AICE Media & Film Studies

I kept my cover the way it was after my third quarter submission because I felt satisfied with its appearance. I made some small yet effective edits to my table of contents page. The main criticism my peers gave me was that the text on the left was not in an even row; instead, the words would climb over the top of the photos and make the page look disorganized. I fixed this by making sure none of the text overlapped the images and instead stayed inside a single column. The second change I made was to the images themselves. I adjusted their position a bit to fit the page better, and I also made the bottom image larger to match the top image. Additionally, I added a dark blue border to each of the photos to make them stand out. This especially helped the bottom picture, since its light color got lost in the light background. In my two-page article, I justified the text so it would fill the entire page. I also divided it into two even columns; in my third quarter submission...

     In this project, I used a plethora of software to create my magazine. For example, I utilized Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 to edit the pictures I used in my magazine. I enhanced the color, blurred, cropped, and brightened certain images, along with using other techniques. To take these photos, I used a Canon PowerShot for the cover photo, the portrait on the table of contents, and the two images featured in the article, as well as an iPhone 7 for the image of feet on the table of contents. I also used Microsoft Publisher to bring together my whole product, from creating a layout to polishing the final outcome. I explored the different WordArt styles, borders, text fonts and boxes, and other features in this program. I did the majority of my work on an HP laptop; however, I moved to an HP desktop to use Photoshop. Overall, I integrated many different technologies into my project.

     At the beginning of this project, I had never used Microsoft Publisher before. I was completely new to this program, so I had to ask my peers and teacher how to perform specific actions. I was used to some features, such as how to add text boxes, from using it on other applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint. I still had to learn how to change the background color as well as add gradients, page borders, and more. Learning how to format my content was a challenge too: my text was cut off by pictures and I could not figure out how to fit everything in an appealing way onto the page. After much trial and error, though, I figured out how to fit everything in a satisfactory way.      The other program I used was Adobe Photoshop CC 2015. While I am no expert at this and there are still many features I do not know how to use, I already had some experience in this application and I knew how to edit my photos due to digital photography classes I have taken....

     My magazine, Technique , engages with audiences by interacting with readers on its social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Various photo contests are held on these platforms as well, which causes readers to engage with the magazine by sending in photos they took and even winning prizes. Different events, such as photography expositions, also gives Technique 's audience a chance to interact with this magazine.      To be distributed, I would hire a distribution agent to display this product at locations where Technique 's target audience would be reached the easiest. For instance, instead of showcasing the magazine at a gas station and hoping someone buys it, the distribution agent would do research into my magazine's target audience and then research where those people frequent the most. Then, the product would be displayed in these areas so that more passerby are likely to purchase it. I would also distribute Technique ...

     My product utilizes the conventions of other photography magazines. It does this by having the title in a bold font, since photo magazines have a distinct, pronounced font that is not curvy or thin. My cover also has a small preview of some articles in the issue, which all conventional magazines have. Additionally, I have a star icon that displays an exclusive interview in the article; not every magazine has this, but some that I researched - for example, Digital Photo Pro - do utilize this technique.  My cover challenges conventions slightly by having a white border around the cover page, which most magazines do not have but makes mine look more polished. Also, the cover image is not like most other photography magazines: these  products usually feature a mid-shot, full-body shot, or close-up of  a  person.  In m y magazine, the entire cover is a close-up of a person holding a camera, but instead of the focus being on the model it is on the...

     In my magazine, I will utilize both conventional and digital approaches to distribution. I will have a distribution agent that will disperse my content to locations where my target audience will be more likely to see it. For instance, my distribution agent will scout out various areas - like a photo equipment store - and sell my magazines there, rather than merely distributing them at an arbitrary location such as a gas station.      As for the digital part of my distribution plan, I will create a website to distribute the various articles that Technique , my magazine, puts out. I will also have an app for Technique  on the iTunes App Store, Amazon App Store, Google Play, and other platforms. My magazine will also be available on Nooks, Kindles, and other e-readers to reach generations who may not be as savvy with smartphones, or merely have a predilection to reading on this device. My distribution plan will make sure that Technique 's articles ...

