The document provides a self-evaluation by AJ Shepherd of their final media production project. They reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of their research, planning, time management, technical and aesthetic qualities, and audience appeal. Peer feedback praised the creative edits and use of York locations but suggested taking more photos and processing more images in different styles. Overall, AJ agrees more photos and alternative styles could have strengthened the project but is happy with the layout and feel. They would change the amount and focus of photos taken as well as put more research into the booklet layout during planning.

1. Evaluation
AJ Shepherd

2. Research
I think this project helped me when it came to research, throughout the past projects I feel the
research stage has let me done and I have struggled for detail and getting the important
information that helps link my aims to my research.
Strengths- I think my strengths started by picking something different as the idea for this project
because photography is a more open door than the NFL and there are so many world known
photographers and each one is different in their own way so this allowed me to pick ones who were
different but could all provide me with inspiration and belief. The biggest strength I feel was picking
the right photographers because if I had picked just off how famous they are or how well known I
would later struggle trying to connect my final piece with my research.
Looking into Tim Laman and David Noton’s work in the latter stages of my research really showed
me the first clear inspiration and links between their photography and the ideas I was having in my
head at the time of research.
The work of the pair also gave me some tricks and tips about photography and ways I could make
my photography better and how certain emotions, breath-taking moments, wildlife and so on and
can be captured and even a simple image can suddenly be lifted to a new level.
Weaknesses- I feel like even though I made some progress with my research it still was a struggle
because having to link the research to my final product was something I have majorly struggled
with throughout the process. I feel I could have done more research into maybe not photographers
who were super well know (such as Annie Leibovitz) and maybe find ones who are known but sit
under the radar of the limelight. I feel this would have improved my research because that link
could have been so clear and visible rather than having to really think about why her work is a
inspiration for me.
The work of Steve McCurry was something that really was inspirational to me but in the bigger
picture looking into another landscape photographer might have been better because I could have
found out more information and tips and tricks about the type of photography my original plans
were leading me towards at the time of researching.

3. Planning
I feel like my main strength during planning was realising my original plans were too much and
rethinking and replanning. The original plan involved a lot of traveling and with the ongoing
issues in the Uk I felt I was problem solving by seeing there was an issue with my plan and
acting swiftly to change my plan and make it a more local and easier one allowed me more
time to take the photos, easier access to these locations, a greater knowledge of where I’d be
and where certain things were if I needed say the toilet or some food. This really helped my
product because it allowed me to relax a little and know I had everything I needed just 15
minutes away from my house so I knew I could be slow in planning every detail. This also
meant I had some more time to go out and take some tester pictures and really get an
understanding for the locations and deep dive into what I could do in order to take a simple
location and make it outstanding by the end.
My weakness of planning I feel is not including the correct parts I needed to fully show my plan
is full. So I could have it planned in my head and have the final product but there wasn’t a
middle ground that showed the process of getting to that actual point. Another weakness I feel
was not been able to create a strong visual plan of what my aims were. I feel this would have
really brought my ideas to reality before I had even begun creating them, this then has created
a visual plan meaning as production was ongoing I could look back to the plan and see what I
had seen originally and if my work was going completely off course I could reset myself and
follow the ideas my planning had laid out for me.
I feel I could improve on a lot of elements during the planning stage but the main one for me is
detail. Planning is vital and to really show your ideas you need detail on each section.

4. Time Management
For me I think changing my plan allowed me to manage time a whole lot better than I
would have if I stuck with the original plan. Changing the location meant it was easier to
find the time to head out with the camera and it allowed an unlimited time limit during that
unless I had work. This meant I stuck strictly to the scheme I had planned out meaning as
we went along I was ticking off deadlines for that pieces of the FMP, therefore leading to
my final product been completed on time meaning I wasn’t allowing myself to fall behind
and then leaving myself a giant mountain to climb in order to fully achieve my goals and
have all the work completed and fully submitted.
The only things I would have done with more time is maybe have conducted more
photoshoots so I really built up a collection so when it came to processing and creating the
final exhibition I could pick similar images but with a visible difference meaning in the
exhibition I could have pictures of the same location but styled in completely different
ways. This then creates a theme throughout the exhibition of having similar but different
pictures throughout.
Maybe with more time I would have looked more seriously into printing and having a look
at what I could have done to create a physical copy of the final product. I had a brief looking
into the costs of printing during the creation of the final product but after looking around
and making some brief notes on how much certain things would cost I stopped and focused
on creating the best final product that I possibly could.

5. Technical Qualities
Similarities
• Location- both pictures were taken in a similar location but my was taken slightly closer and
taken with a zoomed in lens.
• Both capture York’s history- Minster and City Walls
Differences
• Obvious change from my original photo to the edited one
• I made sure no people were in my picture
• Different times of year- looking at the leaf amount on the trees
• Levels of construction on the minster

6. Aesthetic Qualities
Overall I think my work looks good and has fully exceeded my expectations and I couldn’t be
happier. I felt going into the production stage this could have gone one of two ways, either my
expectations would be shocked and I would create something I was extremely proud of or it
would end up been a little bit lacklustre and boring.
I feel like the final outcome has been creative because I didn’t just sit and go small changes on
the pictures I really wanted them to stand out and this does then create a creative element, I
wanted my work to stand out but making sure I wasn’t creating some unrealistic mess that took
away the beauty I wanted to capture in the City I’ve known my whole life. I think the main
improvements would be making a proper hand held copy so you can see your work in person
and not just on a screen that can mislead your judgements. I would also improve the amount of
pictures I took during the time and how I went about creating the final product I wished. So
maybe create a tester booklet so I can see different layouts, different styles and so on instead of
just going with what looks the best with a certain amount of pictures.
Strengths- Photoshop progression and Skills- Last year I felt during the creation of the final
product I struggled with photoshop but this year I felt more comfortable and I knew the pictures
need some time and testing different ideas would be a process but it was an easier process
because I knew what style I was going for with some pictures and others I could just play around
with and figure out a style that looked good and would make an impact on my final piece.

