In this stand alone module, we will be collaborating with Graphic Designers to produce 6 images that work together as a set around a narrative based on the above title - and a mock up of 2 A3 double page spreads for a magazine.
Things to consider:
- The way I interpret the title would dictate the style of the images captured and used - which titles would publish this kind of story.
- How would the same story be communicated to different target audiences
- How would this tory be branded, would it empower, expose or denigrate the subject (again who is the articles intended reader)
- Consideration to the job of the graphic designer, what needs to be done in terms of size for an A4 full bleed image.
- Text, fonts, quotes and borders all act to cohesively tie the image to the story
- How the images are arranged can change their context, or the way they are interpreted and read by the magazine readership.
- 3 sides to every story; yours, theirs and the truth?
- Can I tie this in with the remainder of the module and link in to fine art?
- Creative use of lighting and textures can give an edgier, less conservative feel to the piece - especially useful if bringing a political issue to the attention of potentially disengaged audiences.
- The relationship to the image and the brand of the magazine have to gel, i.e. a nuts style feature would not be best placed in a conservative high brow sunday supplement - unless that was the point it was making?
- Layouts are varied, in terms of size, proportion, negative space, don't limit the potential impact by playing it safe.
- What response is the desired response?
The Narrative - The way we look at work
Initial thoughts
- How we physically look at work
- Uniforms and individuality
- When how we look is the work (Models and other roles of image_
- Industrial environments
- Work through the ages, how gender and age affects the appearance of people in the same industry
- The way we as society look at work
- Means to an end
- Working for ?Goal?
- Jugglers of many roles
- Not the 9 - 5
- Kings and Queens of Industry
- Do 'workers' retire anymore?
- Observational
- The craft of a job
- Unusual roles and workplaces
Examples of layouts
The images are in unusual shapes, or letter cut-outs
The image is the main feature of the page and is full bleed
Colour is used in the text, here there is a large margin around the image
Large highlighted letters or quotes to draw the reader in
Image incorporating illustration with lots of space remaining, the page does not feel cluttered even though the illustration is intricate
Multiple images across different sizes over a 2 page spread
Cut out corners, image alignment in line with top of text. Use of colour to highlight quotes/sections.
Graphics used over the image
Two full bleed images combined, and linked with a title.
White doesn't have to be the only background colour
Images of Magazine layouts from the book 'The art directors handbook'
(Apologies for picture Quality)
In these images of layouts we can see, multiple images used in a single block, examples of borders, text being presented in a shape rather than in a column, text as a layer over the image, different block and highlight styles of text.
Again, we see examples of varying layouts and (top right) multiple images with text over the top, and bottom right, images presented as cut out shapes.
Target Audiences
Magazines (and many other products) will have a target audience or target buyer, and to help them appeal to that person (or set of people) they want to use a look and feel that will appeal to their buying habits, and be the brand of choice. To do this they use demographics and market, package, advertise and sell their product according to how their target audience is more likely to receive it well.
For example, a high end beauty cream my not be advertised in a bus shelter in a less affluent are, as people at bus stops in that area are less likely to have the disposable income to buy a non essential luxury item like a high end beauty cream.
The problem with demographics is that not everyone fits into these categories and it works on huge assumptions.
But it is a system employed by the majority of marketing agencies and publisher.
These are example of demographics relating to magazine readerships.
Heat Magazine
The main target audience of heat magazine is ABC1 women, aged 16-35, who are obsessed with celebrity gossip. It is published by Bauer Consumer Media, and was originally launched as a general interest entertainment magazine. It is a magazine that is classed as an “easy read” magazine, as there is nothing too taxing too read or learn, and is for entertainment purposes.
This link gives a typical breakdown of how a title will gauge its reader profile, using age
groups, demographics, regional location and gender.
Reader profile of The Sunday Times
Meeting with Graphic Design
After a meeting with other students for potential collaborations, I have been given further ideas to consider, rather than exploring further the initial themes.
Each graphic designer also has their own agenda and views so it is therefore imperative for a pairing that adds to the concept if it is to be a success.
I will therefore narrow down my options before meeting them again with specific images in mind to discuss.
I like the idea of 24/7 as an area to explore with individual practice, and in exploring this and visiting sites - as well as looking at the work of Branislav Kropiloak, I am mindful that the people within the 24/7 arena of work, often work behind glass for security purposes (petrol stations, all night fast food chains, Taxi drivers etc) and thought as this ties in well to working and working environments this is something I could explore.
With input from Graphics, and some test shots of night time workers as well as disused work spaces - I have decided to capture images of a workplace no longer used, an old pottery, as it ties in with what they would like to work on and visit.
The Proposal
1st option
The pottery has been empty for a number of years, however, when the owners vacated they left behind many personal and business belongings. These range from Clothes and personal photo collections, to inventories and documentation relating to the business.
On each visit (even over short periods of time) it is evident that vandalism occurs as well as damage caused by parts of the building being left open to the elements.
The business closed due to financial issues, new technology and leisure activities took over from traditional craft as hobby, and with a downturn in footfall, and cheaper goods being imported into the country the pottery was no longer viable either as manufacturer or a tourist facility.
This is not too dissimilar to the current trading difficulties many modern businesses are currently facing - and the editorial piece will be about the demise of a family local business who suffers at the ends of difficult trading periods.
2nd option
There is a cultural desire to explore what has been left behind and document findings of exploration. Currently termed as 'Urb Ex' explorers document using written word and visual imagery the abandoned buildings of their local geography.
Urb Ex features in many photography and local lifestyle magazines as well as a number of specialist dedicated publications on the subject.
