Research and planning: pop music mag contents page analysis

Genre

This magazine contents page is taken from a pop magazine. I know this because the colours used are bright and happy. Also the artists featured on the contents page such as Beyonce, McFly and The Blues are associated with the pop music genre. As well as this, this page has a light-hearted feel to it and contains jokes which is common feature of pop magazines.

Target Audience

The target audience for this magazine is teenage girls. I know this because the main colour used on this page is pink and pink is known as a girly colour. Also the magazine contains a main story about boy band The Blues which will appeal to girls. As well as this the magazine contains a story about McFly who's main target audience is girls. 

Layout

The contents page is set out in two columns. Also their is a banner running across the bottom with details about writers and photographers for the magazine. On the left hand side of the page their is a list of each article and the page number for each one. On the right hand side of the page their are pictures of pop artists with captions and a letter to the reader from the magazine editor. There is also a page number in the right bottom corner of the page. Moreover the 'Smashhits' logo is positioned in the top right corner of the page.  

Representation

The artists shown on the contents page are represented as normal and down to earth. I know this because they are all wearing casual clothes and the pictures look natural. Also in one of the pictures on the page Dermot O' Leary is looking straight down the camera lense and looks as though he is looking directly at us. This makes him relatable. 

Media language

On the contents page there is a close up of Dermot O' Leary. This is a fun picture as he looks as though he has been caught off guard. Also their is a two-shot of Friday hill. This picture shows the two of them hanging out and having fun. As well as this there is a medium close up of Sean performing at a gig. Then at the bottom of the page there is a 3-shot of The Blues. This shot is used to show their aggressive body language towards each other. 

research and planning- bands and artists that I would associate with my genre

I asked 8 people what their favourite pop band or artist is from the past or the present. These are the results. Also I have wrote a little bit about each one.

JLS
JLS are a typical pop group and all four of them are appealing to girls. This image of them is good because they are all looking straight down the camera lense and look as though they are looking at us ( the audience). Also they all have the same colour clothing on which makes them look part of the same group and like they are all one. As well as this they are wearing skinny jeans which are fashionable and fit the casual look of pop artists.

The Wanted
The Wanted is a pop group. In this image all of the members look quite silly and this picture is not posed. I like this image because it shows a more human and fun side to the band. They are all wearing casual clothes in this picture and look very down to earth even though they are celebrities.

Westlife
Westlife are a pop group with four members. This image of them is good because they are all looking straight down the camera lense and look as though they are looking at us. Also they are all wearing casual clothes in this picture and look very down to earth. this is the type of image I want to use for my magazine cover.

Katy Perry
Katy Perry is a pop artist. I like this image of her because she looks very classic and iconic. Also this picture is different from the norm because it is black and white instead of colour. As well as this katy perry is looking down the camera and looks as though she is looking at the audience. This makes her seem relatable. This is the kind of shot I want for the pop artists in my magazine.

Take That
Take That are a pop group with four members. I like this picture because they all look serious and like they mean business. This image of them is good because they are all looking straight down the camera lense and look as though they are looking at us ( the audience). Also they all have the same colour clothing on which makes them look part of the same group and like they are all one.

Pixie Lott
Pixie lott is a pop artist that appeals to both girls and guys. In this picture she looks quite rough around the edges instead of looking perfect. Also his image of her is good because she is looking straight down the camera lense and looks as though she is looking at us. This makes her relatable. As well as this she looks edgy and like she is making a statement.

Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a pop artist that mainly appeals to girls. This image is good as it will appeal to his TA which is girls because he is showing his muscles. Also he looks as though he is looking at us and looks quite serious. As well as this he is wearing casual clothes in this picture and looks very down to earth and normal.

Adele
Adele is a pop artist who appeals to both girls and guys. I like this picture of her because it looks very artistic. Also I like the purple colour scheme running through this image. As well as this it is obvious this image has been airbrushed to make Adele look perfect. This is quite common with artists in the pop genre. Moreover she has no expression on her face which makes this image look intriguing.

research and planning- inspiration for music magazine cover photos

I got inspiration for some shots in my music magazine from this picture I found on the internet of pop group One Direction. I could use a similar shot to this for my own magazine as it suits the genre and target audience of my magazine.

research and planning-audience interviews

research and planning-photo used for college magazine

I used this image for my college magazine but when I look at this picture closely and in more detail their are faults in this photo. An example of this is the fact she has red eyes. This makes the picture look unprofessional and I need to check that none of the images I use for my music magazine have red eye.

Also this looks as though it has been tinted orange all over it. This takes away from the overall colouring and quality of the image and makes it look kinda amateur. When I take photographs for my music magazine I need to ensure there is no colour tint on the images.

As well as this I need to have a consistent background on my image instead of a wall with patterns on it and a display board to left of the image. These other objects in the background of my image are distracting and makes the pictures look unprofessional. Whilst taking the photos for my music magazine I will ensure I use suitable backgrounds for my images.

To conclude I think I have learnt that my photography skills need work and I need to take more care when choosing the photos for my music magazine.

research and planning-questionaire

research and planning-production schedule