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FINAL 15 IMAGES - EVALUATION 

These are my final 15 images I will be submitting for BA3b. I am so pleased with the images I have collected over this term and feel I have produced a strong portfolio of work. I’m happy I have a variety of locations in my final 15, to not only show off my work, but to also give my portfolio more interest. I wanted to create a visual story with my images, showing a range of compositions within the location. The wide angled shots ‘set the scene’ and then the detailed shots focus the viewers attention into the story, making them feel more apart of it. 

These 2 images from my shoot at Bread Source in Norwich are, visually, very similar. The colour tone in these images feels very contemporary and makes the compositions feel very spacious, as well as allowing them to sit comfortably next to each other. in terms of lighting, I think these images have a good amount, due to the large widow in the location and some adjustments in Photoshop. I struggled with mixing different colour balances in a lot of my work this term, but this shoot was definitely one of the best. In Photoshop, I cleaned up these compositions to make them look more sleek and editorial, removing any wires/clutter from the room, as I want all the attention on the location. 

This is one of my favourite final images, as I love the overall aesthetic of it. I think there’s a great amount of light in this composition, which compliments the light woodwork and minimal features. I also love the direction in this composition, as it takes you through the image  and makes you feel apart of the place. All of the lines in the image are straight, which add to the strength of the composition. This is the golden rule in interior photography, so it’s important to clearly show you can achieve this when showing work to potential clients. 

This image works really well, as I love mixture of textures. There’s the exposed brick, white tiles, wooden & patterned floor, as well as the soft velvet chair, which all add to the depth in the composition making it appear more interesting.  This location has darker features than Bread Source, so this image feels like it has more contrast than the previous images above. However, even though theres slightly more colour in the composition, I still think this image feels very minimal and has a lovely aesthetic. The different shapes and lines in the image also creates a bold composition, making it appear more interesting to view.

These 2 images show off a wider angled perspective of the shoot location, La Feria. In the first image, I think the composition draws you in and takes your eyes through the image, which is what most editorials aim for in their work. The composition also feels very balanced, created by all the line appearing very straight, also adding to the boldness of the image. The second image also has a very bold composition, created by the angle of which the image was shot. I also think this boldness is created by the sharpness of the image. The focus of the front of the composition has been slightly dropped and builds up as you go towards the centre of the image. This is also where the main light source is, so I think it automatically draws the viewers attention in. 

The colour and contrast in these two images are a lo darker than the previous images, but I think it’s important to have a range of work in my final 15. This location was decorated in a very industrial style, so there’s a lot more detail in this series of work compared to the rest of this selection. I love the mixture of colours in the images, as they still feel quite minimal, which is something I always strive to achieve in my work. 

These are the two images I am going to exhibit at Free Range in London. I have chosen to exhibit and include these images in my final 15 selection because of their simplicity and strong composition. Even though these images both have a tight crop, I think they still feel very spacious and light. Shooting them in portrait format allowed me to really focus on what I wanted, rather than having to fill a landscape, which allowed me to also focus a lot more on how I was shooting these images. Both of them were captured with an aperture of 16, so all the details have been preserved, allowing me to be able to print them A1 size for the Free Range show. Together, these images work very well, as they have similar colours running through them, as well as similar compositions of vertical lines being the main feature. I really like these images and feel they’re definitely two of my strongest in this final selection. 

This is my strongest image from my Hathenshaw series of work. This location was very different from the rest, as it was an actual home rater than a working environment, so it felt a lot more real and ‘editorial’. It was nice to be working in a change of environment to what I had been before, as it challenged me to think differently about how I was framing my images. The first edit I did of this image was full clutter and unnecessary objects in the composition. When emailing interior photographer, Malcolm Menzis, he gave me feedback on my work and told me to get rid of it all. Editorial interior photography wants to be sleek and clean, so all the attention is on the features the room, rather than bits and bobs. After re-editing this image, I can see how much better ad stronger it looks, so I am really happy with the outcome of it. 

This image also has a long of daylight in it, creating this lovely open and light feeling in it. I also think the beams at the top of the image help to balance out the composition and adds interest to what would otherwise be negative space. 

