the recording didn't work. On top of this, if I have
to ask the interviewee to repeat themselves then this
immediately makes the interview loose its flow, making it
unnatural.
b) If the equipment breaks or runs out of battery while I am using
it this would obviously cause massive issues as it would mean
that my interview would come to an immediate stop. Meaning I
wouldn’t be able to carry on the interview, as well as wasting
my production time it would also waste the interviewee's time,
again making my project look unprofessional.
a) In order to avoid this problem I will watch YouTube videos and
ask for help from people to learn about the equipment, and before
the production in my planning stage I will conduct experiments
exploring how to use it. This solution requires the most time, but is
the most productive because I need to understand how to use a
boom microphone/voice recorder incase I need it in future
experiments, and I need to be completely in control of my project
and the way to do this is to learn the how to use all the equipment
to at least a novice level.
b) A solution to this problem would be to bring a notepad to the
interview as well as a piece of recording equipment, this would
mean that as well as having a recording I would have notes. So, if
the recording equipment did break I would still be able to finish the
interview from memory and the notes I had written. Also, if I was
unable to use the equipment I could use my phone as a recording
device. The outcome of the recording wouldn’t be as good quality
but I would only need the recording to hear the interviewee’s
answers.

Storage/Power
For this table I have decided to create a
table that addresses the problems that
storage and power can have on my
project. I decided to do a joint for these
two qualities because I think they have
overlapping issues, therefore it makes
sense that they share a table so I can mix
and match the solutions and alternatives.
Storage and power is a massive aspect of
the project because if there is a problem
with them then my work could be wiped
from the computers.
4. Storage -
An issue to production that could
cause massive problems to my project
is if something happened that would
corrupt my memory stick to stop it
working.
a. If my memory stick ran out of storage this would cause a domino
effect of different problems because if it it ran out of space then all
the documents that I open through that memory stick would be really
slow and incapable of time efficiently completing simple tasks, as the
memory stick doesn’t have enough storage to think and load
naturally, this would make the documents take a lot longer to open
and a lot longer to save. This would be a problem because it would
make conducting simple tasks drawn out, wasting time. Also, if I
didn’t have enough space on my memory stick then it would start to
shut down, the memory stick would crash and eventually stop saving
work as there was no space left on it. This would obviously have a
negative impact on my project as I would loose work and waste time
having to find another memory stick. Then I would also have to carry
two memory sticks which increases the risk of loosing both.
b. My second issue regarding my memory stick would be if I didn’t
properly eject the memory stick. This would cause problems because
it would corrupt my files, deleting the content. This would effect my
project massively because it would mean I would have to go back and
re write all the research that I had just conducted. I would make sure I
filled it with the same amount of detail, however it would be difficult
as I would feel a mental block as I had already completed the work
once.
a. A solution that would eliminate the chances of this happening
would be to have a memory stick that has a very wide storage,
meaning that I would never run out of storage and my files would all
be safe and fast. These memory sticks will cost extra money but is
worth it in order to keep my documents safe.
An alternative to this to solve the problem is to save my work in
multiple different places so that I’m not just relying on my memory
stick. There are multiple other ways that I can save my work. I could
save it on my desktop computer at home and at college, this would
mean that I had copies where ever I needed them, incase I wanted to
work anywhere and incase my memory stick over loaded and I lost
my work. I could also email myself the documents, this way I could
never loose them and they would always be in my emails safe where I
could find them. These options would take more time and therefore
more effort however they are the most mature and responsible
decision in order to keep my work safe.
b. This mistake is easily avoidable and to make sure that this doesn’t
happen when logging of my computer and closing down all my
documents, and my memory stick I will be very thorough and make
sure that I’m not rushing. I will follow the correct procedure of
ejecting my memory stick. By dragging the memory stick icon into
the bin on the bottom of the screen, this successfully ejects the
memory stick, then I will wait until the computer is turned off to
remove the stick.

