Coursework: Photography

In class we looked at two covers and how the main images in the cover showed photographic technqiues to appeal to certain audiences and fit genre conventions.

We used two examples to compare how the rule of thirds had been used both similarly and differently to give opposite effects:

The first third features
the mast head, and the left third features the cover lines, which leaves the right side a centre intersections to focus on cover star Eva Longoria. Her eyes are looking down the camera lens, as if she is looking at us. Making her face the centered focal point, working well for the magazine cover with a pleasing look for the audience. It has a coy submissive look, which gives her as a woman a flirty but passive appeal, that suits her girly persona and fits the genre of magazine.
Her face looks soft and welcoming, which gives her an empathetic connection that a female magazine needs.
The left third's white font is hard to read, due to the light/pale background. Contrasting to the cover line just off the focal points that are centred to Eva's face - linking the cover line to her.

The NME cover uses cover star Morrissey's eyes as a focal point, with his aggressive facial expression using the eyes to look down into the camera lens.
He is slightly peering down the lens which has the slight effect of a low angle shot.
The left third like 'allure' is busy with cover lines.
Also like 'allure' just off the focal point near his mouth is a cove line. However using a rotate the line "BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN' in capitals is made to look as if it's coming out of his mouth, giving an angry shouting impression.

The ripped paper effect next to his face, just out of the focal point, reaffirms that violent thug like impression of the magazine.