This is a more detailed shot from the Hathenshaw series. I wanted to show off different parts of the house, rather than focus on shooting wide angles of the whole room. I think focussing on the smaller details make the images feel more lived in and ‘softer, as well as putting the images into context. I like how the colour of the room matches the furniture, making the composition flow and feel lighter. Another thing I think is strong about this image is the balance of daylight and tungsten lighting. The window provides a lot of light, but there’s also the lamp providing tungsten, so trying to reduce the amount of orange in the image was difficult but I think i’ve managed to get it. Due to the lighting and colour tone in this image, I think it feels very contemporary and looks like the kind of image you’d see in an editorial interior magazine. 

Similar to the previously evaluated images, these two have similar attributes. I think they both have a good amount of light in the composition, making them feel very open and contemporary. I think this is the style of image that’s seen a lot in magazines at the moment, so I think it’s good to be making work that fits with the current industry to show that I have an interest in it. These images were previously very warm, due to the amount of tungsten light in the room. However, after speaking to photographer, Malcolm Menzies, I reduced the amount of orange in the images and they look so much better! After looking back at the older versions of they, I realised how dated the warm lighting made them look and how much lighter and more open the revised ones appear. 

This image is a lot lighter than my other images from the Hathenshaw series. This image was photographed in a conservatory,  so there was a lot of daylight, allowing me to shoot on an ISO of 200 and aperture of 16. This resulted in my image appearing very sharp and crisp, which is the quality of images I need to be producing if I want to go into an editorial position. The colours in this room are very minimal, allowing everything to flow within the composition, as well as adding to the overall aesthetic of the image. I like how the colour of flowers on the table stand out, as they add detail and interest into the composition. I also think thy hep centralise the image, as they draw your eye into the image. 

One thing I would have done differently when shooting this image was pay attention to the reflections created in the back windows. I think these reflections are quite distracting in the image and almost take your attention away from the details in the room. However, despite this, I actually really like the overall feel of this image and think it works very well with the rest of my final 15.

This image is from my shoot at Bourne & Hollingsworth in London. I really enjoyed this shoot as it was the first proper one I had done and one that I had actually booked/organised. I loved the whole aesthetic of this location and found that there was a lot to focus on and photograph. Even though there is a lot of furniture and objects within this composition, I still think it feels very minimal and open, de to the huge amount of daylight there is. As well as the white walls and flooring, the different depths in this image makes it feel like it’s much large than it was. The huge amount of daylight available in this composition made editing very easy, as there weren’t any differences in colour balance unlike my previous images. I also think this makes this image feel very contemporary and Scandinavian-esque, which is the interior style I have been looking at throughout BA3b. 

One thing I would love to have done differently at this location was to be shooting on a better lens. I hadn't yet bought my 24-70mm lens, so was shooting on a 17-55 which resulted in a lot of my images being distorted and appearing lower quality. Since I couldn’t drop the aperture to below 4, I found it quite difficult to get enough light in, so had to set my camera to a high ISO. This however added a lot of noise/grain into the image, creating the lower quality feel in it. 

This image is also from my shoot at Bourne & Hollingsworth, but it appears very different to the previous image. This was shot in a different area of the restaurant, away from the white walls and hanging plants. I think this image in particular is one of my favourites, because of how simple the composition and colour tone is. I love how neutral the colours are in this image and how it well everything fits within the composition. Even though there’s a lot of negative space, I do think theres still a lot of interest because of the different textures and lines within the frame. This image is also very balanced because of all the lines within the composition being straight, adhering to the golden rule in interior photography. i think achieving this definitely adds to the higher standard of this image, compared to the less successful ones from this shoot. 

Overall, I am very happy and pleased with this final selection of 15 images. I think that I had collected a strong amount of work over these past few months, despite only coming into this area of photography when BA3b started. However, I do think my still life practice has helped me this term, as I was already used to having to create sleek and precise images. I can also see a connection between this terms work and my still life, making me realise i do have a style image I work towards and know what I want to create with my photography. 

