Adobe Photoshop

Before starting this course, I had never used this professional software before. For my production, I learnt how to use Adobe Photoshop and how to develop on my skills. It was very useful to edit the images that where in my production. The ‘lasso’ tool was useful to the models on the front cover as it enabled me to select exactly what I want as it draws freehand segments. Photoshop is useful a it allows layers. After getting used to it, I found it very useful to select certain things to work on and put layers behind another. In my production, I used white boxes under images like ‘Steve K’ to make them stand out against the background.

DSLR camera T

The portrait setting (shown by the women with a hat to the side) was my favourite setting to use in my production. This was because I wanted still images mainly of peoples faces. Using a high quality camera like that shown at the top was in my opinion useful when having to zoom as it has a depth-of-field. To get close ups but not be in the models face was great.

QuarkXPress

I used this professional software for the double-page spread and the contents. It allowed me to make columns. It made my production similar to convectional magazines like mine. In the double-page spread I used 3 columns to convey to other magazines. As I wanted to add in images that I had edited on Adobe Photoshop, I used the picture box tool. I found it difficult to get the image and the box size the same. If the box was too big and the image was small, it would stretch the image if I choose ‘fit to box’.

Blogger

Blogger helped in my production to keep all my work in one place. I learnt how to set up and us ‘blogger’. The best thing I learnt was how to upload images into my blogs.

I've enjoyed learning how to use this technology while constructing my production.

As I had never used any of this equipment and professional software before, one could argue that anyone including amateurs, like I was is capable of producing reasonably professional material, however it isn’t exactly easy to do.