By completing this task I have learned how to use Photoshop as I had never used it prior to the task, I now know that you re-size an image by clicking edit, transform and then scale, you then hold shift whilst dragging the image from the corner, you press enter to apply the transformation. I now understand the conventions of a magazine and I know the correct name for each convention such as the name of the magazine is called the masthead and the articles are called features. Also I have learnt about the different type of camera shots as before I was unsure of what each type of shot was and how to take each shot, for example to take a medium close up you take an image from the upper body and upwards. Also by completing this task I have learnt how to use and update a blog as it is something I hadn't done before so it was a new experience for me, I now know how to import images into the blog. I have also learnt what semiotics are and I am now able to identify them on pieces of text such as movie posters as shown in my semiotics and signifiers post. I have also learnt how to use an apple mac slightly more confidently as I had not used one before and I struggled to use it when I first went on the mac but I am now more confident in using Powerpoint and my blog on a mac.
How have you used technology?
I have used multiple pieces of technology, to take my photographs I used my mobile phone since the images came out mostly clear, I uploaded the pictures using a wire and added them to my blog which is another piece of technology I used, I used a blog for the first time so I have learnt how to add images to it by finding them in my files, I have also learnt how to write a blog and create one. Another piece of technology I have used is Photoshop, this was new to me as I had not used the software before, I struggled with using it at first but I now know how to remove the background from a photograph, save a Photoshop image as a JPEG, scale an image, add layers of other images, shapes and text and I am able to change the colour of shapes and text. I have also used a mac which I struggled to use due to not having used it much before, I am now able to make a Powerpoint on a mac, open and find my documents which I found difficult at first because I kept opening the incorrect ones and I can post and add images onto my blog as well as save them from it as I uploaded my images from home and I did not have the wire to upload them onto the mac for my front cover.
What conventions have you used and why?
I have include a skyline because it is conventional of a magazine and tends to advertise something or is an exclusive article within the magazine.
I have included a masthead because it is the name of my magazine and is used so people can get the magazine again when the next issue comes out and be able to find it easily.
I have used a plug to attract peoples attention as they are more likely to want to buy the magazine.
I have used a medium close up image as it is a conventional type of shot for a magazine front cover, I have used a violin within the image so the magazine can easily be inferred as a performance magazine.
I have used features as it allows people to tell what type of articles are within my magazine at a quick glance.
My magazine has a barcode because if it was to be sold it would need scanning.
What would you change if you were to do this task again?
If I had more time and I were to do this task again I would change the colour scheme as I no longer think the orange and blue work well together, I would also retake my photos so the violin is more clearly in the shot and so the shot looks more like a medium close up. I would also have the image more central therefore allowing me to have more features on the magazine. I would also have a location as the background of my magazine looks plain so I would either take a picture at the location or I would edit one into the background if that was not possible. Furthermore, I would probably make the plug slightly smaller as it seems to take up a lot of the room on the upper right corner of my magazine, I would also make it so the violin bow does not go underneath the masthead.
