What have you learnt about technologies from the

process of constructing this product?

In order to complete an effective and successful production of a music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, a variety of different programmes and technology were required, this making the process of production easier and enabling a person to carry out a number of tasks at the same time from one computer, this is known as desktop publishing. The different technology’s used are as followed;

vAdobe Photoshop CS3vQuarkXPress Passport 7.5vNikon D3000 CameravSamsung cameravBlogspot.comvPrezi.com, Slideshare.com, Sliderocket.com, Globster.com, Brainshark.com; these provided different forms of presentation, which were loaded on to my blog, adding interaction.

Adobe Photoshop CS3

The software Adobe Photoshop was used to create the layout and construct the front cover for my music magazine, this software was used as it enables an easy process when editing images as different tools can be used in order to edit images, for example the brush tool and blur tool these tools would be used around the frame of the image in order to allow the image to blend in with the background of the magazine. I also used this software as it is the main software that is used when creating a magazine front cover.

Blur Tool

Brush Tool

Before the starting the creation process of my music magazine front cover, I have had minor experience of using the software Adobe Photoshop. I was familiar with several tools in which the software provided however was unsure how to appeal them effectively, therefore I had to familiarise myself with the different tools in order to allow my production to be completed to a high standard.

QuarkXPress Passport 7.5

QuarkXPress is a computer software which enables an easy process when creating and editing complex layouts. QuarkXPress is used by industry magazine companies, as this software is professional, and easy to use and allows the design of contents pages and article to be made.

In comparison to Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress is less complex to use, as less tools are required to be used, this resulting in the programme being easier to understand and follow. For example the programme requires a minimum of four tools to be used, these being; the text box tool, image box tool, box move tool and content move tool.

Before starting my coursework for media, I had no previous experience of using this programme and therefore had to come to terms with how the programme worked and functioned. From carrying out the preliminary exercise I was able to practice and learn how the programme worked in order to use it to its maximum potential, this resulted in me being familiar with the programme when it came to creating the contents page and double page spread article for my magazine.

Nikon D3000 Camera

The Nikon D3000 Camera (DLSA) was used to capture the main image for my front cover and the subsidiary images for my contents page. The DLSA camera used, as it is professional camera, therefore the quality and focus of lens is better than a usual camera. As the camera is professional it can be reviewed as complex, as it consists of various functions and settings.

When it came to myself using the DLSA camera, I found it difficult at first, as I had never used this type of camera before, therefore I was unaware of what the camera provided, and how it functioned.. However, after given a basic demonstration of how to use the camera, I was able to successfully take a series of different camera shots.

Samsung cameraWhen taking the images for my double page spread, I used this camera to capture the images. The reason for using this camera would be that I was able to function the camera effectively ensuring good quality images, as I was familiar with the camera and the different settings which the camera provided due to previous experience.

The images for my double page spread where taken whilst the band were practicing for an up coming gig. The room consisted of a low light, this required me to change the settings on the camera, ensuring flash effects were present when capturing images, this allowed me to capture good images.

Blogspot.com

In order to record and display my work, I created a blog, on blogspot.com. Here planning and background research related to the production and creation of my final music magazine were published, in a clearly form. This was done through using different sources of technology such as interactive videos and presentations. Planning and background research documentations were created on a variety of different websites, which would then me embedded onto my blog once completed.

Embedding...

slideshare.com provides a different method of presenting presentations. Here you download a PowerPoint presentation document, were your work can be then embedded on to the blog, were viewer can then click through the presentation to view each page.

This form of method is easy to use and does not cost.

Prez.com enables animation to be created, as this website is a zoom editor tool which allows you to present text differently through animation.

This website is free to use, and is also easy as it only requires you to add text and then link it together to form a pathway.

I used this method of technology to display work.

Sliderocket.com also provides a different method to present work, here a presentation is formed through the use of a PowerPoint, after effects can be added to text and pages in order to add interaction when displaying work.

This website is also free and was used to display planning and background research.