Music Magazine: Planning

MISE EN SCENE:
Having done the necessary research into my genres, to incorporate elements of my chosen music genre (hip hop and R&B) I will make sure to dress my models accordingly; this includes items of clothing that have been influenced by the hip hop and R&B culture such as baggy t-shirts, t-shirts with words/numbers printed on them, trainers, backpacks, beanies, chains - anything that is considered to be urban as it will help the reader identify the genre. To incorporate more soul and R&B into my magazine, I will dress my female model in simple clothing so the focus is more on her, and her statement jewellery. Her make up will be simple yet majestic so she looks as if she has been successful for a long time, similar to artists such as Mary J Blige and Toni Braxton. 

PHOTOGRAPHY REQUIRED FOR FRONT COVER
I'd like a female model to be on the front cover posing as an R&B artist. The key theme is regal so  I would like a mid-shot of the model, the camera will be looking up at her and will be a side profile of her shoulder but I want her to be facing the camera. There has to be good lighting so her skin appears to be glowing. This image of Mary J Blige stood out to me because it is very simplistic yet her facial expression and her jewellery and the overall filter of the photo is powerful.

SELL LINES: 
The sell lines listed below will entice my target audience because of the colloquial language that will be familiar to them only. It will also entice them because the articles featured are in trend and they will most likely know about them and would want to know about the topics in depth. As my magazine is an RnB magazine, I've made sure to include some classic RnB/Hip  Hop topics to entice the older audience so they can relate to the magazine. I've decided to call the magazine: 'MOTION' because the genre of hip hop is always evolving, with new sub-genres and artists that contribute to the genre. To entice the younger audience, the featured artist will be a new artist so that the magazine stays true to the connotations of the masthead.

• Rap never dies: 90s Hip Hop lives on
• Up n Coming: Jhené Aiko
• TOP 20 Zone Out Jams of this century 
• Leztalk controversy: Yeezus 
• Double page spread article artist (P-Z) 
• HEADLINE: MAJESTY (Pulled quote: "Nothing phases me")

SLOGAN:"Just go with it" this links with the idea of movement and progression and therefore suits the masthead "

CONTENTS PAGE: ITEMS AND FEATURE ARTICLES:

• The pages will go up to 110
• The contents will be split into a few sections such as popular news in the hip hop genre, a section on upcoming artists, a section for the history of RnB and hip hop and a section on controversial topics 
• The images on the contents page will include a photograph of the artist my dps will be
  dedicated to and some photos of the other artists my magazine will also talk about
• I will make sure to include promotion feature like a competition or a phone application of my magazine.

 FOCUS OF DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD (DPS) & WHY:
I have two ideas for my dps and both have a serious tone implemented in them because my magazine is not just about the
look, it is about the content and I want readers to feel engaged when reading my article.
My first idea is to address some discrimination/negative perception of music artists, especially those in the hip hop/rap genre.
This article will be in third person so it allows me to use a variety of adjectives to influence the reader and communicate the
artist's feelings so the reader understands the issue in the artist's perspective. 
My second idea is similar to my first one however it will be a straightforward Q&A interview so that the reader gets to know the
artist - this form will engage the reader too because it is not narrated to them like an article written in third person. It will be an
interview with a new, successful and refreshing male artist who has gained worldwide positive reception and the
troubles he faces. After being inspired by this photograph of Kurt Cobain, I wanted to put myself in the position of a troubled
artist who is finding it difficult to adjust to his new-found fame.

I feel that it is important to appreciate the contemporary artists of today because they all have the potential to become
legends in the future which is why my dps will focus on a new artist. 

PHOTOGRAPHY REQUIRED FOR DPS:
The filter will be black and white - the contrast will be strong as to express the serious nature of the article.
My magazine is called: 'MOTION' therefore a key convention I would like to make unique to my magazine is movement;
the model will be in motion so it links to the masthead and to intrigue the reader.
First of all I'd like an extreme close up of the artist's face to emphasise their expression - I want their expression to be
melancholy so it evokes sympathy within the reader when they see it. The chiaroscuro of the image is one of the key 
aspects I must focus on because it provides depth and dramatises the photograph. To intensify the close up even more, I
will sharpen and increase the contrast of the photograph. 

The second idea for the main image is my model will be sitting down with his legs out in a very relaxed pose and the camera
will be looking at him from a low angle, this emphasises his superiority and will make the reader think that he has authority.
As for his expression I want him to look curious - he should be lifting his hands to indicate hand gestures so it really seems as
if he is speaking to the reader - this in turn gives the reader a visual of how the artist is feeling.

I intend for the main image to dominate the left hand side of the dps (this applies to both of my ideas)
so it is the first thing the reader sees as we read from left to right. 

Double Page Spread Analyses

Having analysed these double spread pages, the ones I was most inspired by was the Jay Z dps and the John Legend dps.

In terms of photography I think that the chiaroscuro in Jay Z's photograph was a very effective way to create depth in the close up.  Although there is only one photograph, it is quite striking because the shadows are so dark in comparison to the lighter areas of his face. I also like how the quote is isolated at the top right hand corner - the black text box contrasts the clean, white background of the dps. 