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UNSUCCESSFUL IMAGES

These are some of my unsuccessful images from my shoots over BA3b. I found that the unsuccessful images were because of over exposure, too much clutter in the composition or distortion from shooting on a wide angle. This image in particular has too much clutter, making it unusable in an editorial context. The difference in colour balance between the two rooms also make it very difficult to edit in a contemporary style. After emailing with interior photographer, Malcolm Menzies, I learnt that most editorials shoot interiors with the lights off to avoid dealing with difficult colour balances. 

This images from my ‘Hathenshaw’ series of work was very difficult to try and edit in Photoshop, as the lighting was awful. The mixture of tungsten and daylight made finding a balance almost impossible, s well as creating different shaped highlights on the walls. Also, since there was a lack of daylight in this room, I had to shoot with an ISO of 1000, which created a lot of noise in the image. This noise made the image appear low quality and far too grainy to be able to print. However, even though the lighting is wrong, I think this image has a good composition, as it gives a full perspective of the room and all lines are straight. 

Similar to the image above, the light in this room was really bad. The only daylight available was through a small window, which didn't mix well with the 3 tungsten lights in the room. These lights also created harsh highlights on the wall, so even if I managed to reduce the warm tones, there would still be evidence of them. I can see how shooting with the lights off would be a better option, but i think I would have definitely had to of had additional lights in the room, as it was just be too dark. I also think there’s too much happening in the composition, because of the various pieces of furniture, as well a the room being quite small anyways. To improve this image, I should have pushed the chair (bottom right) out of the composition and then sourced alternative lighting/used a tripod to light the room. 

This image is from my shoot at Bourne & Hollingsworth in London. This location was beautiful, but because it was a restaurant, it wasn’t set up for an editorial shoot. Most of the images i captured were of the smaller details in the room, but shots like this didn't work out as well. I like the perspective in this image, but I should have looked at the styling of the composition. The tables aren’t straight, making the image appear very messy, as well as creating an unbalanced composition. Despite the image looking messy, I think the lighting would have worked well, as, because it was all daylight, there were no differences in colour balance. 

I think my shoot at La Feria has been my strongest one this term. I think this was definitely due to the good amount of lighting available and shooting on my new 24-70mm lens, which resulted in my images being really sharp and straight. I was shooting with an aperture of 16 so everything would be crisp, as well as an ISO of 800 to allow enough light into the image. However, I wish I had paid enough attention to what I was shooting, rather than how. This perspective of the room works really well, but I should have realised I needed to take out the table and chairs from the composition, to allow a clean view. This table is really distracting and stops the composition flowing, so I think this image could have been really strong if it wasn’t there. 

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PORTFOLIO EVALUATION

I am so happy and proud of my portfolio presentation & quality. I love the simplicity of Brodies portfolio design and the high standard it’s produced to and feel it represents myself & style of work. Since i didn’t order fly sheets as they were £40 extra, I decided to print a page with my name and contact details on, so they’d be in there if my portfolio needed sending off to a client. I think this is a nice introductory page to open onto before my images start. 

Before deciding on having a contact page, this was going to be the opening image, as well as the start of the ‘Bread Source’ series of images. Since it had to be moved to a double page spread, I decided to keep it as an individual image, as I feel the blank page opposite compliments the aesthetic in the composition. I also feel it’s a nice image to open onto, as it’s not too detailed or overpowering but it still has a lot of interest and structure to it. 

This is the first double page spread in my portfolio and a continuation of the ‘Bread Source’ series. Since the previous image was a close up shot, I thought it was important to show the actual location space, rather than another detail shot. I wanted to display this full bleed to give it the full opening effect. Also, the top and bottom of the image had a lot of negative space, allowing me to make the crop into 11x14″. 

The image opposite on the right hand page didn’t work as a full bleed image, as  I felt it would crop the images framing and space, as there isn’t much at the top or bottom. Also, because of the different depths in the image, I felt having space between this image and the left hand side one created a breather so the structure could be fully appreciated.

