This is a presentation on Evaluation Question 7 - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

1. Evaluation Question 7
Looking Back At Your Preliminary
Task, What Do You Feel You Have Learnt
In The Progression From It To The Full
Product?

2. Research & Planning
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The planning for my preliminary task was almost non-existent; I had no
preparation for the photos so when it came to the planning for the layout of the
pages, I simply drew the images I had taken on the page. I had also taken no
research in to popular conventions and layouts used in magazines which made it
hard to think of ideas to use in my preliminary magazine; I only had the knowledge
I had seen from magazines I had read in the past.
Because of this lack of planning for the preliminary task, I thought it would be
necessary to make detailed plans of what I was going to put in my magazine and
how I would lay it out. Before planning anything, I researched multiple magazine
structures and conventions in order to select the correct style for my Rock
magazine. I then created 3 drawn out drafts and got feedback from each one
allowing me to improve it each time. Once I had this final draft I could go out and
begin constructing my magazine. However, I did not follow my final draft
completely as I took experimental photos to see how they would look and it
turned out that my article image looked a lot better. Also when using Photoshop to
construct, I added in some conventions I had not previously thought of, but
without any research, I would not thought of.

3. Taking Photos & Using Photoshop
• When creating a college magazine for my preliminary task, i found it very
hard to understand Photoshop and as a result, my overall magazine did
not turn out as well as previously hoped. My photos were not of a good
quality; the images were proportioned wrong; and there was a lot of gaps
that needed to be filled. An SLR camera was very much needed for the
task and the fact I was inexperienced with Photoshop did not help. I also
did not previously plan which meant I rushed into taking the pictures with
little to no preparation.
• However when it was time to construct my actual magazine, I was better
prepared. I decided to plan what I was going to take photos of as well as
where to take them. That way I was ready to take the photos and they
would be taken quickly and smoothly. I also managed to get hold of an SLR
camera which improved the quality of my photos dramatically. I also
figured out how to use Photoshop by, before the construction, practising
and looking up tutorials on the internet. This meant when it came to my
construction I was knowledgeable of what to do and how to do it. I now
feel a lot more confident using the software for future projects.

4. Images
• With the preliminary task, the photos I took were of random people at a
random setting. I took pictures of students in the canteen and outside in
the college field. Even though there was little planning, I still recognised
that the Mise-En-Scene had to be a college environment as that is what
the task specified. There was no effort in the thought of clothing or where
the images would be taken.
• Once it was time to start work on my construction; I made sure I had
researched; popular Rock genre camera angles, postures, facial
expressions and clothing. That way I could then plan how I wanted my own
magazine images to look. I decided to go with 3 main band members and
told them to wear quite dull clothing and when the images were being
taken, I directed them to keep a stern facial expression. I also knew what
type of page layout I would need for each page (Front cover –
portrait, Contents page – Portrait, Article – Landscape) so I knew what
angle I would have to take my images. To help the models with their
posture I showed them previously what stance they should be doing in the
photo to remove any hassle.