Contact Sheet Analysis

These pictures above our the product from my music magazine photoshoot. I followed the checklist I made for this and I believe it went rather successfully. I used 2 models for different purposes as this is what I planned to do at the beginning.

The top model with the headphones, I am planning on using for my magazine front cover. The reason for this is because my magazine is based on the genre of house music. As you can see, I made my model where beat headphones as they are related a lot to loud music and a lot of DJs use them. I asked her to look like she is playing DJ decks so when it comes to doing my front cover I will crop it to make it look like she is and this will be a famous person in my magazine. I asked my model to do happy and excited faces for my photoshoot. The reason for this is I want my target audience of my magazine to see my 'Sound' magazine as fun and exciting to read. I used a spot light to take my photos and I did this with a torch as I didn't have the right equipment. This gave an effect that the model is DJing at a club with lots of people watching her. I also as a prop gave her sunglasses to wear on her head as I felt like it gave my model a more of a festival and club look.

For my second set of images I used a different model and decided to go for a different approach as I wanted there to be variation in my magazine and not just the same type of images, which would most probably make my readers of the magazine bored. The look I went for in these images was a young, fun, happy teenage girl who enjoys herself and likes to listen to music. I made a mistake in these images by not giving her a prop of headphones as these pictures could be used for anything and don't really relate to my magazine. On the other hand, I wanted my readers to look at these images and want to be like this model, as I have tried to make the second model be like my target audience. I dressed up in a lace pink top which would usually be worn in festivals and is rather girly which is what I was aiming for. I decided to put fake glasses on my model so she looks quite cute and innocent.

Planning my photoshoot

For my magazine I need to do my own photo-shoot. To make sure I am prepared and my photo-shoot will be successful, I am going to make a check list so I don't miss anything out.
Photo-shoot checklist:

• 2 female models
• white sheet to use as a background
• camera
• headphones
• battery's
• smoke machine (if we can get hold of one)
• lighting from 2 directions

I'm using 2 female models as I want a variety in my images, not just the same people in every image. For the photo-shoot I decided to have just a plain white background. I'm doing this because I thought it looked good in my mock-up magazine. another reason is if you have a plain background in a magazine, you cant get distracted from the main image which will be the cover model.
when I do my shoot I am going to think about what time of day it is and look out for how light/dark it is outside. The reason for this is I would like natural light to be seeping through on my photo-shoot as I believe it gives the model a glow and is more natural looking. I'm also going to use a professional camera which catches the skin tones and little details around, which is better than a phone camera.
My models are going to be young and beautiful as I want my target audience to idolise them. The models I plan to put on the front cover are going to stereotypically be my target audience, which is young women who like music.

As I am going to use the images I take for different purposes (cover image, contents page, double page spread) I need to make it clear that they all relate to each other and are linked in some way. I plan to use the same model for the cover image and double page spread as I feel the cover model is then relevant in the magazine. I am then going to use a different person for the contents page.

Deconstruction of heat magazine front cover

Representation of women
On the front cover of gossip magazines, the celebrities are usually women as the 'female victims'. they are usually objectified for males eyes or made victimised and shown in a negative light to satisfy the audience.
Target audience
Primarily the target audience are working class females. People that read it tend to be interested in celebrity gossip and 18-35.

Heat communicates with its audience by using bright colours, normally red blues and yellows. These anchor the codes of the conventions of the gossip magazine which attracts the target audience.

In general all gossip magazines have a high ratio of photography to text. In the heat magazines the masthead is red and a block lower case serif font which is shadowed and this will stereotypically appeal to female audience.

In the corners of both magazines, the mode of address is upbeat and is targeted to the audience in a excitable way. This makes the reader feel is exclusive and the reader feel inclusive.

The main cover line story for this magazine relates to members of the audience as its about falling for a boy. This is emphasised by a pub which is a vibrant blue which makes you attracted to it.