Storage/Power
c. My third issues in relation to my memory stick is if I loose it.
This is very likely as the memory stick is small and easy to mis
place. This would cause big problems because there is no way
that I would be able to get it back and therefore all my work
would be lost. This means I would have to go back through and
re-do all my work. This would be very time consuming and
also would be emotionally draining.
c. There are not many solutions to this problem but there are alternative
ideas that I can put in place to insure that this doesn’t happen, or if it does
put systems in place so I would be able to retrieve it. My first idea would be
to put a sticky label on the memory stick that said my name and ‘York
College’, this would mean that if I did loose it then someone could see the
label, and either give it in to York College or get in contact with me
through Facebook.
Also, a way to make sure I didn’t loose it in the first place would be to
keep it safe on my college lanyard. This would be effective because I have
to bring my lanyard with me everyday – so I wouldn’t forget to bring it to
college- and it means that I would always know where it is. Then when I
come home from college consistently put it in a safe place where I won’t
loose it.
5. Power -
Power has a massive impact on
my production because I am reliant on it
to be able to complete my work. If the
power shut down then my work would
be interrupted and potentially deleted.
a. A problem that would effect production that would be
caused by an error with power is if there is a power cut. This
would affect my project because if I was in the middle of work
and hadn’t saved a recent version of the file then I would have
to go back and re write what I had just lost. This is unlikely as
we aren’t prone to power cuts and in the past two years at
college I haven’t experienced any, however recently we have
had very bad storms which have cut power off in a lot of
places, so it is very important to make sure that I am prepared
for a power cut.
b. Another problem that could be caused by power
difficulties is if the computer crashed/cut out. Some of the
computers at college aren’t very trustworthy and have a
tendency to cut out. In this case it would follow the pattern of
what would happen if there was a power cut, I would have to re
write all the work I lost.
a&b. A solution to this problem would be to save work regularly and in
multiple safe places like I said for my solution/alternative answers in 1a.
Also, if this happened then while the computer was down I would make the
most of my time and write down on a piece of paper what I had just wrote
so that I had as much of it still in memory, meaning I hopefully wouldn’t
loose too much work.
If there was a error with the power and I lost some of my work then my
production diaries would make a big difference in helping me to remember
what work I had just completed.
If the computers were down for a while then instead of waiting for them to
turn back on I would complete work by hand, for example, I could start
drawing sketches of how I want to lay out my fanzine pages.

Techniques/ability
So far through production I have learnt a
lot about my techniques and ability and
amongst learning different techniques I
have met a lot of problems on the way that
have intervened with my project so far.
6. A problem that I have acknowledged
which falls under ability problems is
sometimes I write in too much detail.
a. Although this might not sound like a genuine problem it
negatively affects my production because I waste time that could
be spent conducting useful research or product experiments on
writing detailed analyses about self explanatory things that are
unnecessary. Therefore wasting time and making me behind on
other work.
b. As well as making me behind on other work when I write in
too much detail I often forget the point of what I was saying and I
start waffling, making my writing sound unprofessional.
a. A Solution I can put in place to make sure this doesn’t happen is to
evaluate my writing whenever I write a certain amount of words (e.g.
every 500 words) so that I can read the writing and double check that I
haven’t wrote too much and therefore I won’t waste time.
b. A solution to this is to concentrate on my writing and make sure
that throughout I make sure I keep relating my writing back to the
point. Making sure that I don’t waffle.
7. A second problem that could be
caused through issues with my ability
is that a don’t have a wide range of
knowledge about how to use certain
software programmes.
7.
This will affect my project because if I’m not sure of how to use
certain software's then it will be difficult to make my final product
the best it can be. I am very familiar with the programme
Photoshop as I as I have used it in multiple projects over the two
year course, so I am comfortable with this software but I still think
there are more features on Photoshop that I need to learn. My main
issue is with the software InDesign, I find it extremely difficult to
use as I don’t find the layout friendly. I think the controls are
unnecessarily confusing.
7.
Software's like InDesign are incredibly important to my project
because I am dependent on them to put the pages of my fanzine
together. These programmes are the base of my project so I need to be
know how to use them. A solution to this is to take time and learn the
ins ands outs of Photoshop and InDesign in order to make the product
to my best ability.
8. Another problem is that I haven’t
had a lot of experience with some of
the equipment that I plan on using,
therefore my ability to use them isn’t
very good.
E.g. graphics tablet, boom
microphone, optic kit.
8.
This will create problems in my project because it will make my
end product a worse quality, making the fanzine unprofessional
and amateur, lowering my overall mark.
8.
In order to avoid the problem I will conduct production experiments
using each piece of equipment that I am not familiar with, therefore
adopting the right technique of how to use the equipment, meaning I
can use them to a professional level.

