Rules of Photography Part II

Theme- Black and White photography

Depth
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Symmetry

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Rule of Thirds

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Framing

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Leading lines

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Viewpoint

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Background
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Cropping
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Balancing Elements
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Merger
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Magazines Part II

Four common types of magazine covers are early magazine covers, the poster cover, pictures married to type, and in the forest of words. One of the main components of early magazine covers is that there isn't the kind of cover we are used to now. Many had the table of contents on the front, while others had an illustration and title. Poster covers usually only have a photograph or piece of art and the title. There are no cover lines or themes. Next, pictures married to type. These magazine covers are usually a photo of a person, almost full body with part of them covering the title at the top. There is lots of text describing what is in the magazine, placed in relation to the model and the background. Last but not least, in the forest of words. These magazine covers usually consist of lots of cover lines and cover art. Text plays a very large role in these covers, often invading the space of the photograph. 

Fashion Photography

In the first video, the photo-editors did these things:

- Made the model's neck longer
- Made her lips larger
- Thinned her neck
- Enlarged her eyes
- Brought down her shoulders


In the second video, the photo editors did these things:

- Made the model's lips open and more pink
- Lightened the model's skin tone
- Enlarged her eyes
- Changed her eye color
- Cut skin from her ribs
- Made her legs longer
- Made her calves thinner
- Made her face thinner
- Lengthened her neck

In the third video, the photo-editors did these things:

- Made the model thinner all over
- Thinned her waistline
- Erased all lines
- Straightened her posture
- Made her breasts much smaller
- Gave her longer hair


1. No, it is not ethically acceptable to alter one's appearance like they did in these videos.
What the final photo of these videos is is not true. It is a lie, tricking viewers into seeing it as a real expectation. People need to stop taking photos and editing them. True photographers find beauty in the world around them, beauty that they leave untouched.

2. It would be more ethically wrong to do this kind of manipulation if these photos were on the front of magazines.

3. To me, the only changes that are ok are cropping and change of lighting. Nothing more. Changing things like actual features and weight are way over the line.

4. Fashion photography is different from photojournalism because in photojournalism, you capture what is really going on in life at the moment… You do not go back to the studio and edit the photographs afterwards to fit to the ideal appearance.

5. Photojournalism has more of a connection with real life because a photojournalist's job is to go out and take photos of what is going on today. In fashion photography, you try to sell a product, and in order to do so you need to make the viewers feel that they will look like the girl on the cover if they buy  it. This is unethical.

6. I think you are showing us these videos so that we recognize how different photojournalism is from different types of photography, and so that we see where we need to draw the line.

7. I think that none of these videos are about guys because women's bodies are often more objectified than men's (not saying that men aren't objectified) and that makes it easier to find what all women want to look like and make the model look that way.

Prompt Shoot #2

Purple

Cold

Electric

My Favorite Cover

New York, February 18–25, Spring Fashion

"New York’s “Spring Fashion” cover with actress Elle Fanning has artist Will Cotton revisiting Johannes Vermeer’s famous painting “Girl With a Pearl Earring” in pose, expression, and lighting, while Fanning’s Vivienne Westwood–inspired headpiece made of icing and designed by Cotton prepares readers for the stunning “Candy Land” portfolio inside the magazine. Cotton has been using candy in his artwork “as a metaphor for pure pleasure” since the late nineties, and used spring looks as inspiration for New York."

I really enjoy this portrait of Elle Fanning. The lighting and angle of this photo is absolutely gorgeous. Her features look soft, and the way she looks back makes the cover almost look like an old-fashioned portrait. The flowers on her head add to the delicate feel of the photograph.  I think the choice of lighting and black background was a very good one because it gave the photographer the opportunity to make it seem as if Fanning was glowing against it. Overall, this is a very eye-catching portrait and the photographer did a very good job. There is a lot of personality in this photograph.

Best Magazine Covers 2013

1. formal
2. formal
3. informal
4. informal, environmental
5. informal
6. formal
7.informal
8. formal
9. formal
10. formal
11. formal
12. formal
13. informal
14. formal
15. formal
16. informal
17. formal

Magazine Tips

When designing a magazine, you should be keeping 5 rules in mind-

1. Be sure to draw the public's eye! Do not let the cover be boring, you really want to draw attention.

2. Make the cover photo appealing to the eye… You want it to be "emotionally irresistible".

3. Give viewers a reason to buy the magazine. What's in it for them?

4. Never draw attention from the magazine's title! You want people to recognize it.

5. Promise benefits for if they buy the magazine… Make it intellectually stimulating.