This is the first image of my Bourne & Hollingsworth series. I wanted a double page spread to be the introductory image, as I feel it sets the scene and shows the change of location. I think this image has a strong composition, featuring lots of vehicle lines and different depths of field. This image works really well across two pages, as its very minimal and open, so no detail is lost in the fold of the pages. 

Following on from the introductory image from the Bourne & Hollingsworth series, I decided to show two detailed shots. I love the image on the left, as its so simple but still hold a lot of detail in the different textures & patterns. It also works really well as a full bleed image, as there was enough space to crop it to 11x14″. The colours in these two images are very similar, so this allows them to sit comfortably next to each other on the spread. I think this is one of my favourite spread in my portfolio, as it has a lovely aesthetic to it. 

I wanted to show another set of detailed shots from Bourne & Hollingsworth, as I had lots to choose from. I really like the simplicity of both these images and feel they have similar features, in terms of their colour tone and composition. Neither of these images had enough space to be cropped to 11x14″, so wouldn’t work as full bleed shots. To resolve this, I decided to leave a space in the fold of the image, as I felt the compositions needed separating and given their own space. I had to be quite selective with my images from Bourne & Hollingsworth as I hand’t yet bought my new 24-70mm lens, so these images aren’t as good quality as the others in my portfolio. Therefore, I felt the detailed shots were better to show more of, as I didn’t have as much to focus on/control.

This image is the start of my home location series, Hathenshaw. I think this is a strong opening image, as it works really well across two pages and has strong features to make an impact o the composition. I also think the colour tone in the image is really nice due to the contest between thwart tones and white walls. The large amount of daylight lighting the room was also a bonus, as there weren’t any orangey tones to get rid of. It’s a known fact that the kitchen is the heart of any house, so thesis another reason why I felt this image should be the start of this series. 

Similar to my pages before, I wanted to show a wide handled shot with a more detailed one, to show off different aspects of the location. The colours an lighting in these two images are very similar, making it easy to display together. In any interior magazine, there is aways a mix of detail & wide angle shots, so displaying these in my portfolio may help show a potential client what they want. 

This is another double page spread in my ‘Hathenshaw’ series. I think this is one of my least strong images, as I feel the reflections in the glass are very distracting. however, the general feel of the image is very nice, due to the amount of daylight and minimal amount of colour. I was worried about displaying the image across two pages, as it has a strong central focus so detail may be lost. However, once it was printed and in my portfolio, I think it actually works really well. I think with landscape images in a portrait orientated portfolio are very difficult to display, but the binding in my book, as well as having plastic sleeves, allowed me to show off my work really well. 

This is the opening image of my shoot at ‘La Feria’. I think La Feria is my strongest set of images, so I wanted to finish my portfolio with these. Again, I wanted to show a double pay spread image to start things off, to give a full show of the location. I think this image has a strong composition, due to the vertical lines and lighting leaving into the centre of the image. I think the combination of colours work really well together, as they’re sill quite minimal but enough to give the image a pop. I think this is a strong overall view of the location an a good images to start off the series. 

Since this location had lots of details to focus on, I wanted to keep them to a minimal but strong amount. I think the image on the left has an overall nice feel to it, due to the minimal amount of colour and objects in the frame. The different textures also work really well in the composition, as they give the image depth and interest, as well as a nice contrast with the soft material of the chair. The image on the right has a strong sense of direction, as the lines draw your eyes into the image. I think the darkness of this image contrasts well against the lightness of the image opposite, so they work well when placed next to each other. Since these images ae different lightness and colour tones, I thought it was important to separate them with a margin either side. 

This is another one of my favourite spreads in my portfolio. Even though there are different subjects within the image, I love the minimalism in the composition. The light colour and texture of the wall contrasts really well against the dark subjects, as well as creating depth in the image. Composition wise, I think I managed to capture it pretty near perfect, in terms of everything being straight.  This is all thanks to my new 24-70mm lens, which helped reduce the amount of distortions in he image, as well as massively improving the overall quality. 