Theoretical Problems –
Weather
Weather is a vital part of my project and
will play a massive part in the
successfulness of the final product. My
project is based around photography and
therefore my shoots will be successful
partly dependent on whether the weather
is compatible with what I have planned.
9. If the weather is bad or not
compatible with the photoshoot I had
planned that day.
This will affect my project in multiple ways;
9.
a) If I had planned a photoshoot for a day that had bad weather,
e.g. it was raining or dark and gloomy then this would
negatively impact my production because the photos I took on
the day wouldn’t be as effective and develop wrong. For
example, if I had planned a photoshoot that relied on a sunny
background to connote happiness and summer, and the day I
planned to conduct the shoot it rained all through the day then
the photos would be ruined. They would have a completely
different meaning making them loose their essence.
b) A second problem that weather would cause to my production
would be if the weather was so bad that I couldn’t bring my
camera equipment outside. So, if I started my shoot when the
weather was just light rain and cold weather, but then
eventually there was heavy wind and forceful rain then this
would be threatening to my camera and could result in it being
broken. And then I would have a broken camera and my photos
would be corrupted.
c) Thirdly, the worst outcome of bad weather would be if I had to
stop my photoshoot altogether. This would be the worst
outcome because it would be a waste of a production day.
During the weeks of production I will have a tight schedule and
loosing a day of production will make me stressful and feel out
of control of the project. If I had to cancel the shoot then this
would be a waste of time.
Here is how I plan on eliminating these problems
9.
a) To solve this issue I would have different shoots put in place so
that I could shoot on the same day, not wasting a production day.
Or if I wasn’t able to shoot the specific shoot that I wanted to due
to the weather I could continue the shoot and then on another day
with more suitable with conduct the same shoot, it could be
interesting to have two shoots the same with a different setting.
Or, if this doesn’t work then I can just use the photos that didn’t
work and write in my production diaries about how the weather
impacted my shoot. Alternatively, instead of disregarding the
photos, I could take the photographs into a software like
Photoshop and try editing the background and explore different
effects, the saturation and exposure of the photo to see if I could
increase the lights in the photo, taking away the dark and gloomy
effect that the bad weather left on the photo.
b) In order to keep my camera safe in the bad weather I would ensure
that I always bring protection for my camera – a lens shield when
I’m not using the camera so the lens is always protected and
doesn’t get water damage, or if it’s blown out of my hand the lens
won’t be scratched, I will also bring the camera case and when
I’m not using it have the camera safely in there to risk any
damage.
c) An alternative to shooting the specific shoot I wanted to I would
plan another indoor shoot that I could conduct on the same day,
therefore I wouldn'tt waste a day of production and still be up to
date with my production schedule. Also, a solution to this issue
would be to look at the weather forecast in preparation of the
shoot, meaning I would be prepared for the weather, equating to
me not being stressed and still feel control over the project.
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Theoretical –
Weather
9.
d. An issue that bad weather would introduce to my project is
that if I was unable to shoot then it would be a waste of equipment.
Because I don’t own any camera equipment I have to rely on
colleges equipment to use. However, as I said earlier in my point 1a
I can only take the equipment for a certain amount of days. So, if I
booked out equipment for a weekend that rained the entire time then
I wouldn’t have shot all the shoots that I need and it might be a
while until I can next book out equipment next, setting me back in
my production. This would affect me because I would also have to
find another day to shoot my shot that was compatible with when I
could book out college equipment.
e. The final issue that bad weather could have that would negative
impact on my production would be if the weather was bad so we
had to stop the shoot and then subsequently the models that I was
using in the shoot were unavailable for another day. This would be
very unfortunate because it would leave me short of models and
without any models my photoshoots would fall through as they are
very reliant as the subject of the photo. This would also be bad
because it will have messed the models around, arranging a day to
conduct a photoshoot and then cancelling.
9.
d. A way to overcome this problem could be to invest in my own camera
equipment, this would be a lot easier as I would be in control of when I
could conduct my photoshoots and I would have the freedom to take my
camera wherever I needed. The issue with this is that I don’t have enough
money to buy my own equipment at the moment. Or I could book out
equipment for multiple different weekends as a backup plan in case the
weather is bad on the select weekend that I have.
e. A solution for this issue would be to have a wide number of different
models that I could use and not rely on just one or two models for multiple
shoots. Also, another solution to this would be to have trustworthy models
that would be willing to come back for another photoshoot, and models that
don’t have a very busy life, because if so then this could not be compatible
with my time schedule.
10. The next problem that
could be caused through
weather is that bad weather
could affect commutes.
a. The first problem that could occur is that models who are
featuring in my photoshoots might not be able to get to them.
Recently we have struggled with bad weather, including storms
Ellen and Francis, this has left flooding all over the country, by
production time this will defiantly all be gone however, we are
prone to storms at the moment so if w had another spell of bed
weather like this then it would very difficult to travel anywhere. If
models couldn't get to the locations of the shoots then this would
immediately make the shoot inapplicable to carry on.
a. An alternative to this which would hopefully eliminate this problem
would be to use models that lived close to me – therefore they wouldn’t have
to commute far, they would be close enough to be able to walk and not rely
on bus, car or train. Or I could look at the weather forecast and dependent on
the days that have bad weather I could plan a shoot that uses a location that
weren’t too far away, again meaning we wouldn’t have to be dependent on
cars or public transport in order to get somewhere.

