Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

By Bradley Homans.

Front Cover Progression

Contents Page Progression

PhotoshopWhen first starting my Preliminary task I had never used Photoshop before and I was a total novice, it was a piece of software that took a while to get a hold of and to be comfortable to use all of the tools well. When first starting I was unfamiliar with the tools and how to use them to there full potential and I believe that can be seen with the Preliminary task, cover and contents. I used very basic tools, effects, colours and shapes.But as I have spent more time getting used to Photoshop and understanding all of tools that it hold I believe that I am confident in using the software in the way I which I now know how to manipulate images and use effects properly and to the best I can. With using the software more I also began to understand the way that magazines are set out and this was something that I tried to implement through my final magazine and this shows the progression that I have developed.I believe that the magazine that I have created now is a lot more professional and I have been as creative as possible.

InDesign

This was another software that I was not familiar with before starting my Preliminary magazine and again was something that took time to get hold of and grasp of. I do believe that I am not also very confident with this as well, I have developed my use of structure in my magazine through InDesign as well as my magazine manipulated and improvements.As I used InDesign more I was able to improve my skills more. As I started to research music magazine I could used the research that I had found in InDesign with the way that magazines are constructed, I believe this is my biggest improvement from my Preliminary task in the way that my magazine Contents pages have been structurally built.

Examples of Skills Learnt.This was some of the main skills that I had learnt though my progression between the two magazines and that was with the tools, I had used the tools to manipulate images to change them in the best way that they could suit the magazine that I was trying to create.

I was able to change the images in ways that I couldn’t do at the start when using the software, I could change the image to make it look totally different to the original, but not so much that it had lost its purpose and significance.

Hardware

This was something that was a large improvement for me, before taking the images for my magazine I was not familiar with rules and conventions but it is something that I am now very familiar with and understand to the point the I am very happy with the images I can now take. I now understand what all the shot types are and how they can work to influence the type of image I am trying to take. For example, a low angle shot can be used to show the model and being taller and more important and a close up used to show emotion of the person in the frame and emphasise there feelings.This is something that I have improved on and allowed me to take very competent pictures form my final magazine.

Industry

I have gained a large amount of industry skills from my preliminary task with the fact that I know now how to take images and used a magazine to engage the reader and try to make it to there specific wants and needs. I have learnt how to take images that will relate best to the audience that are viewing the magazine in the way that the props can be used to engage the reader to the image and they the clothes of the models in the images can draw the audience to the magazine and it can catch there eye. I have also learnt skills such and keeping the colour and house style throughout the magazine to keep continuity. These are all skills that I have learnt through my progression and that will help a magazine sell.