This is one of my strongest images in my portfolio I think, so I chose to use it a the final image. The colours in the image actually work really nicely with the colour of my portfolio, so i think it works well as a stand alone image. I also think the composition is strong, due to the vertical lines and textures within the frame. This image had lots of negative space at the top and bottom of the composition, allowing me to crop it to an 11x14″ size for it to be a full bleed image. 

Overall, I am so proud of my portfolio and feel I have a strong set of images to go out and show to potential clients. Considering I’ve been shooting still life photography for the past 2 years, I think I have finally found my area of photography and what work I actually enjoy creating. 

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IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS

A few weeks ago I was in contact with interior photographer, Malcolm Menzies, asking him for feedback on my current work. He replied giving me some advice on how to properly light and frame interiors but saying that I had some great compositions and a strong set of work. One thing he did mention to me, was the fact that the warm tungsten lighting in my Hathenshaw series made my mages appear very dated and that most editorials prefer to shoot with the light off, to avoid any mixture of colour balances. 

After thinking about what he said, I went onto Photoshop and opened up two images I want to use as finals at the end of BA3b. I started off by duplication the layer and then reduced the amount of yellow in the image. This instantly improved the overall feel of my images and definitely made them appear more contemporary. However, I felt thatching away the main colour in the images made them feel a little flat, so I then increased the brightness and contrast to give them that little extra push. Even though there’s still some orangey tones in these images, I think they have improved a great deal and definitely work better with my other images from throughout BA3b. 

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ZINE EVALUATION 

After finishing the design layout for my zine, I went into Guntons to print. I wanted to choose a high quality paper to print on, so it would replicate what it would be like if featured in a proper magazine. I wanted it to be printed on matt, thick paper but this unfortunately wouldn't let me print double sided. To compromise, I chose a matt thin card stock 200gsm, which actually worked really well with my images. 

I chose this image (above) to be on the front page, as I felt it was quite welcoming and it introduced the location. I also really like the neutral colour scheme in the image, because it sets the aesthetic of the zine & works well alongside the text placed in it. 

This is the next image in the zine after the front page. I really like this image as a double page spread, as I think it has a lot of interesting points in & also allows the beams at the top to balance the composition & be fully appreciated. I think the colour scheme of this image is similar to the previous page, which I feel is important because I don't want the tones to jump too much between ages, as the zine wouldn't flow as well. In terms of printing & binding, I managed to get this spot on, allowing none of the image to be cropped or separated in the fold of the page. Considering I had never bound a booklet together, i think I managed this well. 

After looking back though my research into various magazine layouts, I really wanted to find a way to display more than one image on a single page. I used my research into Country Living magazine as inspiration for this grid of 4 images, as i liked the space around hem, as well as the page still feeling busy. Choosing which images to display in this grid was difficult, as i wanted a similar feel in them all, but i am really happy with the final choice. I like that there are 2 detail shots and 2 wide shots, as this almost creates a contrast between them and gives the page more depth. As well as having the grid display on the left-hand page, I wanted to have a full bleed image opposite, to pull them together & make use of the space given. I think this image works well full bleed, as I felt having it displayed with a boarder around would separate the viewer from the image and wouldn't give it the full effect. The colours on both these pages work really well together, as all the images sit comfortably with each other! 

As previously mentioned, I wanted to maintain a similar colour tone and warmth throughout the pages and i though these two images work very well when places opposite each other. I’m not a fan of orange in my images as I like them to feel more contemporary and minimal, but I actually don't mind these two. I think having a boarder around one of the images separates them and gives it the space needed to feel more minimal and light, rather than have 2 really warm images placed alongside each other in full bleed. i also like how the full bleed image is a detail shot, as it draws your eye into it more than the image with a border, which is a wider angled shot. 

Similar to before, I like displaying a wide shot next to a detail one, as they don't clash and feel like there’s more space on the page. Since these images are both full bleed, I wanted to ensure the colours were similar so they wouldn't contrast against each other, which I feel I managed to avoid. I think these two images are both well framed and structured, adding to the relationship between them when displayed alongside each other. 

