What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

During the creation of my media product, I acquired intensive knowledge of technologies such as digital equipment (a Macintosh computer and DSLR camera) the internet (Blogger, Prezi and

Slideshare) and computer software (Photoshop, Jing and InDesign).These technologies allowed me to create a more dynamic and professional looking media product effectively with precision. It also increased my design and computer skills which is an advantage in

this ever growing media influenced part of the world.

Research and planning/Evaluation

Blogger- This was the main technology used to communicate and document all of our ideas, research and planning. Although very basic it allowed me to present my work clearly in an organised manner.

The “new post” feature allows you to make a text post and has to option to add a video, image and hyperlinks, as circled.

For instance, I learnt I could share the type of music to be displayed in my magazine by using the video button feature to add a video to my blog. Another example of technology featured on Blogger I used to help present my work was the use of hyperlinks. The text in blue on this particular blog post links to other blogs I observed gffdgfd fsds for evaluation, and acts as a guide to the reader so they can understand observations I made.

I also used the feature that allows you to add images to posts a lot throughout my blog posts.

Research and planning/Evaluation

Prezi- This online tool allows you to make dynamic and informative presentations and using an embed code, upload them to blogger. This helped me to present my work in an interesting way yet still get my point across.

This is an example of a presentation I made using Prezi, this particular presentation was exploring the meaning behind my images .This taught me how versatile current technology is, and how easily information can be shared online.

In the top left corner there is a tool that allows you to insert objects, frames, create paths and change the colour. This allowed me to create an interesting and engaging “mind-map” that displays my research, rather bombarding the viewer with text.I focused mostly on inserting mages to support my work, and frames to act as a text box. A skill I gained from this was using mind maps to explore

The images on the left display the process of inserting a frame into Prezi. This is an example of the tasks you can do with this online presentation software.

Research and planning/Evaluation

Slideshare- Slideshare is an online tool that allows you to upload Powerpoint Presentations and share them by pasting an embed code onto blogger; it allowed me to display my work in an organised manner, with back and forward buttons to hop between each slide. The presentation can be downloaded allowing my ideas to be shared across the web.

This is an example of a Slideshare presentation I have made, explaining the meanings and connotations behind my publication work. I was able to easily upload it to my blog for people to see my research and planning, rather than just print screening it and uploading it as an image. This makes my blog look more dynamic and interesting.

I have learnt how to organize my work and discipline myself in being more organised. Also as this technology is internet based, when occurring internet problems this particular programme taught me how to manage my work efficiently.

Production

Photoshop- This is the main tool used for my production work. Photoshop is a photo image manipulating software. As well as being able to save files under many formats; for example, PNG, JPEG, PSD; I could use Artist tools and contrasting tools to create special effects on my pictures, and the use of layers to add different images/texts on top of each other.I also learnt how to crop and manipulate images to suit my target audience

I made a blog post on the processes I went through in Photoshop for the preliminary task and examples of where I have used said tools and will provide the relevant link(s) in this Blogger post.

This tool is the eraser tool; you can hold it down by the little arrow on the right hand side, using this tool I learnt how to erase and cut whole and part chunks of an image, and adding a new one in in a new layer etc. An example of how I used this tool is the main image on the front cover of my magazine, I selected the magic eraser tool from the options box and it cut out the entire background and I used the fill tool to fill it white.

This is the text tool; this tool allowed me to place text on images, which was of great importance for creating my magazine. I used it to create the masthead, tagline and strap line/lures and other general text.

This tool is the paint bucket tool and is helpful for filling large areas with a solid colour. By holding down the arrow on the right hand side it allows you to select the gradient tool which is useful in creating interesting looking backgrounds that fade from one colour or several.

This is a very simple yet effective feature of photoshop; the colour tool simply allows you to change colour of text and backgrounds. The first box (purple) represents the foreground and the second box (white) represents the foreground. This helped me to achieve quick changes of colour in my work and was useful when creating my strapline and lures.

The magic wand tool is helpful in selecting a similar group of items in a document- you also have the option to deselect, select or add to a selection group. You can lower and raise the tolerance of the tool and it changes how much of the selection it will add. Overall this tool is self explanatory so I had no difficulty using it. To add, if you hold down the little arrow on the right it allows you to select the magic eraser tool which automatically erases large parts of the document for you,

This selection tool appropriately named the “lasso” tool is a bit different from the magic wand tool- it allows you to manually select parts of the document by dragging it around the page and rounding it up similar to an actual lasso.

Production

InDesign- This was a programme I was less familiar with, therefore had a bit of trouble trying to use it. This taught me how advanced and unfamiliar technology can be, however, with the prolonged use of InDesign I picked up new skills quicker, proving technology can be easily adapted to. I used InDesign for the making of my double page spread and after getting used to the programme I learnt it’s a very simple yet effective programme.

Production

Jing- Jing is a desktop capturing software that you can use to not only capture your desktop in real time, but record sound as well.

Using red arrows, I’ve explained what each tool in Jing does. Using the desktop video capture and microphone software, I was able to talk about the processes used in making my music magazine, whilst having the music magazine open up in Photoshop. I could move around the layers to show the viewer how I’d made my work as well as having up links to other websites that I used in aid of my production work.