2. CAMERA
The camera was a very important tool, as it was a professional product that allowed me to take
high quality photos. I had never used this type of camera before, so I had to learn how to use
the camera and how to utilise its different settings to obtain the desired effect in my images.
This is demonstrated through the differences between my ancillary task and my main project;
my ancillary images are of low quality, suggesting a lack of knowledge regarding the camera
and its effects, whereas the main photos show how my confidence with the tool has
progressed.
3. PHOTOSHOP
Photoshop also played an important role in constructing my product. Using this software, not
only was I able to construct the raw structure of my product, but I was able to edit and add
effects to my chosen images, improving their quality and making them more effective. I was also
able to add text and shapes and alter those to suit my needs. As I had used this programme
previously, it wasn’t too difficult for me to remember how to use its software to my advantage,
such as the Lasso tool, which allowed me to create an overlapping effect. As my confidence with
the tool progressed I also found new effects and methods, such as the Camera Raw Filter and the
Burn Tool, to enhance my product. Without the use of this software, I would've had to find
another piece of software that would allow me to construct and alter my product, which could
have severely lowered its quality and effectiveness.
4. YOUTUBE
Using the website Youtube, I could research genres of music which my
magazine would cover, which gave me an inspiration for what kind of
aesthetics to employ and bands to feature. It also allowed me to watch videos
about Photoshop, teaching me how to use the software and its tools more
effectively and improving my confidence with it.
5. BLOGGER
Blogger was extremely useful as it allowed me to upload all of my research and
products. This meant I could go access previous notes to help me with
constructing my products, and that I could track my progress in order to
understand the mistakes I was making and how to improve them from a more
distanced and critical point of view. Without it I would not have been able to
achieve this, making it harder to create a satisfactory product.
6. OTHER
WEBSITES/SOFTWARE
These pieces of online software allowed me to present my work in various ways and make
my blog media rich. If I could not have used these websites then I would've had to use
Powerpoint, which is outdated and less effective. Before starting this project, I had never
used/heard of these websites before, so I had to learn how to use and embed them from
scratch. The social media website Pinterest offered me images f other professional
products in my genre, from which a lot of inspiration was derived from. It allowed me to
collect my inspiration in a mood board, which not only allowed me to access professional
products instantly, but also offered me an idea of the overall aesthetic and mood of my
product, which I could understand easily when it was in a collective.
