For their preliminary task, the student had limited experience with cameras, image editing, and desktop publishing. They created a basic school magazine cover in Photoshop using cropped, unedited photos without consideration for layout or composition. For their main task, the student conducted audience research and planned a professional photo shoot. They worked with a photographer to take varied photos under different lighting conditions and with props. The student learned to use industry-standard equipment and editing tools like Photoshop to create a magazine cover that met professional codes and conventions. They improved their research, planning, photo quality, and design skills between tasks.

1. Foundation Portfolio
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. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
What experience did you have of using cameras, image manipulation programs and
desktop publishing programs before embarking on your preliminary task?
At the start of the AS course I had very limited experience using cameras and various
image manipulation programmes to create my preliminary task. Having studied media
studies at GCSE I had some experience using DLR cameras and a little experience using
Photoshop to create a magazine cover. However, when taking pictures I had some
knowledge when it came to camera angles and knew how to take a long shot, mid-shot
etc. I had used cameras in a ‘photo-shoot’ for GCSE but didn’t really have the control
over lighting and knew how to successfully use the light boxes to control shadows etc. I
knew what codes and conventions goes into a magazine front cover such as a bar code,
issue number etc., but not for the specifics of a school magazine front cover.

3. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
What did you do to construct your school magazine? (what programs did you use,
how did you source images, what research and planning did you complete?)
For the construction of my magazine front cover I decided to use Photoshop as that is
what I had a bit of experience using. I used images that had very little manipulation
applied to them and were images that were just taken in school time, where the
lighting wasn’t very accurate and I didn’t really consider the costume or the design
aspect. The images were just cropped and resized quickly to just look appealing and
there wasn’t any real consideration for the layout of the magazine or rule of thirds. I
did however, manage to create a ‘brand identity’ through the school badge and used
those colours to create this. I also incorporated the school motto to reinforce the brand
identity.

4. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt
in the progression from it to the full product?
What did you do to construct your school magazine? (what programs did you use,
how did you source images, what research and planning did you complete?)
Here are the images I used and the final magazine product.

5. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
How did you improve upon this in your main task? (Discuss the photo shoot day and use of equipment, working
with a professional photographer, using the equipment, using Photoshop, canva, other programs that you have
used?)
For my main task I improved upon this as before I took the images and approached the photo shoot day I gathered
some audience research to find out what sort of images the audience of my magazine would like to see. I also
ensured that I had some inspiration to base my images on. To take my images I set up a professional photo-shoot
and worked with Gemma whom is a professional photographer to take a range of images. I used a range of
backdrops to take my images such as black and white backdrops that would work well with the lighting. I considered
the props and costumes that I used in my images, such as; the instruments, microphone stands, clothing to really fit
with the genre of the magazine – pop. This involved planning prior to the photo shoot day to ensure I could get
straight into taking the photo’s. I got a range of different images using different camera angles; such as close ups,
long shot’s and mid shot’s to ensure I had a wide variety to choose from for my final piece. I used different lighting
(high key and low key) to give a variety of different effects. I considered about the codes and conventions of a pop
music magazine and the composition of the front cover, contents and double page spread. I worked on a number of
different drafts to improve and get the bets possible result. I also used more industry standard equipment and
actually understood what I was doing with them, such as using DLR cameras more confidently and using Photoshop
(the gradients, lasso tool, opacity) in order to create a more professional piece of work.

6. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
How did you improve upon this in your main task? (Discuss the photo shoot day and use of equipment, working with a
professional photographer, using the equipment, using Photoshop, canva, other programs that you have used?)
I used canva at first to start an initial draft for my magazine front cover and to create a layout and give me an idea of what
I wanted. I then moved onto Photoshop so it looked more professional and was made using more ‘industry standard’
programmes.
Canva Photoshop
Teacher feedback 1

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
How did your research and planning improve? (Audience research
– survey monkey)
From the preliminary task the research and planning was improved as I
gained audience research, mainly using survey monkey to send out a survey
to gather information on what the audience of my pop magazine would want
to see on it/in it. I used Hartley’s Classification of audiences to ask questions
that would be relevant to the creation of my magazine and gather
information that I could actually use. I also led focus group discussions in
class and had my work peer assessed to see what others liked and what they
would change. This enabled me to go further and improve upon my
magazine which would make it more suited to the audience. I also carried
out primary and secondary research into a range of magazines (music and
non-music magazines) which allowed me to understand the codes and
conventions of music magazines even further and what makes them
successful or not. I also carried out research into an institution of magazines,
Bauer Media to see what an institution does to ensure their magazines are
successful and analyzed the use of convergent links such as Facebook,
twitter, and music streaming services which help to gain a further audience
reach, which appeared to be a successful thing to do.