How did you integrate technologies- software, hardware and online- in this project?

How did you integrate technologies- software, hardware and online- in this project?

Alexa Hockenstein

Software

Creating this magazine took months of dedication, focus, and wifi!! Photoshop, Canva, and Lightroom were the top 3 softwares I used that merged this entire magazine together. There were some additional websites used as well, including Prezi, Slides.com, Piktochart, and Genially, which collectively helped me reflect on all of my previous work before, during, and after the production. However, despite the variety of apps used, Photoshop was the one I relied on most. I was able to edit my photos in the perfect way, whether I need to change the background, add more color/brightness to my model, etc. Also, not only did it help edit the look of y photos, but using this software was how I was able to combine all of my ideas together, and where I helped my sketches come to life.

Hardware

Despite all of the softwares I used, to find which fonts I like and to actually create my magazine, none of that would be possible without my Macbook Air, Iphone 14 Pro, and especially, my cameras: Canon G7X and Canon Powershot SX170. First, although my phone did not have the biggest role like my other hardware did, it still proved useful for some photoshoots when I need a low, 0.5 angle, which my camera can't produce. It also helped as an extra flashlight for some pictures when my camera had technical difficulties and couldn't produce the flash. Now, with my camera, all of my photoshoots were built from here. While I could've just used my phone for everything, it wouldn't give the same vintage and clear effect that my two cameras did. It also doesn't have all of the already set filters like my cameras, so i would have to edit them on my phone and on photoshop afterwards, which took too long. So, overall without my cameras none of the photoshoots would be like how they are today, and my magazine would have probably looked much different. Lastly, and most importantly, my laptop. No matter the use of my cameras or phone, my laptop was glue that put all of it together. Using my phone with all the softwares needed for my magazine would not be possible, due to small screen and lack of keyboard. At the beginning of the year, Photoshop and Lightroom were implemented into my computer, and every day since, I have used both to first, edit my pictures, then, design my page layouts, and finally, to put everything together and make the concept one. My magazine could never have become true without the use of my laptop, acting as an entryway for all of the apps and my ideas to come together.

Online and Search Engine

Now, moving on to online sites and search engines. Although I am using a school-owned computer, because it is an apple laptop, I had the ability to sign in with my icloud login. This allowed me use the files app, where I created a folder called 'Media Studies'. Throughout the entire magazine production, I saved every assignment, picture, and edit in that folder. This method of categorizing everything ensured none of my work got lost, and made it easier for me submit assignments, as they were already set aside in the folder. This is where Wordpress came in. Wordpress is the online website my class was introduced to, as a place to showcase all of the thorough planning we did before, during, and after the magazine was made. However, almost all of the work I did was completed through google, and sometimes safari when google wasn't loading fast enough. Without this search engine, I would not be able to use the Wordpress technology, nor be able to submit my progress throughout the class. Google, also allowed me access to anything on the internet, meaning whenever I needed to find inspiration or examples, I could look up the topic, and see how others did it (ex: magazine covers, moodboards, pictorials).

Apps

3. Tiktok: The last app I used, that was available on my laptop and phone, was tiktok. Tiktok is a fun, cool app that reaches my other target audience, teenage girls, by using influencers and attracting to videos to share outfit tips and try-on hauls. Tiktok also helped me by allowing me to see a variety of styles and colors that younger girls like to use, and by inspiring me to edit my photos in certain ways, which attract this audience by seeming cool.

1. Instagram: Instagram is an app where many people, specifically women, go to find cooking recipes, lifestyle hacks, and mainly, fashion tips. So, during the process of finding pictures for my moodboard, I used instagram a lot because it helped e design a theme that could relate to my taget audience, as well as my magazine's purpose.

2. Pinterest: Despite my love for instagram and tiktok, pinterest was the app i USED MOST FOR ANYTHING. iT GVE ME IDEAS WHEN CREATING MY PICTORIALS, THE LAYOUT OF MY SPREAD, AS WELL AS GIVING ME INSIGHT ON WHAT COLOR SCHEME WOULD LOOK BEST FOR A MODERNISTIC AND SIMPLISTIC MAGAZINE. iT DISPLAYED ATTRACTIVE, YET AESTHETIC PICTURES THAT MADE MY MAGAZINE LOOK WOW.

Scheduling

I have to admit that I am not a very organized person. I am with certain details, like when homework is due and such, but planning and scheduling events with my friends, not so much. At the beginning, when it came to doing my first photoshoot, I wasn't very prepared with my first model, Brielle Maleh, because she lives a little bit further from me, and seeing her during the school days wasn't exactly easy. So, I made sure on Saturday, October 26, we could meet up and do the photoshoot. To schedule this, I texted her a week before using Snapchat. As I am 15, I don't have a license, but I do have my permit, so I drove with my mom to her neighborhood in Skylake, using Waze to direct me. For the second photoshoot, I was much more prepared by having a scheduled picture day with my model, Noa Chocron, ready for November 12, along with all of her outfits already chosen. This made the process much quicker, and allowed me to take better pictures, given I was less rushed. She is my neighbor and lives around 10 houses away from me, so I did not have to drive anywhere. Also, I have been to her house many times, so I did not use any sort of map or app to direct me there. Lastly, due to the sudden change of my subject for photoshoot 3, I procrastinated the date, and did it at the very last minute on November 25. At first, I planned to photoshoot Brielle Maleh, however, because of the struggles of the first photoshoot, I decided to change my original plan and use objects/fashion accessories from my own home. I did not have to go anywhere, and was able to use my own camera in my room, to photograph all of the objects.

Combinations:

Using a combination of software (photoshop), hardware (canon cameras), and online (wordpress), I was able to build skills to develop a magazine that adheres to the needs of confused and wuriousteenage girls and women trying to find the best style for them.

Software, Hardware, and Online

Creating my moodboards was a long process that consisted of first, using online sources, such as Pinterest and Google, to get inspiration and find photos that visually relate to fashion and types of outfit accessories. Then, by using Photoshop, I was able to merge all of the photos together in a way where my target audience can learn and understand new fashion.

Creating this pictorial, as well as my other one, included using hardware (camera) to take the photos of the model and the surrounding objects, online apps like Pinterest to get inspiration for the pictorial designs, and software (Photoshop) to then execute my idea and put all of the photos, designs, and colors together.

My spread pages took many steps to complete, starting with my sketched layout on paper that was created by inspiration from other popular magazines. Then, I used Photoshop to add the placeholders where the text and pictures would go. Lastly, I implemented the pictures I took during each photoshoot from my digital cameras.

Creating my photoshoots is another example of a combination between software and hardware because it started with me taking the photos of my subjects on my digital cameras, and then transporting that to Lightroom, where I edited 15 photos (of the ones I liked best) from each photoshoot out of the 35+ taken originally.