As for the John Legend dps, I found it the most unique out of the three because of the unique promotional feature (album) and the way the main image is within the titles. I particularly liked the colour scheme of black and white with hints of red in the main body text as well as the headline and the questions.

Photographer Research

David Bailey

David Royston Bailey (2 January 1938) is an English photographer regarded as one of the nation's best. He was born in Leytonstone,  East London. He suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia which made learning in school difficult. As well as dyslexia, he was diagnosed with a motor skill disorder aka developmental coordination disorder. His school attendance was poor; he claims to have only attended 33 times in one school year. His insufficient record rendered him unable to obtain a place at the London College of Printing. Bailey's love of natural history is what inspired him to take up photography; he assumed freelance work and in 1959 he became a photographic assistant at the John French studio - thus he became involved in fashion photography. The following year, he was hired as a photographer for John Cole's Studio Five and was contracted as a fashion photographer for British Vogue magazine in late 1960; he worked there for 15 years. 

Bailey specialises in fashion and celebrity portraiture, his style is characterised by his use of dramatic lighting effects and simple backgrounds. Breaking down the archaic class barriers within society was a cultural trend in the 1960s; by incorporating a working-class/'punk' look into clothing and products, Bailey effectively showcased the cultural trend through his work.

I was drawn to this photograph of Mick Jagger because of the deep contrast created by the position of the lighting. The dramatic use of lighting gives the portrait a rather mysterious atmosphere because there is a line between light and dark right in the middle of the Mick Jagger as if to suggest he has another side to him; a darker side much like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The chiaroscuro technique is very prominent in Bailey's portraits, especially in this photograph of Mick Jagger which I found to be quite captivating because the viewer cannot help but look straight into his eyes due to the line between light and dark. The shadows are beautiful and the simplicity of the background ensures that all focus is on the model therefore it does not deduct from the power and intensity created by the dramatic lighting. 

Annie Liebovitz

Anna-Lou Leibovitz  is an American photographer born on October 2, 1949 in Westbury, Connecticut, U.S.  She has shot portraits for a variety of celebrities and is renowned for the dramatic, quirky, and iconic way incorporated in her portraits. Her signature style involves good lighting and sharp quality. She found her passion for photography when she took a photography night class and abandoned her original plan to become a painter. Her first commercial assignment as a photographer was to photograph John Lennon for Rolling Stone magazine; three years later and she was appointed the the position of Chief Photographer for the magazine. 

Her most famous work of the late 1970s was a photograph of a nude John Lennon wrapped around his fully clothed wife, Yoko Ono, in a foetus like position shot hours before his assassination. The photograph was published on the front cover of Rolling Stone in January 1981.

In 1983 she joined the staff of Vanity Fair which allowed her to shoot different subjects and not just rockstars like Mick Jagger. Her subjects included athletes, film stars and even political figures.

I found this particular mid-long shot of Rihanna inspirational because of the way she is posing and how her hair partially covers one side of her face much like the cartoon character 'Jessica Rabbit' - Rihanna's red hair is similarly styled like Jessica Rabbit's which is one of the cartoon's key features; her pose further emphasises her sex appeal because Jessica Rabbit is known for having a voluptuous body. The pose promotes the dress she's wearing and accentuates her curves which links to the sell line  on the left under 'RIHANNA' and the sell line on the right which says 'WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL BODIES'. Her expression is quite serious and her red lips match her hair and her dress as well as the tinges of red on the magazine like the banner in the corner. 

Mario Testino

Mario Testino is a Peruvian born (October 30th 1954), fashion photographer. Before becoming a fashion photographer he studied law and economics at the University of Lima. His career in fashion photography began when he moved to London in 1976. He's had several high fashion houses for clients such as Gucci, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent. He has also photographed for Vogue and Vanity Fair and various different celebrities including Madonna, the Spice Girls, Lana del Rey and Miley Cyrus. Testino is known for his innovation as he often photographed niche models such as Kate Moss and thus helped to tone down the hype over supermodels. His work is described as bright and sharp which essentially put an end to the dark, murky images that took over magazine pages during the early 1990s. 

Testino is most famous for the iconic shots he took of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997; she personally requested he take her photos for Vanity Fair and it became her last official photo shoot before her untimely death later in the same year. He also took the official photographs of Catherine Middleton and Prince William on their wedding day. 

I liked this photograph of Miley Cyrus because it showcases her dramatic change in image through her dark clothes and the dark gradient background which compliments and creates a strong contrast against her skin tone thus drawing more attention to her body (particularly her cleavage). Her pose is borderline provocative because  her upper body and her right arm is splayed out in an open position yet her leg is up as if to create a barrier; she also looks vulnerable because of her expression and furrowed brows. I liked her make up too because her red lips add some warmth to the overall coolness of the photograph.

Genre Research: R&B, Hip Hop

Genre Research: R&B/Hip Hop from celinalaureta