Digital Photo Magazine , like most magazines, has a website that features its articles and other topics. This allows customers to quickly view any information about the magazine that they want, and it allows Digital Photo Magazine  to distribute its product with ease. This magazine is also distributed on iTunes, Nook, Kindle, Google Play, and Zinio. Such a broad range of digital platforms greatly increases the range of people that Digital Photo Magazine  can be distributed to. The magazine can mold itself to different age ranges, such as older generations who prefer Nooks and Kindles, or younger generations who may prefer to utilize the App Store via iTunes.

     Photo District News  distributes its magazine in some unconventional ways. For example, PDN  posts articles on its website to display its content in an easy-to-access fashion. PDN  also has an app for it and its sister brands like Rangefinder Magazine  and PDNedu  on the App Store. This lets customers read the magazine's content while on the go, which causes an increase in distribution because more people are able to buy the magazine with ease. PDN  also has its products distributed on Amazon; such a range of platforms makes distributing PDN  easy and efficient. There is a place for everyone to access the magazine: if someone does not use Amazon often but uses his or her phone every day, then downloading the Photo District News  app might be the best option for that customer. This way, the magazine is distributed in many ways that meet various customer's needs and makes the content accessible to them.

     In a conventional magazine distribution model, the magazine producer gets in contact with a wholesaler. This wholesaler then reaches out to a retailer, and this retailer sells the magazines to the public. Magazines are conventionally sold by retailers at book stores, gas stations, airport lounges, offices, grocery stores, and other locations of that type. Distribution agents can also aid a producer in getting his or her magazine sold. Agents specialize in getting the producer's magazine in areas where they will be most likely reach the desired target audience. To help reduce costs, some producers only utilize distribution agents or only retailers, and do not bother with the others.      Implementing these conventional distribution practices into my magazine will be beneficial because magazines can be displayed in numerous places and do not take up much space. This factor cuts the cost of distributing the product in contrast to that of a car or furnitu...

     To market Technique , I will utilize social media, business partnerships, and print ads. This plan will engage my target audience by showcasing various highlights and teasers of the material inside my magazine on social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I will also post information about photo contests on the social media pages; this will attract many potential customers who are interested in entering their images in a contest to win prizes. Social media platforms often have the best of both worlds when it comes to marketing: for example, on Instagram you can use your account to pull in viewers as well as advertise a certain post as a digital ad. This way my magazine can utilize digital advertisements as well as social media profiles all on one platform. The photo below is a post that Technique would have on its Instagram profile; this account would post at least once a day, if not more, to allow more viewers to find the account and become aware of Techniq...

     I asked my classmates what changes I should make to my article, and I got a lot of helpful feedback. Many of them believed that my interview could have been more visually appealing. Suggestions like adding more color, having a center of focus or dominant photo, and having more images were among the most popular. Because the response was so unanimous, it was very easy for me to pinpoint my weak spots and attempt to improve my magazine. There were many changes I made to my magazine's article. To begin with, I enlarged the image of Debra Markley, my interviewee, on the first page to make it a dominant photo and a center of focus. I also made the photo on the second page larger and placed it in a more central position to give the page the extra flair it needed. I looked into adding more images, but it was not feasible because the text would be cut off if I did; I  had to delete a paragraph just when I made the image on page two slightly larger. I made the title of ...

     A lot of my peers suggested that I make some changes to my table of contents. People stated that I should make the text bigger, have less photos, and perhaps line up my images on the left side of the page to make it appear less cluttered. My classmates gave me some conflicting advice: some loved the layout of my table of contents while others felt it could be improved. Due to this, I had to determine which advice to add to my revised table of contents.        The large photo shown to the left is my revised table of contents, and the smaller image below it is my original table of contents. I used my classmate's critiques to polish this page and make it appear less cluttered. I made the text larger and made the color of the headers darker to make it easier to read. I also deleted two of the original images to tie in the blue theme color (the two pictures that remain have blue in them, which is consistent with my magazine's theme) and make the spa...

