Stages of my photography:finding the right image for the front cover

By Brigit Gunton

First Photograph• Firstly I chose this photograph to use as

the front cover.

• My idea was to make all the background black place bright coloured text on top.

• Although the problem with this image is that the decks were a really similar colour to the background so the subject didn’t stand out enough.

• Also most of the front covers that I analysed had a photograph on the front where the model was looking at the camera, I decided I wanted to use a photo with my subject having eye contact with the camera, as I feel it makes it more personal.

Second Photograph

• I then chose this photo, and I wanted to do the same idea, go around the DJ and make the background black as the decks are a slightly different colour in this photo so the black would be different.

• I then came across a problem, although my genre has a stereotype of being a bit ‘hazy’, all the front covers I analysed had the model in focus and this photo was a bit too out of focus to use.

Third Photograph• I then went and took another set of photos

that were completely different to my first.

• I went for a simple style, that was focused on the model and unlike the others the DJ is not in action. The background was natural and I didn’t have to change it to black afterwards. I also thought the background is well fitted to the article it is based on as the underground brick wall represents the underground drum and bass artist.

• Although when I uploaded the photographs to the computer and saw in more detail the focus was on the more on the background than the model.

• I am now going to take the same photos, in the same location as I like the simple background but ensure that when I take them the focus is on the model.

Final photograph• I went back to the same location, the background is

nice and simple and gives a nice underground feel to the photo, which represents the ‘underground’ artist subject.

• This time I took a wider range of photos with different light and different focus settings to make sure that the model was in focus this time.

• I also tried out more angles, this photo has more of a lower angle which I liked because I found when I was analysing the front cover photos on existing magazines many of the photos were from a lower angle and it gives the effect that the artist is dominating.

• This photo gives me nice space to add my mast head and cover lines around the model without having to cut any of him off or go over him, I am happy with this and I think it has nice simplicity with the layout and colours, allowing me to create what I want from it.