The document outlines plans for designing the front cover of a music magazine, including: 1) Photographing the author's father for the cover image, with specific lighting, angle, and background details. 2) Creating a mock-up of the cover layout, including the masthead, cover line, bar code, and headshot photograph. 3) Experimenting with different photo angles, fonts, and draft designs before selecting a final cover draft. Feedback on improving the design is also provided.

1. Planning my music magazine front cover

2. Planning the front cover image Photoshoot Plan Agency name – YasminBC Model – My dad. Camera height/angle/distance - Head shot, preferably in a high angle. Direct eye gaze with camera. Face on the right side of frame in order to follow reader’s natural eye flow. Location – At home, in front of a white wall in order to resemble studio environment. Lighting – Picture to be in black and white, therefore bright flash light in model’s face in order to create highlights , dark shadows included. Mise-en-scene (Including props/costumes) - Model to be in a white shirt to blend in with background and increase use of white space. No other props however, except maybe RayBan sunglasses if decided no eye gaze directly to camera is more effective. Attempted connotation - Eye contact with camera suggests personal connection with reader. Image to be in black and white to set a tone of tradition and style. No props indicates cover artist is fully exposed in the magazine and is not ‘hiding’ behind anything. Planned denotation - Masthead ‘Voice’ immediately indicates the magazine is to do with music and singers/artists/bands. Contingency (in case of model absence/weather) – If my dad becomes unable to model, I would either use my mum or my camera self timer and take pictures of myself for the cover, since we’re the only people who reside in my home, where the shoot location is. Alternate angle – Low angle head shot, instead of high. (This could illustrate superiority of artist) . Titled angle of camera to suggest distortion (could reflect a singer’s life).

3. Front Cover Mock Up Sketch Masthead Selling line Conventional bar code Black and white headshot of pretend artist. Space for main cover line and explanatory text. Like the example of a music magazine above, I want my front cover to be rather simple with not a lot of kickers or banners just an appealing cover line and maybe some text along with it.

4. Photo Shoot

5. Some Photoshoot images

7. Even though I initially decided to have a male model (my dad) I also experimented with my camera’s self timer and took shots of myself to explore angles and lighting in order to see what looked effective.

8. Favourite two images

9. Chosen Image Out of all the Photoshoot images, I have chosen this one to include in my cover. This is because the lighting is bright and effective, with interesting shadows as well as the black & white effect which adds a stylistic and sophisticated edge . This will ergo appeal to my target audience since they are willing on paying a reasonable price for the magazine. I have also chosen this photo because my model looks mysterious and reserved (as seen by the indirect eye gaze to the camera), maybe how an artist would look, therefore this probably would make people want to buy the magazine in order to find out more about him. In addition, it is a typical convention that music magazines have a medium head shot of an artist, and I believe I’ve managed to create an interesting angle and perspective with this image.

10. Chosen Font Below are some fonts that I experimented with and could have chosen for my Masthead. (all from dafont.com ) I decided to chose this one because it looks futuristic, stylish, bold that would probably attract my demographic.

11. 1 st Draft Cover

12. 1 st Draft Feedback Text needs to be more aligned and space between letters all equal. Nice font and effective funky brush used to underline artist’s name – could establish house style. Bar code needs to be placed more appropriately. Good use of white space. A dateline needs to be included around here. Good layout and positioning of image – follows reader’s natural eye flow. Blemishes /marks could be edited out in order to make the picture smoother. Masthead too big in size, therefore not in proportion.

13. 2 nd Draft After changes