What is the
problem:
Theoretical –
Weather
b. The second issue in reference to faulty transport due to bad
weather would be if I needed to get somewhere but I couldn’t get there
in the car because the weather is bad and therefore has increased the
amount of people taking buses and driving to places instead of walking
in the rain, this increases traffic making it difficult to get anywhere.
This will affect my production because it will make me late for my
photoshoots, meaning I have less time, or it could mean I wont get to
them at all.
c. Another problem of traveling caused by bad weather conditions is
that the weather conditions might be too bad to drive in. E.g. slippery
roads, bad weather, intense rain. If this is the case then it means I wont
be able to get to my shoots and therefore will have lost a day of
production. Another issue this could entail is that if the weather is bad
and subsequently I can't commute to college then I might not be able
to get my equipment for a photoshoot that I’m planning.
b. To avoid this problem I will look at the weather forecast to see what
the weather is like for the day, and then accordingly I will make sure
that I give myself extra time to get places taking into consideration the
traffic due to the bad weather.
c. A way I can overcome this issue would be to use another form of
transport to get to the location. I could take public transport, e.g. a bus
because it would usually take pretty extreme weather conditions for a
bus to stop service. Or alternatively I could walk to the location.
However, these two ideas could be quite problematic because I would
be carrying a lot of camera equipment with me so it would be hard to
take this on the bus.

