The document summarizes the hardware and software used to create a magazine. It describes the camera equipment including a Nikon DSLR, flash triggers, and strobes. Photoshop and InDesign were used to edit photos and layout the magazine respectively. WordPress was used as a blogging platform to share coursework. PowerPoint was used to create a presentation evaluating the magazine project.

1. TECHNOLOGY AND HARDWARE USED IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF MY MAGAZINE

2. HARDWARE
During the construction of my magazine we used a range of hardware, this refers to the
object technology we used such as the monitor, key board, mouse etc.

3. • Camera
Nikon D3100- Digital SLR
Lens- Nikon AF- S Nikkor 18-55mm
Settings- manual aperture f11- shutter speed 1/300th
• Horseshoe flash trigger
Infra red signal sent strobe flash- Triggers the flash in- sync with the camera shutter (speed
set to 1/300th sec to match strobe speeds)
• Hemisphere 300- strobe flash
Dial on back adjusts output- modelling light on. Auxilliary lights set to slave (triggered in- sync
by built in light sensor
• Soft boxes
The model lights use soft boxes- they disperse the light and give a softer, rounder light on the
subject.
• Back drop
Is lit further a two further strobes on full power to create a high exposure, white
background

4. CAMERA EQUIPMENT

5. USINGTHECAMERAEQUIPMENT
• Being one of the models I didn’t get much experience with the
camera but I did work out how to use and at first it seems to have
a learning curve but once you know how to use it becomes
muscle memory, making sure the photo being taken is centered
and in focus is really or there is to know. Although, I did have
complete creative direction over the photo shoot. With me being
the very pale and the look of the magazine I needed to darken the
background and dim the lights just so I am not over exposed
being washed out of the picture. So what I done was create a
light grey back drop with shadowing come in from one side
making sure I pop in the picture and dark almost moody scene
was created. Some troubles the student that took the
photographs and myself came into were syncing up the horse
shoe trigger to the strobe flashes as it had came out so it took a
little time setting up again. Also gaging the light exposure was
hard as to find the median amount of light was because we we’re
either creating too much light washing me out or not enough only
making a silhouette.

6. Computer hardware
Mac osx9 (operating system) v.10.5.8
Using the mac was new to me as I have
never used them before, The biggest
change really was how the keyboard and
mouse worked. On other computer systems
a lot of controls work through the functions
you can access through a right click on the
mouse whereas on the mac you are forced
to use the key board commands as the
mouse only has one type of click. Such
function like copy and paste were done
through a combination of keys pressed
together. But again, similar to the camera
once it has been used enough it become
muscle memory.
Copy function
Paste function
Screenshot
Examples of different key board commands
(1,2 and 3)
1
2
3

7. Using photoshop was fairly tricky the actual use of it was
easy as all of the functions were placed on a tab (1) going
down the page. The functions were all self explanatory as
they already been used before o other soft ware we are all
familiar such text boxes (2) and erasers (3). Though the
others that were new just took a little experimenting with to
get used to what they were used for such as the lasso (4).
Where it really got challenging was with the extra ways and
functions available to us using photoshop. Holding the
mouse button on the tab would allow you to access the
extra ways in which the functions can work (5) such as the
lasso having a magnetic alternative sticking to the predicted
outline of what you’re supposed to be cutting out (6). Also it
isn’t fully explained that finishing or adding to what has
been done will be continued into the bar above your work
(7). For example once you have completely outlined the
picture with the lasso you intend to cut out you must go to
layer, new then layer via copy (8).
SOFT WARES
Photoshop
1
4
3
2
5
6:
sticking to the models leg
7
8

8. WHY DID WE USE PHOTOSHOP?
• We used photoshop to develop the majority of our magazine, all of the front cover was
done on photoshop, the same is true for the contents page then we used photoshop for
the article only to alter our pictures making sure when it was put onto InDesign (talked
about later) would fit it’s delegated space.
• We used photoshop because it is one of the best pieces of soft ware for image
manipulation and creating one piece out of many. Although we didn’t use everything as it
wasn’t necessary but we used to it’s fullest for our project’s need. Also the polishing of
pictures made the magazine to the highest standard each individual could make such as
removing blemishes or erasing spikes from when cutting out the image.

9. My personal experience with InDesign was very limited as I
didn’t really experiment with many of it’s functions I used
many of the basic things. One of these is creating columns
from the layout tab then margins and columns (1) and
finally deciding the size of your columns and how many (2).
Then something else I done was wrap the text round my
quote (3) to do this you go to the wrap text panel in the
display tab and select what you would like it to be wrapped
in (4).
SOFT WARES
InDesign
1
2
4
3

10. WHY DID WE USE INDESIGN?
• We used InDesign for the same reason we used photoshop for our contents ad cover, it
was the best piece of soft ware to develop the article. Indesign worked a lot better with
such a large amount of text where as with photoshop text becomes hard to develop and
manipulate s it is more the picture manipulation soft ware. InDesign allowed to create an
article style piece of work, putting text into columns and wrapping it round text or pictures.

11. • Word press was given to us to use as a
blog site where all course work can be
uploaded in one space in chronological
order with a choice of creating sub pages
coming off allowing for separation of
pieces of work. Setting up the site was
easy as it was a simple sign up and
choice of theme then running it was also
easy due to it’s the areas we needed to
use like creating post publishing them
were clearly labeled in bold writing. Then
we could create an individual identity of
our blog by choosing a theme, putting in
extra header pictures and uploading or
sharing blog posts relevant to our
interest and the work.
• I personally used powerpoint as it is a
piece of soft ware I am fimiliar with rather
than using prezzi which other students
used. Powerpoint allowed me to create a
presentation to answer my evaluation
question with clear title and subheading
on succeeding slides with information
based on the context and room for
images to give visual representation of
the text.
SOFT WARE
Powerpoint Word press