I chose to use the same layout as one of the previous pages, as I liked using the space to display multiple images. Similar to before, I wanted to use a combination of wide angled shots and details to give the page more depth and interest. I also wanted to keep the colour scheme the same, so using images from the same room helped massively with this. I think this is definitely one of my favourite spreads in this zine, as it gives a full tour of the room and shows the smaller details you may not see if it were a wider angled shot. 

This spread is also another of my favourites in my zine, as it’s very light and spacious. I think this is created by the amount of daylight in the image, which also gives it a nicer aesthetic than the warmer images previously shown. I made the right-hand image smaller within the page with a boarder, as I felt this gave a stronger focus to the detail in the image. It also elaborates the fact that this scene is in a conservatory and pushes the use of daylight in the image. 

This is the final double page spread in my zine and i wanted to put some ‘intimate’ shots in the give the location a more homely feel. I thought that the previous images were all of the rooms and maybe made the house feel quite empty & un-lived in, so focussing on the person details was an important feature. I like how both image feel very similar, even though one was shot indoors and the other outdoors. I think this is difficult in any interior shoot to maintain a coherent vision between different white balances, so these images worked really well. This spread works well as a closing story, as the features almost take you back outside the house (coats and wellies). 

To end this zine, I chose to use another image of the door, but to focus in on the detail rather than the whole shot like the first page. I think coming into this image makes it feel like a closing shot, ending his visual story.

I am really happy with the outcome of my zine and like that i managed to design, print and bind it myself, as it gives it a more personal feel. I would love to produce more for when I start to show my work to clients, as it helps put my images into a context and shows how they may be displayed within a magazine feature. 

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COMPARING HISTORICAL & CURRENT WORK

This is a comparison of 1900 interior photography by Hermann Walter, with the current work of Andy Haslam. I chose these two images to look at, as I can see a clear link between them. Both photographers work uses the movement and architecture of the staircase to drive their image, making the viewers eye travel though the composition. They also both  use the light available in the image to highlight certain areas. Obviously Walter’s work will have been shot on film,  but that hasn’t really affected the overall appearance of the image, apart from the colour and sleekness of it. Both images feel very simple and clean, so I actually feel there’s historical influences running throughout any current work being produced at the moment!

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HERMANN WALTER

Whilst browsing on Pinterest, I came across the work of photographer Hermann Walter from the 1900′s. It’s so interesting to see the difference in historical interior photography compared to what it is like now. I think that interior photography hugely depends on the current interior design style, as that’s what we use to create our wrk around. In the 1900′s, the style of interiors was very dark and classic, clearly showing through these images above. 

However, i would say that I can see a clear link between this 1900 photography and current work, through the photographers use of light and vertical lines. I think that there are basic interior photography rules that will always be abided by and they seem to set the foundation of any image you see currently. 

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FURTHER IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS

Last week I contacted photographer Malcolm Menzies, asking for feedback on my work. One comment he made was that the lighting in one of my stories was very warm, making my images feel quite dated. I personally didn't agree with this, but I took on his advice and experimented with desaturating the warm tones in them. I actually do think they look a lot more contemporary without this yellow saturation, as they feel lighter and more minimal. However, I think some of them may look a bit grey, since the colour was drastically reduced, so I will need to work on finding the perfect balance between the two. 

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PORTFOLIO LAYOUT CHANGES

Originally, I had the (top) images situated next to each other on a double page spread. I thought the course and compositions sat well next together and they both featured a lot of detail and textures. However, during a 1-1 with James, he noted that the left hand image would be strong to end on, as I had yet to choose a single image to use on the last page of my portfolio. I agreed that this was one of my strongest images, but was then in a panic about what image could replace it. James suggested using a different image to replace this one, but I really like the image of the hanging food, as I like the symmetry in it how well the colours contrast together. 

To resolve this problem, I found a landscape image of the same composition, and made it into a double page spread. Therefore, I now have a larger print of this composition, as well as ending now on a strong single image. 