Theoretical – Location
Location is also a crucial part of my
project and will play a massive part in
the successfulness of the final product.
My project is based around photography
and therefore my shoots will be placed in
different locations, and depending on the
different location it can completely
change the aesthetic of a photo.
11. A problem that can occur through
location is if I am unable to shoot my
photoshoots where I have planned to.
a. The first explanation as to why I wouldn’t be able to shoot
at my chosen location would be if the land that I planned to
shoot on was private, owned property. This could happen on
large stretches of land that seem like they aren’t property. Last
year for my first year final major project I planned to conduct a
photoshoot on a area of grass that was next to a golf club, I
assumed I would be able to go on the grass but later discovered
that this area was private property. This would affect my
production because it would result in me having to find
somewhere else to conduct the photo shoot somewhere else, on
short notice. This would probably result in me finding a
location that didn’t fit the right aesthetic or the photoshoot but
was the only place that I could find. Consequently leading my
final project to loose the essence and unique characteristics.
b. My second problem in reference to location is if I approach
a location for one of my photoshoots and it appears to be closed
on the day. This would affect production because it would
mean that my photoshoot would be cancelled, or, like above I
would have to find another location and it wouldn’t be as
fitting.
c. Problem three is that I could get to the location that I
picked and then on the day discover that it isn’t how I imagined
it to look, if the location didn’t look the same as it did online.
This would cause issues because it would throw of my balance
and disrupt my plans.
a. To make sure that I don’t make this mistake in my planning
process I will research all the locations that I intend on visiting
and discover whether they require permission. I will do this by
looking at the websites and getting in touch with the potential
owners before the shoots. This will therefore eliminate any
embarrassment or misunderstanding towards the locations. Also,
if the location requires payment I will bring some extra money
with me to defuse this problem.
b. A way I will address this issue will be to have back up
locations that I am aware of in case for some reason my first one
is closed/unavailable. I will research other locations that are in a
close proximity allowing me to have the choice of whether to
shoot it somewhere else, or to stop that photoshoot and carry on
another day.
c. In an attempt to overcome this before I conduct my
photoshoots if I haven’t seen the locations in person before I will
go and visit each location to see what the setting is like. This will
also help me envisage how I want to layout my photoshoots,
making the shoots themselves more efficient. And then as an
alternative if I go to the locations and discover that they aren’t as
aesthetically pleasing in real life then I will have time to find
more locations that I can use for my photoshoots.

Theoretical – Finance
Finance is an important aspect of
my project because in order to
make my project as professional
and successful as possible this will
mean having to fund extra cots
myself.
12, Paying for additional costs
towards the photoshoots.
12.
a. The problem with having to pay for external models is that it
feels like an unnecessary cost, I shouldn’t have to pay for models. I
also I don’t have enough money to spend on professional models.
However if I want the best out come of photos it would be most
appropriate to hire them externally.
b. Having to pay for props in the photoshoots will cost extra
money on top. I haven’t properly planned my photoshoots yet so
I’m not sure what props I will need. However, I have ideas for a
few shoots, and I know I need flowers and new clothes. The
problem with this is that I don’t have a lot of money due to cutting
down hours at my job because the early months of the year have
few hours due to the weather and due to people having overspent at
Christmas and saving for holidays in summer. So, I haven’t been
earning as much money recently which will make it difficult for
me to afford a lot of props etc.
12.
a. My first solution to overcome this is problem is to not hire actors
externally and hire my friends/family. This would save me the cost of
having to pay for professionals and would mean that through the shoot
I would feel more comfortable. Secondly, a way to save money but also
hire professional actors who will take it more seriously compared to
friends and family is to put an advert on Facebook or the College
website advertising a modelling opportunity obviously still offering a
payment but at a lower price then a professional would charge.
b. A solution to this is to pick up extra hours at work and each
week put a small amount of money aside in order to save up to buy
props for the photoshoots. I think it is important to make sure I have
enough money for props as they will make a massive difference to
production impacting the photoshoots making them more effective.
Also, an alternative to buying new props for the shoots would be to use
objects that I already have around the house. For example, if I need
flowers, I can take some from the garden or local park.
13. Having to pay for special
printing paper for the fanzine. 13. For the final product of my fanzine I will showcase it online
using the online publishing website Issuu.com but I am also
printing the fanzine out so there is a version that you can look at
my hand. I could print of the fanzine on just normal paper, but I
think this would look amateur and be a anti climax for the final
product. There is specialist paper I can use that will give my
fanzine a glossy and professional look.
13. I will overcome this by placing the same idea that I had for my
solution on problem 12b where I said I would save a certain amount of
money every week and then at the end of the project in around 7/8
weeks I should defiantly have enough saved to afford specialist paper.

Theoretical – Production
Time
Schedule / timetable
Rely on other people

Theoretical – Extras and
Models
If a model is ill

Optic Kit – plastic optic
Background – lights
Focus
Wobble lens
Couldn’t zoom out
Difficult to use

Optic kit – how to use it, was it easy?

a plate of glass marked out into
concentric zones or rings alternately
transparent and opaque, used like a
lens to bring light to a focus.

