Evaluation: Technologies

To produce my magazine I used a camera, computer, PhotoScape editing software, macromedia fireworks editing software and Microsoft Publisher. To take the three sets of photos I used a standard digital camera. I then uploaded them onto a computer and manipulated them accordingly using photoscape editing software. By using photoscape I was able to re-size the images whilst keeping the same quality, shape the images (for the contents page) and alter the brightness and contrast to improve the image appearance. To construct the main body of the product I used Microsoft publisher and this was the most accessible programme that can combine text, shapes and photographs.

I used my skills when taking the photographs. I made sure I was aware of the light position and how dark the areas were when I was taking the photographs because I needed all my photographs to be bright and bold. Once, I had taken the pictures I used PhotoScape editing software to edit them accordingly. I used auto-level and auto-contrast on all of my photos. For the double page spread image I inserted 3 objects (picture doodles) and re-sized them to fit in with page and layered them in the correct places. I also used the whole image re sizer to change the dimensions of the image but to also keep the same quality. For the front cover image I needed to remove the whole of the white background for the plans for my front cover. To do this I first edited the auto-level and auto-contrast on photoscape but then transferred the image to fireworks. Using the ‘magic-wand’ tool I was able to select the total area I wish to remove and keep a smooth edge on the image left. The only editing I used for the contents page image was to auto-level them and then make them have round edges. I did this all on photoscape.

Examples in my product:

< Image on photoscape- auto level and auto contrast

Photoscape editing software skills:Cropping the photo to square size (conventional album cover). The focus of the album cover is to be the figure herself, so ideally she should be centred in the middle of the cropped photograph. However, because this album cover is aimed at a young audience, they stereotypically have large text. Therefore I positioned the figure to the right hand side, leaving room for the large text to cover the top of the image.

< Image after cropping, and adding text (outline and shadowing)

In my preliminary task I used photoscape for the whole of my final product. I chose to use Microsoft Publisher for the main task because this gives you a lot of features that photoscape does not. For example, photoscape is mainly used for editing the whole of one photo rather than a ‘product’ with multiple elements of photographs, shapes and text- all layered on top of one and other. In my planning I made draft layouts of my final product which were in publisher. Continuing in publisher I added the edited photographs to these and then was able to add text, colours and shapes to the page.