Another change I made was the sizing of my images on a double page spread. I was originally going to leave a boarder around them to allow space to compliment them, as well as them being able to be displayed in full proportion. However, during a 1-1, James commented that they would look better as full bleed over the double page, as the borders didn't fit well. I think allowing them to show full bleed makes them feel more sleek and professional, as they’d most likely be displayed like this in an editorial magazine. I think allowing a client to see my work in the right context would make them more appealing, as they can clearly see what they’d be receiving if they hired me to do a commission. 

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IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS

Whilst arranging the layout for my portfolio, I started to notice some errors in my images I hadn’t before. Earlier this week I had emailed photographer Malcolm Menzies, asking for feedback about my work. His reply was that some of them had a lot of clutter in hem and that most editorials would want them to be sleek and polished. I took on this advice and re-edited the first image (top). It actually looks so much better without the bits and bobs around the edges of the image and I’m so glad I got a professionals opinion on them! 

During Ross’ morning session, he reviewed my layout and commented that this (middle) image needed brightening & a little more contrast putting into it. I think this image now fits in a lot better with my other ones and also feels less heavy around the edges. 

The bottom image was actually pretty much ok, but the black plug & wire had been annoying me for ages. I had tried a couple of times to edit it out but each one was very noticeable. However, this time I manage to get rid of it without it being obvious and and i’m really happy with the outcome. I also decided to reduce the saturation of yellow ever so slightly, as I felt it was slightly too warm when displayed next to other images. 

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TEXT POSITIONING

In terms of text positioning in my zine, I wanted to have something on the front page to introduce my story. The name of the house I photographed is Hathenshaw, so I thought this was the best thing to put on the front. I actually found it quite difficult to decide here to display it, as my image isn’t balanced, meaning I couldn’t place the writing on the centre of the page & image. I tried out a few options and decided on the top one. I think this works best out of the selection because the text sits all in the image and isn’t taking any attention away from the actual image itself. I also think it draws the viewers eye into the image & though the door, essentially pulling them into the house. 

The other images didn’t work well as there wasn't anywhere for the writing to comfortably sit, meaning it had to overlap details in the image. I also didn't like that the writing couldn't sit in the centre of the doorway, as well as the centre of the page, so this is something I tried to resolve in the chosen image. Overall, I am really happy with my choice of text, font and colour, as I think it introduces the ‘story’ well and also complaints the images colour & style. 

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LAYOUT INFLUENCES

These are some of the pages seen in ELLE DECORATION/Country Living that inspired my own layout. The first spread works really well, as there is a lot of space and light in the images making it feel very open. I think the white space around the image on the right page compliments it really well and helps to separate it from the image opposite. 

The second spread displays 5 images, using the space of the pages to organise this is an orderly fashion. I think the grid and full bleed images sit together really well, as there’s a similar colour the running throughout. This allows each image to fit in and prevents one standing out against the rest. I also like the fact that the full bleed image is quite simple, which contrasts against the 4 more detailed shots. 

The last spread features 2 full bleed images. I think these to work well displayed alongside each other, as they're both very simple and have a coherent use of colour and space. I like that the right side page has more detail in it compared to the left, as the right page is usually the most viewed and analysed in publications. I personally think my two images work better together the the images next to it, as I feel the difference in colour tone doesn't allow them to compliment each other. 

Looking through these magazines has given me a lot of guidance as to how images are best displayed on a page, so I am really glad I found them. 

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ZINE LAYOUT

This is a mock up of my zine layout, using images from one of my location shoots. I have tried to create a ‘visual story’ through this zine, showing the viewer what they’d see if they were walking through the house. I also tried to feature one room per double page spread, to keep it organised & also try and maintain coherence throughout the pages. 

I like having a few full bleed images, as well as displaying multiple images on one page. Using the space of the page has really complimented some of my images, especially on pages 4, 13 & 15. I think because some of my images are quite dark, the pages would seem very heavy and cluttered if the images were all full bleed, so leaving a boarder gives them room to breathe. On each page, I have tried to match the colours up so the images fit comfortably together and none stand out too much. The colour temperature also varies throughout the zine, so I have tried to subtly swap between the warmer & cooler tones, as seen on pages 8 - 13. 