■ Graphics tablet
■ Photoshoots – how to use a camera
■ Photoshoots – how to take a good photo
■ Photoshop editing 1
■ Photoshop editing 2
■ How to effectively write an article
■ microphone

For the photography elements of my project I plan on exploring lots of different effects that I can use on my photos to make them look more
interesting. Recently in social media I have seen a lot of influencers using an app that makes your pictures look like they’ve been taken on a
polaroid/disposable camera. This is a trend at the moment and it can be used on any photo, it makes the photo look authentic and special, because
taking a photo with a polaroid camera isn't like a normal camera, you only get a certain amount of takes, therefore the pictures you have are special
and memorable. So the connotations of the aesthetic of the effect is individual and memorable. You can tell whether a picture has been taken on a
polaroid camera because the picture is developed with sepia tones, sepia tones is a form of photographic print toning. The way polaroid pictures are
developed to make the picture have the hazy effect is ‘by having a negative sheet exposed inside the camera, then lined up with a positive sheet and
squeezed through a set of rollers which spread a reagent between the two layers, creating a developing film "sandwich".’ – an explanation from
Wikipedia. I want to include this effect on some of my photoshoots because I think it would look effective, making them look genuine and authentic. I
also think it would set nicely with the fanzine aesthetic not like a glossy magazine photograph. As it is popular on social media, e.g. Instagram and
Facebook at the moment it would also successfully attract my target audience.
I tried to find different ways that I could acquire this effect, I knew that I would be able to apply an effect that mirrored the style on Photoshop but I
knew that it wouldn’t have the same aesthetic and wouldn’t look the same. However, I had heard of apps available on phones that develop the photos
in the same way, giving them a hazy polaroid effect over the original photo. I looked on the App store and searched online in attempt to find apps that
would work. There was a lot of results with apps that had the effect. As well as looking at the app store and websites advertising them online I sked a
group of my friends, I asked my friend s because they are the same age as my target audience and I knew a few of them use photo editing apps like
these. After I found a few apps that I could be interested in using for my photos, I then started to investigate other details about them, e.g. would I
only be able to take a certain amount of photos (like a real polaroid camera) and how much money the app cost. This was important because if the app
cost £2.99 then there would be no point as if I kept looking I’d be able to find a free app that would do the same thing. I then chose three apps to
download on my phone in order to test to take photos on and then compare the quality/outcome of the photo. I decided on the apps:
Disposable HUJI Dazz Cam
- David Dobrik

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The first app I tried was Dazz Cam. I have never heard about Dazz cam and this was my first time
using it. I found the app through a social media app called ’TikTok’TikTok is a new app where you
can post short videos of yourself. The video I saw was a montage of different photos using the app,
advertising how fun the app was and also advertising if you wanted to add a more mysterious aesthetic
to your photos. I downloaded the app as it was free and it had good reviews on the app store, the
overall rating of the app is 4.6 with 16.9k ratings. The seller is Haiyan Wang and Requires iOS 11.0 or
later, compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app is free to purchase (which first intrigued
me) but once you start using the app if you want to download more efficient and interesting effects for
the photos. You can either buy individual effects or upgrade to Dazz Pro where you get to use different
cameras as well.
An aspect of the app which is quite rare is that you don’t have to take the photo on the app for the filter
to be applied. A lot of the time there is no option to download a picture, unless it’s taken on the app it
doesn’t get developed into a polaroid picture – like a real polaroid picture. So, this would be most
useful for my project – allowing me to see the picture I’ve taken and uploading any of my choice to
the app instead of being stuck with the ones taken through the app. This means that if I decided after
the shoot, I didn’t like the photo I took on the app I would be able to go back into my camera roll and
upload any of my photos.
The layout of the app is quite simple and has an easy structure which makes it nice to use. The camera
lets you see a clear image and adjust the brightness and exposure of the photo before you take it. There
are options at the bottom which let you; upload your own pictures,
double up pictures – this means it merges the photos together, I
tried this but didn't think it looked particularly effective – use a
timer, use flash, or turn the camera to a front facing camera.

