1st photoshoot with detailed evaluation

How successful do you consider your first photo shoot?

I feel as though my first photo shoot wasn’t as successful as it could have been. This is because although I had research relating to both music magazine covers and general photo research, my research was not specific enough. Therefore, rather than focussing on taking specific photo’s I was taking various photos that couldn’t be related to the audience of my music magazine, and some photo’s did not have the quality of a professional music magazine which I was intending. For example, if I focussed body language and gathered research that related to a specific body position I would have been able in some way to incorporate this into my photographs by making my model aware of what it was I actually wanted. Furthermore, because my target audience is fierce, zany girls between the ages of 14 to 19 I should have made sure that the photo’s I took related to this perspective. However, I feel as if I did get some good photographs that did relate to my target audience, but this was limited by the fact that one of my models had various scars, in addition to this I had no choice but to edit the images on Photoshop and I also made my model aware so that on our next photo shoot she would use makeup for coverage.  For example:

Moreover, the more I looked at music magazine research I accepted that a musical instrument wasn’t needed in order to portray the fact that my magazine related to music, therefore I began changing my approach; I stopped relying on the violin and started to use the knowledge I gained from my research and what it was that the designers done to make these magazine represent music. Personally, my definition of music is sound that brings life and has strong features, because I am generally a complicated person I wanted my music magazine to represent this side of me. I feel the violin is effective and represents my definition of music; violins tend to associate with contentment and joy, however I wanted combine this with fierceness. My use of juxtaposition was therefore also intentional, I want my magazine to attract a wider audience, girls who carry a sense of joy but also have this sense of anger which allot of contemporary music brings out these days. Also I feel this is something my models generally had which made it easier for me to carry out.                                                                                         

Here are the photographs I used from my first photo shoot:

Photo comparison:

Here is an example of where I used research to develop my photos. I didn’t want my photos to be exact I just wanted my model to use these photos in terms of posture and body language as a starting point until she became flexible and in her own comfort zone. From my photo research I focussed on how fierceness was portrayed and my model was successful in portraying this through her farcical expression as well as body language. Furthermore, in terms of lighting and camera angle I feel my photo on the right is more successful in comparison to the one on the right, this is because the angle in which I have taken the photo allows the colours to be prominent, whereas the camera angle on the left doesn’t because the photo is taken from a further angle. Also the fact that one of the flash lights is on does help considering the photo is a long shot, whereas the photo on the right is a mid shot and is supported by both flash lights.

Overall, it was clear that I needed to take another photo shoot and rather than focussing on various features I needed to be more specific in order to stage a more successful photo shoot. However, my first photo shoot gave me a chance to get to grips with photography and what makes a quality photo, therefore I also benefitted from this photo shoot.