In terms of printing, I want to print this A4 size, as I want to see how my images would look in an actual editorial style, so printing them how they would be printed helps a lot with this. I also want to print on matt paper, rather than glossy, as again, it’s what most magazines are printed on. I will be going to Guntons to choose my paper & to print a rough copy to see if there are any problems that ned sorting out before the final print. 

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HOW TO CREATE A ZINE IN INDESIGN

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FURTHER MAGAZINE LAYOUT RESEARCH 

To further my research into various magazine layouts, I have continued to look through interior publications to see what the most commonly used layout is. This feature uses more space on the page than the previous one, showing 2 images per page & also including boarders. Since this location featured is very high and open, I think it works best when displayed with a white boarder/multiple images per page. I think i’d like my work to be displayed with more space around it like this feature, rather than the majority of them being full bleed images. 

What I have noticed from looking through various magazines is that the full bleed images are usually shown on the right hand side of the page. Since we read an image left to right, the right side page is the most expensive/popular. Putting a full bleed image on the right side of the page would allow it to be seen fully by the viewer, rather than skimmed over. 

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FURTHER MAGAZINE LAYOUT RESEARCH 

Since creating a magazine layout for my images, I have decided that i would actually quite like to print my work in a zine format to physically show how they would look on paper. Since I won’t be including text in this zine, I will need to re-organise my images to fill in the blank spaces previously left for writing. Plus, this gives me more space to display my work, allowing a range of images to be shown. I have continued to look at interior publications such as Country Living, to further understand what the best way to display my work is. 

The feature is mainly fun bleed images, with 2 pieces of text. I would love to display more of my work as a full page, but some of the compositions don't work when cropped into an A4 format. However, I do actually really like having more than 1 images on a page, so I’m glad I have enough work to be able to do this. 

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WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE A ZINE

Since creating a mock up magazine layout from one of my shoots, I decided I actually would love to print my images in a magazine format, to see how they would look on paper. I don’t really want to include text in my zine, so I would need to re-shufle my mock up layout to fill in the blank spaces left for text. I started looking into why a photographer should create a zine to display their work and found these useful points;

1. Your works take printed form

Make your images tangible! Think of it as having a portion of your portfolio printed. Zines also provide another avenue to publish your work with a little effort, money and time. In fact some zines have earned cult status and have become highly collectible art objects!

2. Share your works with the community and get immediate feedback

Zine culture thrives on sharing. Putting your work in printed form and giving it away to people can also help you get feedback on your work. You can show people at conventions your zine and quickly ask them on what do they think about your images. Apart from that there are countless websites, message boards and forums wherein you can promote your zine!

3. Build an intimate audience

People are keen on supporting what they like and most especially love. Coming up with a well put together zine not only gives you credibility but also a following. Sure, the Internet does help you gain a following. But one thing that separates your internet followers is that people who bought a copy of your zine like your work to the point that they willingly shelled out a few notes to take your zine home and enjoy it.

4. Your Zine is like a business card but better

Whether you are giving your zines away, swapping them or selling them, many zine publishers advises newbies to put in their contact details or at least a website. But what makes it better is that there are countless avenues wherein you can distribute your zine. You can distribute it at zine conventions or give it to distros (zine distributors) and even libraries!

5. Zines allow experimentation

Best thing about zines is that your are in control of what you want to show. Many photographers make zines and use them to quench their artistic and creative thirst. You can go crazy with your photos by mixing them with other media but more importantly it can give new purpose to images you did not use before and turn them into something else.

6. Learn from fellow photographers

How about curating a photography zine? Or how about challenging fellow photographers by setting a specific theme? Looking through at how they address the challenge is one way to learn photography and expand your aesthetic horizons. Curating a zine not just offers invaluable creative insight but also a way to find friends you can collaborate with in the future!

7. Zines are perfect for complementing your online presence

As I have mentioned in number 4, zines are like your better version of business cards. If people found or bought your zine from distros or have gotten them from libraries, chances are they would take a look at the URL you included in your zine.

http://www.ucreative.com/features/7-reasons-why-you-should-make-a-zine/