On the next slide are the results from the Dazz Cam photoshoot. I took a picture inside and outside so that I could compare the photos and see
how the app worked in different lighting. I have put the real version of the photo next to the edited one for comparison.
What I found from my experiment is that the camera app works a lot better on inside, more concentrated lighting. The exposure on the picture on
the left is a lot better making the photo develop a lot clearer looking more professional. The picture on the left was at a disadvantage because the
subject had her back towards the light therefore situating her in darkness making the photo dark and less focused. This shows me that the app will
be less effective if the photo is taken in a dark place, meaning if I was to use this effect it would have to be on one of my photoshoots that are
taken in the light/daytime.
The effect of the camera looks like it follows a traditional polaroid picture by having a dark photo and a light photo mixed together, you can see
this because the dark shadows over power the lighter shades. However in modern age a lot of polaroid pictures are now developed with lighter
tones and some interesting hazy effects to make it more appealing. So I like the dark effect. The effect added to the photos outside is a grunge –
mysterious, dark green colour. The colours in the photo are very discolored and almost sinister, the photo looks like it could've been used in a
horror movie, because it looks like the colours have been dragged out of the photo. It’s even taken the colorization out of the skin colour making
it appear less life like. The effect successfully look like it was taken in the past, the effects on the photo add so many connotations and in my
opinion it adds secrecy to the photo setting it apart from modern photos. The camera also adds small white grains to the photo, this photos
resemble the scratches on an old film player, this adds authenticity and uniqueness. Another aspect of the photograph I admire is the date on the
side of the photo, the date gives it a special and sentimental feeling, making the photo feel important and memorable, like the date you would get
on a hand held camera. The orange colour of the date mirrors the same burning orange colour that would be used on a camera, it also looks
effective standing out against the rest of the photo. The typography of the date is a classic alarm 24 hour clock.
The photo taken using the app inside gives of a completely different vibe as the outside picture. The lighting was a lot clearer inside and as I
mentioned earlier this has made a massive difference to the photo, making the photo lighter. The effect is less intense, if you look closely it shows
small pigmentation on her skin which looks effective as that’s what an old photo would also do after time. In my opinion the effect makes the
photo look timeless and I like the way it’s been developed.
Overall, I like the development of the photo and the effect that the filter has had on the photo. It’s interesting looking at the before and after
picture as they look so different but the difference is only subtle. I would be interested in taking this research further and using the app in my
project, on the other hand, there are a few disadvantages of the app. The app ruins the quality of the app, making the photo look unprofessional
and amateur, this could work as it does follow the fanzine aesthetic but it would have to be suitable for a specific photoshoot. Also, I can’t use the
app on my camera, I would have to use it though my phone which immediately lessens the quality and means that I can’t edit exposure or any
other camera features.
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Also, while exploring the features on DazzCam I
thought it would be interesting to use the double photo
effect even though I didn’t have much interest in using
it in my photoshoot. I used a photo from outside and
one from inside, to see if the light difference would
make a difference to the photo.
I quite like the result of the photo as it looks old and
unique. I think if I was using the effect seriously, I
would have to plan the photoshoot better because I
think for the photo to work the subject in both photos
should be aligned in the same position and then one of
the photos just past central so that they have the
overlapping effect.

