The student learned about several technologies through constructing their magazine product, including: DSLR and compact digital cameras for professional and location photography; Photoshop and InDesign for image editing and magazine layout; Illustrator for text manipulation; Blogger for project blogging; SlideShare for uploading presentations; TimeToast for production scheduling; and Prezi for creative online presentations. Overall, the student gained experience using these technologies and found some like Photoshop and InDesign difficult at first but easier with practice, while enjoying technologies like Prezi and SlideShare that allowed creative presentations of their work.

1. QUESTION 6
What have you learnt about technologies from
the process of constructing this product?

2. DSLR & COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA’S
I have used the DSLR camera to take professional
pictures in a studio of my models for my magazine. For
this task, I had to keep the camera focused to get a very
good quality image. I used the Trinity flash lights and a
soft box to make the photographs look more
professional too. Also, the lighting on the background
was very important because if the lighting was wrong, I
may have had to change the colour scheme and font style
completely for the front cover.
The compact digital cameras had to be used instead of
the DSLR cameras because I needed to take location
photography, so it was quit difficult to get an image that
was as good as the DSLR cameras photography. I then
developed these skills by using different shot types like
close ups and full body shots.

3. PHOTOSHOP & INDESIGN
I used Photoshop for the front cover of my magazine. At first it
was a really difficult software to use but as soon as I experimented
with it, it got easier. This software has helped me make my
magazine look more professional and original because I managed to
change the tone of the lighting of the image, I could even
manipulate and clear all the blemishes my models had which was
very useful. In addition, I managed to add backdrops to my
masthead and to certain cover lines to give them a better and more
eye catching effect which also made the front cover look
professional.
InDesign was used for my contents page and my double page
spread. This software also was difficult to use because this one
specialised in manipulating the double page spreads more. I used
this software for both my contents page and my double page
spread. I particularly enjoyed using it for spreading out the images
on each page because you could also crop and move it about as
much as you wanted to. This software got easier to use as I had to
apply it onto my magazine for 2 pages.

4. ILLUSTRATOR
I used illustrator for certain fonts on my contents
page and for my double page spread. For example,
I used illustrator for the title of the contents page
‘Teen Beat Contents’ because illustrator is a
software that allows you to manipulate the text
more compared to Photoshop & InDesign. I
enjoyed gaining knowledge and using this software
as it helped me to manipulate one font into many
styles and effects. For example, the ‘Regulars’ and
‘Features’ style of font was completely different
from the other text/ journalism which clearly
illustrated the difference between the subheadings,
the main text and the captions on my contents
page.

5. BLOGGER
Blogger is the website where I had to blog
and update everything I did in this project, to
prove my understanding of the work. I had to
regularly update it with the steps of how I
was making my magazine and how I
incorporated my initial ideas to my final piece.
So, I could clearly see how I gradually
improved and added ideas through my blog,
which has helped me gain more knowledge of
the technologies I have used. I also had to
embed my Prezi, SlideShare and MindMeister
to HTML in order for me to be able to blog it
properly.

6. SLIDESHARE
SlideShare was another website I found really
useful. To be able to blog my PowerPoint’s for
Task 11, I had to first upload the completed
PowerPoint's on to slide share and then copy
the link for it. After I copied the link, I then
had to paste it as a HTML on to my blog, so
that I’d get a full PowerPoint on my blog when
I viewed my posts. This was a very easy way of
presenting my evaluation as I knew how to use
it, so it wasn’t that difficult to use like I
struggled with Photoshop and InDesign when
I used them for the first time.

7. TIMETOAST
TimeToast was one of the first things I
had to create to help my time get
organized for this whole project. I had
to use this website to plan my
production schedule, which I also had
to mention what my task was for each
week, what I had to do in order to
complete the task and when each task
was due. This really helped me use my
time effectively.

8. PREZI
Prezi was actually one of the websites I
enjoyed using the most. It’s a really creative
and easy way to present your ideas through
an online presentation. You could pick a
suitable theme for your ideas and for your
magazines theme, that was also really fun
to do. Prezi has helped me realize that not
all presentations have to be boring slide
after slide, which was also another
important technology I have gained
knowledge of.