Evaluation

My role in the magazine brief was to interview the band.  I interviewed each member of Are you a Wizard? giving me five interivews, I feel i addressed this task well but also involved myself in taking photographs.I had taken photographs on location but i would of liked to taken some more in the studio. The photographs on location came out well but not as we had initially planned. We wanted to capture the band being themselves, having fun and acting natural. We succeeded in capturing this but the lighting was not necisarilly perfect. When discussing ideas about what photographs to use in the studio, the band said they wanted to use a fish eye lense. This was not possible due to equipment so we experimented with other forms of glass, this did not go to plan so we stuck to natural plain shots which worked well. I feel we were successful with our photographs, and over all i am pleased with the outcome.

I found three magazine layouts i liked from Issuu and attempted to use these as a guide line for my own. If i was to create my layout again i would work more closely with my chosen layouts rather than creating a layout from scratch. I wanted my magazine layout to be simple, matching colours from the photograph with the colour of headers and writing although when creating my layout i did not stick to this idea. I used a dark grey for my background to help the photograph stand out, i also used different shades of brown.

If i was to re do the magazine brief i would be more involved when taking photographs in the studio and also stick to the layouts i had chosen to be my guide.

Are you a Wizard? magazine spread

Are you a Wizard? Shooting Schedule

Wednesday 19th February
Location: Pin mill forest
Meet: 10:30 Atrium, College
Props: Instruments, any other props the band would like to bring.

We will arrive at forest and talk about suitable places to take photos depending on lighting, weather and space area.

Wednesday 26th February
Location: College studio
Space available: 1:30 - 4pm
Props: Instruments, any other props the band would like to bring

Are you a Wizard? Layout ideas

When designing my layout i want to stick to the traditional music magazine style with photos of the band scattered around with writing surrounding them. Depending on my chosen photos, i will match my headers and footers to the colours of the photos. Around the layout i will use captions higlighting certain parts of the interview.

Some ideas:

Are you a Wizard? Photo shoot ideas

Our chosen band was Are you a Wizard; a band of four males focusing on the genre of pop punk. The bands initial idea of a photo shoot was a location of a party. They wanted to be photographed sitting on a sofa drinking beer and eating pizza, this may have been difficult to capture. The party may not have looked realisitic and would have caused complications when trying to create a party atmosphere. After a group discussion, the location of a forest was agreed.

We want to capture natural looking shots as if the three photographers are not present experimenting with a range of different shots, some including light from the sun, the band looking up into the trees, high shots looking down at the band, individual shots and group ones. 

Some ideas:

When it came to deciding what to do with the studio shoot, we were full of ideas. We looked at different band's photo shoots and came up with an idea from Eleanor Hardwick's work where the models are "plugged" in to electrical products. Our idea was for the band to bring along their amps and guitars, and plug them in.

We wanted to use simple but fun shots in the studio that brought out each members personality but also the personality of the band as a whole.The band put an idea of using a fish eye across, if we are able to
find a fish eye we thought about having the band in a tight corner. This would make the surrounding area around the band look strange and over sized. Another idea was having the band in order like a police line up with their names in front of them and their roles in the band. One of the aims we are trying to do is re-create Blink 182 photoshoot as this is one of the styles and genres both us and the band liked.

Some ideas:

Dean Chalkley

Dean Chalkley is a Brittish photographer born 2 April 1968 from Southend on Sea. Dean Chalkleys carrer started while assisting in a advetising campaign for 'Twix'. He was involved in advertising for companies such as Ben Sherman, Kodak and Lloyds. He was also involved in a magazine called 'Mixmag' shooting covers and inside features. Being involved in advertising allowed Dean Chalkley to finance his own side projects which involved his short film 'Strip' which was shown in several short film festivals and won the Kinofilm 2000 best experimental short film award and the International short film festival in Manchester. In 2001 his career as a photographer merged shooting for the 'New Musical Express' (NME) magazine in 2001 with the band The Verve being his first subject. He continues to shoot covers and features for the magazine today. This has proved a successful working partnership with Dean winning the Portrait Photographer of the Year at The Picture Editors award in 2006. 

One of Dean Chalkleys photo shoots was with The Horrors for NME magazine in August 2006. The Horrors are an Indie Rock band who have a certain image and scene around them, i feel especially in the photo below Dean Chalkley captured this. I especially like how you can only see the musicans body outline and the rest of the photo is blurred out. I also really like the colours used, giving it a misty dark and unusual look. I like how Dean Chalkley must of presumed the readers would of known who the body shape belonged to.

Still being involved in the NME magazine, Dean Chalkley had a photo shoot with The Maccabees as part of their interview. The Maccabees are an Indie Rock band who are full of life and fun, i feel the image below portrays just that. I really like the surrealism used, how he is 'blowing raspberrys' on the television screen. I also like how the background is plain and simple allowing all attention to be on the television.

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is an american photographer born October 2, 1949 connecticut, USA. Her family moved a round a lot due to her father working in the air force, her first photo was taken in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. Annie Leibovitz's career began in 1970 when she was hired as a staff photographer working for the newly launched magazine 'Rolling Stone'. 1973, her career took another leap and was named chief photographer of 'Rolling Stone'. Annie Leibovitz worked for the magazine till 1983 after defining the 'Rolling Stone' look with help from her intimate photographs with celebrities.

December 8, 1980 Annie Leibovitz had a photo shoot with John Lennon for the 'Rolling Stone' magazine. A picture of just john lennon was asked for but was soon re created to being a joint photograph with him and his partner Yoko Ono. The photograph was initially inspired by one of Annie Leibovitz's favorite photos from the 'Double Fantasy' album cover. She was the last person to photograph John Lennon, 5 hours later he was shot and killed. This photograph interests me and i have my own personal look upon it, i feel like John Lennon is giving his partner everything making him naked with insecurities to being hurt. The fact she is fully dressed gives the idea that she is in control. I think this a powerful photograph and works well.

Annie Leibovitz photographed Fleetwood Mac for the 1977 issue of 'Rolling Stone' magazine. She photographed the band laying together in a double bed. There were two ex couples in the bed and the band had worries about feeling uncomfortable. Christine McVie recently devorced from John McVie didn't want to be laying next to him which then left him the odd one out reading a Playboy magazine. I love this photograph because not knowing any history about the band or their relationships, the fact John McVie is reading a playboy magazine portrays the idea of sexual thoughts. Which then portrays jealously to the other two couples in the bed. Although once you investigate the band you realise none of them were dating at all when the photo was being taken.