HUJI is an app that was brought out in 2018, in 2018 it was very new and cutting edge,
attracting a lot of followers. The point of the app was to take photos like it was 19998,
following the way vintage photos were taken in the 90s and following the connotations from
the 90s about life being more stress-free and easier. HUJI Cam’s been downloaded over 16
million times worldwide. Among its list of noteworthy users are Selena Gomez, Kim
Kardashian West, and Pete Davidson. HUJI is a camera app that I have used in the past for
amateur photos as at one time it was a massive trend, I always found that it was easy to use
and made the photos you take look more summery and vintage, making each of your photos
unique and fun. Even in the corner were the date is stamped there is an option to change the
year to ’98’ just adding to the 90’s aesthetic.
The page on the app mirrors a standard £10 disposable camera you can
purchase at Boots, with the same green skin, it also has the directions of
use on the front to add authenticity to the screen, because obviously the
rules don’t apply to the camera. I appreciate the extra mile they have
gone to make the app feel like you are using a normal camera. They
even go as far to have a developing screen when you take a photo, this
is a modern twist on a disposable cameras developing time.
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Using the HUJI app was easy and simple, this is obviously an important of the app because if it was difficult and confusing to use
then the lack of efficiency would immediately make me less likely to use the app. I began by taking the same photos that I did on
the DazzCam app, one photo outside with flash and one outside without and then the same inside. From looking at the results of
the photos I am pleased with the outcome. The photos taken outside have been developed unclear so you can’t see the photo, like
the development on the first set of photos from DazzCam. So it makes the photos look unprofessional and unclear, ruining the
quality of the photos. However, the only issue with this is that you can’t seethe subjects face, the background of the photo is still
clear and looks effective, so if the picture didn’t have a specific subject and it was just as a setting it would work well.
The exposure of the photos inside with good, not natural lighting have developed well. The app is different to DazzCam because
The saturation colours are very different, in DazzCam the main colours extracted from the photo are dark – green colours, while in
HUJI the colours are purple and more retro inspired instead of grunge. Also, the photos on HUJI compliment and highlight the
lights in the photos, for example the white background on the second inside photo you can see where the flash hits the wall
behind, also on the first photo you can see the shadow behind the subject.
I liked the HUJI app photos and I think it works well for a retro 90s style photo. I think it would work well with a outside
photoshoot of a spontaneous photo, these photos

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This app is an app that I use a lot in day to day life. I use this app a lot because the development of the pictures is quite subtle. The app is very new and
created by David Dobrik. David Dobrik was a vine sensation then started his own you tube channel in 2014, his channel was the fifth-most viewed
creator channel on YouTube in 2019, with 2.4 billion views that year. The youtuber has been won a range of awards over the time; for example, Teen
Choice Awards – choice Male Web Star 2019 and People’s Choice Awards – Social Star. Dobrik launched an Instagram account dedicated to his
photos from disposable apps that now has 2.9 million followers, which inspired him to create his own.
I also like using the app because it feels most like a disposable camera because the app doesn’t let you see the photos until 9 o clock the next morning
because it’s ‘developing’like a normal disposable camera. I think this was a risky aspect to include because people could get bored and just download
an app were the photo is developed immediately, but if your old school you’ll embrace the fact you must wait for the picture. I like it because it
doesn’t give you the excuse to not like a picture so take it multiple times until you get the right one, this way you take one photo and then that’s it.
Also, having to wait to see the photo is quite exciting. Another feature that stays strictly with the authentic disposable camera aesthetic is the lack of
the ‘selfie’ feature, meaning you can’t turn the camera around for a selfie. The app also enables users to order prints directly from the app straight to
their homes — another way that it mimics the film development experience.
Disposable is unlike the other apps and doesn’t have the date in the corner of the photo, I don’t like this as I think the date makes the photo quite edgy
and makes the photo memorable, like the date is important.

Dazz Cam
Anon. (2018). Photography Knowledge 101: What the Hell is SEPIA?. Available:
https://www.chasejarvis.com/blog/sepia-what-the-hell-is-it/. Last accessed 14th Feb 2020.
Anon. (2020). Instant Film. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_film . Last accessed 14th Feb 2020.
Anon. (2019). 9 Best Polaroid Frame Apps for Android & iOS. Available: https://freeappsforme.com/polaroid-
frame-apps/ . Last accessed 14th Feb 2020.
HUJI
Joshua Bote. (2018). What’s the Deal With Huji Cam, This Year’s Trendiest Photo App?. Available:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/07/what-is-huji-cam-this-years-hottest-photo-app.html . Last accessed 14th
Feb 2020.
Disposable
Geoff Weiss. (2019). David Dobrik Launches Disposable Camera App Inspired By Hit Instagram Account.
Available: https://www.tubefilter.com/2019/12/26/david-dobrik-disposable-camera-app/. Last accessed 14th Feb
2020.
Anon. (2020). David Dobrik. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dobrik#Filmography . Last accessed
14th Feb 2020.

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