     Revising my cover page was a bit difficult because my peers gave me many conflicting opinions. Some people loved the way my cover looked while others believed that the design should be changed. My feedback was a bit broad, so it was difficult to figure out how exactly to change my cover; however, I did get one helpfully specific critique: add an outline to the star that contains the words "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PHOTOGRAPHER".      The photo shown to the left displays the border I added to the star shape. I used the color Accent 2, Lighter 40% to match the blue theme of my cover. I tried different colors and shades, but anything lighter than this was barely visible and anything darker contrasted with the text too much. While the edit is small, it polishes the cover page and makes it look more aesthetically appealing.

     The target audience for my magazine is around 20-60 years old, and my magazine does not apply to a particular gender. It targets people from all over the world, but mostly those in first-world countries who have access to DSLR cameras. There are professional photographers who are reading my magazine, but there are photographers-in-training and people who merely enjoy taking pictures as a hobby as well. The magazine applies to many income levels, mostly the middle class and a bit of the higher class. These people are at least high school graduates, and there are many college graduates in the mix too.            Photo District News ( PDN ) has a very similar target audience to my magazine, Technique . Over half of PDN 's audience are professional photographers, with 73% having over five years of experience and 68% earning more than half their income by taking photos. There is a wide spectrum of Photo District News readers:  paid ...

     The target audience for my magazine is around 20-60 years old, and my magazine does not apply to a particular gender. It applies to people from all over the world, but mostly people in first-world countries who have access to DSLR cameras. The magazine applies to many income levels, mostly the middle class and a bit of the higher class. These people are at least high school graduates, and there are many college graduates in the mix as well. Of course, my target audience must be interested in photography, which is what my magazine revolved around. | Identify target audience by age, gender, geography, income level, education level, etc. Outdoor Photography Canada has a similar target audience to Technique . This magazine is published four times a year, leaving the readers waiting until the next issue rather than getting bored by the content. Like Technique , Outdoor Canada Magazine targets photographers of all levels, from beginner to expert. This means that photogr...

     The target audience for my magazine is around 20-60 years old, and my magazine does not apply to a particular gender. It applies to people from all over the world, but mostly people in first-world countries who have access to DSLR cameras. The magazine applies to many income levels, mostly the middle class and a bit of the higher class. These people are at least high school graduates, and there are many college graduates in the mix as well. Of course, my target audience must be interested in photography, which is what my magazine revolved around.      A magazine that has a similar target audience is Digital Photo Magazine ( DPM ). For one, both of our audiences are photographers, which is the main attribute that readers of DPM and Technique should possess. Digital Photo Magazine is aimed towards adults who are able to purchase a DSLR camera, which matches my magazine's target audience as well. DPM does not appeal to any particular gender and inste...

     When I presented my magazine to my classroom, many people acknowledged the contrast between my cover page and my table of contents. My peers commented on how my dark cover page made my table of contents appear brighter and stand out more. There were also compliments about my use of white space; according to some people, I had just the right amount. My classmates also stated that they liked the color scheme of my magazine, and that they thought my photos were of a very good quality. I also noticed that there were comments about my use of text features; for example, the borders surrounding the text on my magazine's cover. I got compliments about the text on the cover in general, specifically how the title overlapped the surrounding border of the page and made it look more professional. The overall structure of my magazine's cover got lots of attention from my peers as well. Some people explained that my issue is very organized and had a good design overall. They also r...

     My product uses conventions of my genre - photography - because it follows a similar cover, table of contents, and article format; however, some conventions are challenged in my cover page. I used a large rectangle to hold some of my text, while a lot of magazines do not do this. I used this transparent rectangle because it made the text readable and stand out against my cover photo. My table of contents is a bit more conventional: it follows a similar format that I studied in other photography magazines, with a few featured articles on the left-hand side and photos on the right. My article follows conventions as well. The page numbers are placed conventionally and the photos are scattered throughout the article. At the end of the passage, I even have a small "T" icon that stands for Technique . This is because I noticed many magazines have a small logo after each of their articles, so I implemented this into my own product.      The magazine that I ...