This second option will but together a collection of images depicting the demise of a once thriving industry.
Urb ex participants have a mantra which they adhere to, their own code of ethics which states 'leave only footprints, take only images and memories'. Broadly speaking they do not condone illegal entry or removal of any objects from their natural 'found' environment.
Type of magazine
The story is fairly mainstream, and no specialist knowledge is required to understand the images, the business or the likely terminology of the piece (in either option) - and as it is in keeping with the current financial crisis, it will be a story many from upper, middle and lower classes can relate too.
Style
The style of the images is observational/reportage, with visual interest which evidences the 'ongoing decay' of a once thriving family business.
Option 1 would require a 'personal' element to engage the reader, ideally a shot of the past owners outside the premises, or at the very least in their current environment with maybe a relic of their past in shot - however as they have passed away and the surviving relatives do not wish to be involved - this is not possible.
As a substitute an image of the family from the found objects (a historic family photo) could suffice, but this would depend on the picture editor agreeing and could mean that the story does not get run.
Images
The building is in varying states of disrepair as you travel through the workrooms and old visitor centre.
There are lots of relics left behind, and it feels much older than it actually is, so I want to bear this in mind with the post processing treatment.
The pottery was very dark in some areas, and very light in others dependant on wether the roof was intact or the windows were boarded, because of this I must pay special attention to gaining a co-hesive set, rather than a collection of images with a different look & feel.
We have discussed various options regarding editing, and I have done two sets of images showing possible processing methods.
The black and white images where touched up and straightened just using contrast and the straighten tool, where as the other images where not altered.
These are the contact sheets of chosen images I have sent to graphics for them to narrow down the selection for the editorial layout.
Once they have decided on the images, I will them complete the editing, and bear in mind any commentary regarding cropping and angles.
Option 1
Option 2
Selection Process
In conjunction with the designer the selection was narrowed down looking at;
- Is the image technically correct
- Is the image communicated the desired message
- Can the image be used in a creative graphic layout
- Is there room for text
- Does it fit in with the brand image of the magazine
- Is it interesting and aesthetically pleasing/intriguing
- Does is scale up/down to the right size
- Can it be cropped to work
The designer requested un-edited un cropped Tiff files from this selection as he had some ideas about style & design also - I found this process quite unsettling, but after seeing the duotone images and seeing how they would fit in much better with the design and layout, I was more comfortable.
For file sharing we used dropbox.
Each image was captioned using the functionality within Lightroom and added to the contact sheets so the designer (and or picture editor) had a clear understanding of the context of the image
Each image was captioned using the functionality within Lightroom and added to the contact sheets so the designer (and or picture editor) had a clear understanding of the context of the image
Collaboration
For some the idea of collaboration is a difficult one as they like to retain control over the end to end process. For me however, it is something I am used to having worked on multi-agency projects in the past.
the key to a good output and successful collaboration is comunication. From the outset, each party must not be afraid to state what their role is (as they see it) what is expected from other parties, what time constraints there are for the project as well as any major milestones that have to be marked and measured.
This process allows everyone to fully understand what is required and when - sometimes in big projects time management sheets will be employed to chart the progress of various work-streams.
it is also important to remember that each sector - even within the creative industry will have their own terminology or acronyms - for that reason plain english must be used in conjunction with specialist terms to ensure full understanding by all involved.
In this instance my pairing was with a tutor, who has industry experience and is very organised.
I was able to input into the process as well as make decisions and we both had very different 'tastes' regarding imagery, texts and fonts - so it was an interesting partnership to see the outcome.
We communicated through several meetings, as well as email. And Online file sharing was also used to ensure files were freely available to view on both sides.
Any issues or questions were raised without hesitation so that clarity was obtained and maintained throughout.
I am very lucky to have had a rewarding pairing.
Final Images and evaluation
I decided that I wanted to have hands on experience in creating a layout with IN-Design, i though t that the process would help me better understand selection, and choosing images that worked together as a cohesive set.
The above images were chosen from over 400 shots and selection was made on the basis that these images not only showed the scale of the deterioration of the building itself in the physical form, but also highlighted the impact it had on a personal scale for the people involved. They focus on both business and personal paraphernalia that is now orphaned and left to rot in the elements.
The images also highlight the light levels in the building; the dying light could be interpreted as a metaphor for the dying business and the heart wrenching situation the family would have been in, to simply up and leave all their memories.
It still remains focused on the 'Urb ex' theme as things are captured where they are found rather than being a constructed and composed image.
The editing style is a cross between the two original ideas, there is stark contrast to emphasise the lighting situation, but the colours are faded to communicate the age and fading nature of the situation.
Some images where composed specifically to have text placed over them as in shots 6 & 11.
Additional layout
I also wanted to attempt a more 'news/event' led article, as the look of those images is much more observational & reportage.
I had covered a recent charity event and thought that the images would make a good Advertorial feature to promote the next event. Alternatively they could be used in a newspaper to report the Race for life (but the Titles would be changed to mirror that)
The images above are selected for several reasons
- The show women of all ages being involved as the disease does not limit it's devastation to a single age group
- it shows the factual start and participation of the run
- it shows the celebrity and well known people involved with the event
- It remains focused on the cause
- it shows the fun element of being involved
- The lead image on page 2 is someone directly impacted by the illness
The colour of the layout is very important as this is an advertorial, the palette is the one used by the organisation throughout it's marketing and information documentation.
The editing aims to enhance the lively colourful nature of the events and add to it's fun vibe, it cannot show images of the sick being or feeling sick as the main message is that by taking part and raising money - there is hope of a brighter future.
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