7. • Use of photoshop skills

8. Audience Appeal
Looking back at the target audience I set myself at the beginning of the project and now looking
at the product I have created I do feel like I have managed to finally create something that ticks
the target audience category. I did worry about some of picture could maybe take away the
audience because how I have changed them and edited them so my product would stand out
compared to others while still connecting with the audience I set myself before I had even
begun.
I felt throughout the process that something like this could be boring and that really fuelled the
fire to create a standout product that would appeal to the audience and would be solid product
for any audience outside my target one. I also feel with the growing influence of social media
and how much these people in my target audience take pictures to show off going with
something that is different could grab the attention and allow the product to appeal.
Going with that social media approach it means if those who view the exhibition liked it and
then post it across social media it lays the platform for success because the target audience then
start to post it and that then brings more it means the overall has worked and more of the
target audience want to view the exhibition and see what has been created and catching the
eyes of friends.
I think everything overall has slowly combined to create the final outcome and I don’t think
without each small step and learning curve to reach the finish line and have managed to create
a successful outcome

9. I felt colour was extremely important in trying to move
forward, obviously I know my target audience isn’t a
brunch of little kids who at the first sight of colour will
go crazy but I feel colour is so important in creating a
product that will create a feel good energy but also keep
the work grounded and realistic.
But then going the complete opposite way I like the idea
of keeping it simple and sweet and using some old
fashioned styles. I want to make sure pictures aren’t
boring but keep the ideas I have planned out and
thought of. These are the best 3 pictures I managed to
create and the 3 that I personally believe are the
strongest 3 to tie my audience and everything together.

10. Peer
Feedback

11. Feedback 1
• What did you like about the product?
I loved the fact you used York instead of trying to go find the best places where you wouldn’t have
much understanding. I really like the way you have created some of the pictures, the ones of the
blossom trees down by the river and hiding the Minster are really creative and instantly draw your
eyes to them. The old fashioned ones are really cool as well because it’s like the historic sites
around York have been photographed in a way you’d have thought of back in the days when they
were built and as time went along.
I think this mix of old fashioned, changes of colour and leaving some the same has really helped
me understand the project and I really like it.
• What improvements could have been made to the
product?
I think the one thing for improvement is maybe to have taken more pictures around town or maybe
somewhere just outside town so you didn’t see pictures been used maybe more than once. Obviously
this could have been you wanted to create a smaller booklet hence why you only had a certain amount
processed and edited but you had to make them a certain page number hence why there’s a 20 page
booklet.

12. Feedback 2
• What did you like about the product?
I liked a lot about the product: The cool edits to some of the pictures, in particular
the old fashioned ones of the minster and the black and white ones of the walls.
For me knowing the history of the city and how those two are the main point of
history is York I really think making them have an old fashioned look enhances that
history because when photography was first invented you wouldn’t have expected
bright colour so having that original feeling of a first picture on the new walls is
something I love.
The actual layout I like because you didn’t try overcomplicate it, you kept it simple
yet in a format that’s easy to see every picture and really get a good look at the
picture in it’s own way. The way on some page how you grouped similar pictures
together was good so you had a theme running through the middle pages.
• What improvements could have been made to the product?
I wouldn’t really make any improvements I think what you created is strong, it fits the
audience you wanted and really could work with any audience.
If anything maybe have processed some more pictures in that old fashioned or black and
white form because they really stand out while still showing York today.

13. Peer Feedback Summary
• What do you agree with from your peer feedback?
I do agree with my feedback because both have said about maybe having more processed images just to really
have something that stands out from start to finish, this is because I had a lot of images of the same area and
didn’t want to overload the same place in different ways into my booklet and end up with it basically been a
booklet on the Minster or on the walls. I’m glad both have liked the ways I went about editing and processing
the pictures because that’s the part I was worried about because picking a target audience is one thing but
then actually hitting it is the hard part.
I agree that I should have tried to use that black and white more because it just adds something whether that
be a historic place like the Minster or just a picture of a road filled with cars.
• What do you disagree with from your peer
feedback?
I don’t really disagree with anything that was given to me during the feedback, if there was
anything it was regarding the layout because I did want to create something small and that
allowed me to really show off the best of the best instead of having to create a mass of pictures
despite taking a good amount during the production stage. So creating a 20 page booklet I did
feel wasn’t allowing me to really show off the best of the pictures I had worked on edited.

14. Peer Feedback Summary
I would make a few changes. The first thing I would change was the amount of
pictures I processed and worked on because looking at the feedback using more and
editing them in an old fashioned or black and white would have really caught the
audience more looking at the feedback. Another thing I would change was the
amount of pictures I actually took because I think taking 4-5 of one location would
have allowed me to go to more locations around York and capture more different
pictures which I could have then used to a better effect in the booklet. In a way I
think less of just random photography and more focused I was more picking location
and then using that to build up would have led me to having much better overall
pictures that would have then allowed me to create the booklet with a page theme of
a certain location which would have then helped in the long run of creation.
The actual layout of the booklet is something I would have changed because looking
at the feedback and at the actual end results I think I should have put more research
into booklets and what amount of pages I was most likely going to have when it came
to putting everything together and this would have meant when I was out taking
picture I would have a rough idea of how I wanted the pictures to be inside the
booklet that then meaning I could take pictures according to what page this would be
and how different angles could I capture and how I would edit them.