Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?

For creating all of my pages for my overall magazine (includes: front cover, contents page and two double page spreads) I have learned to use professional equipment and software. Firstly, I had to create a layout for my pages. To do this, I used the software InDesign which I was recommended to use instead of photoshop for creating my pages as it is easier to use. I first set up 7 pages with 3 columns on each page. I learnt that the three columns would help me to make my page look more organized. Being able to have creative freedom with using InDesign has helped me to learn new techniques with using new software by myself. When I created my pages using indesign, the colour swatches helped me to choose my colour scheme and editing the thickness of the mastheads and other aspects of writing was proceeded using ongoing changing processes which helped time to improve the layout of the pages each time. Before I used indesign, I used the website DaFont.com to help me choose fonts for the writing of my magazine. To then be able to use the fonts onto InDesign, I had to firstly import them onto a software called NexusFont. This allowed me to use the font onto my magazine although everytime I use InDesign to edit my magazine, I would of had to have nexusfont open first so that it will enable me to use the fonts onto my magazine and to edit them.

For the images of my magazine, I had to set up a photoshoot which consisted of multiple equipment such as lighting. The lighting was important as I did not want my images to be too dark. I had used special photoshoot lighting which had umbrella like structures which reflected even more light around the model. I had also used a Nikon camera which was quite simple to manage as I had already owned one myself. I took most of my pictures in the portrait position as I was recommended to do so, so that I could easily include them in for my front cover. Although I did take some landscape photos too for my double page spreads. My images were then edited on the software, photoshop. I decided to use photoshop as the software where I edit my images because it is the easiest one to use. I used diverse ways to edit my photos on photoshop. One way was that I had to cut out the images from the white background. I did this using a video tutorial to help me on the school media multi-skills bank website. I used a colour range to separate the actual image of the model first from the background then I had added a new layer via copy to separate the actual image from the white background. I then smoothed the edges so that it gave the image a more natural look. I did not bother to edit the actual image itself as I was already happy with the results. With some images that I had used for the double page spreads, I added a coloured drop shadow to match the colour scheme of the magazine and to make it look more interesting and so that it matched the genre of a party, club-like vibe.

Using these specific software and equipment has helped me to develop my magazine in a more advanced level. It has also helped to make my magazine look more sophisticated and make it look more like an actual magazine. It has given me a variety of options which I could choose and decide what to use for my magazine. Without using the right software, I would not have been able to make the edits such as the drop shadow.