My Photo Shoot

Front cover image

As the dominant image located on the front of my college magazine, I have chosen to feature a young model who attends the sixth form. This will interest a lot of students, particularly the young females, as a vast majority would love to be models if they had the confidence. Through seeing this picture, they will feel a certain obligation to pick up the magazine and read the article, due to their stereotypical lack of confidence and insecurities, and wanting to fix and change the ways they view themselves and how others see them. The males will also want to read this, as Kitty is an attractive young female model, which, stereotypical, males enjoy and find appealing. Though she is posing and looks as though she is a model, there is a natural sense to it, which would be appealing. The nature of the outdoors, though not particularly visible but can still be seen and felt,  makes the image look basic and pure. The reasoning for shooting my photographs outside on school grounds, was because I wanted the diegesis to be successful in verisimilitude, and I feel as though artificial light does not do create the same effect. Kitty addresses the audience directly, which makes the magazine feel personal to each individual reader. I wanted to do this because there is a certain sense of being welcomed into read it that is achieved.

Contents Page Images

I have chosen to incorporate this eye level medium long shot photograph into my contents page as there is natural emotion attached which is virtually impossible to achieve with modeling, rather capturing the moment. Their smiles are friendly, inviting to say the least, bending the image of the college, making it look fun and not stressful. This invites the audience in, as they desire to gain knowledge of what is fun. Another natural aspect of this image is the leaves in the background, confirming the season and term: autumn. James' and Kitty's clothes are colour coordinated. Both wearing black and burgundy on their torso, and blue jeans. I did not vary the colour palette too much, as one of the SurveyMonkey answers revealed that a student disliked the clashing colours on the Bodmin College Magazine.

This particular image is successful in promoting the genre of my magazine. As it is A Bodmin College Magazine, I have chosen to located the 3/4 angle eye level long shot on the ground of the school itself in a familiar area (the entrance) for all students, and a large majority of parents as well, who will also read the magazine. The young females look optimistic and as though they are having a pleasant time, portraying the college  as a cheerful environment for all students. They are also wearing clothes which are considered to be fashionable and appealing to the younger students, who generally aspire to resemble sixth formers as they look up to them. 

I will definitely use this frontal close up shot during the production process of my contents page. It is extremely appropriate for the article the image refers to; depression in teenagers. Melancholy can be felt within this picture, igniting emotions of parents, making them want to read on to gain knowledge of the matter in case they needed it if ever their child had depression. The common mental illness is personal to a large number of teens, as a lot suffer with depression, and this is the most probable time in a persons life that they will be depressed. A solemn colour palette is in action in this particular image, dulled down colours such as beige, dark blue and her plain her. Natalie's skin tone is almost the same colour as the chair, as though she is blending in with it, connoting a despondent and unnoticed young girl suffering in silence. There is a certain contrast in lighting on her face. On one side, her face is light, and the other is dark, suggesting that what you see is not always true.

Again, this image represents happiness, and hands to the reader a positive outlook on the college, particularly the parents. The medium close up was shot intentionally to be on eye level, allowing the younger students to feel equality; something that they generally do not feel when it comes to sixth formers, as they are seem to be the more dominant students. The image feels too 'clean'; I feel as though it is too organised and frontal. Though, I still like the photo and intend to use it.

This photo is in a location which is very familiar to the sixth formers, the benches behind the male are recognisable, much like the red building. It is instantly recognisable, as it is the common room. As this is the 'hang out' for the sixth form students, they will, naturally, feel an obligation to read the article this picture is referring to, so they are able to understand what is happening in the sixth form. Headphones and music are considered to be cool, which will draw in the younger students as they will aspire to be him. Though the facial expression is not the best for a portrayal of the college or events going on within the college, I believe that this close up 3/4 angle is unique compared to the other images, which is the reasoning for choosing to incorporate it onto my contents page.

This image, one of which is unlikely to be used in the final preliminary magazine, is not particularly appropriate for the purpose of the magazine. The two youthful sixth formers look as though they are attempting to look serious in a funny way; this would not suit my magazine, as it does not portray the college in a solemn manner. Also, the cars in the background remove the natural aspect I would like to capture, which gives off a feeling that the photograph was not composed or thought about in any way.