For this project, we had to look at various publications and look at how they laid out photos and text, and how they used captions.
The first magazine I looked at was the May edition of National Geographic. The cover shot showed a baby, on a very plain white background for text. The first story I looked at was called 'On Beyond 100' and started with an image that was almost a double page spread, and the second page was a large image covering most of the 2 pages and a small amount of text. The next was a smaller photo and a large amount of text. The photos are in a square format, with white space around. On some pages the text dominates and some the photos do. The photos are portraits, some with lots of background and some with other people in them.
'Russian Refuge' starts with a portrait image, then a double page spread. The images are mainly of wildlife and often fill the page and spread to the second one if not a full double page spread. Italics were used for captions, which made them stand out more than others.
'Breaking the Silence' opens with a double page spread, and then has one more before a whole page portrait shot. There are then maps and more double pages to illustrate the story. Other pages are portraits taking up a whole page each, taken on a black background.
'Our Fertilized World' starts off with 2 double spreads. This article has long captions with no italics. The next page has an image at the top and maps and 3 images over the text.
'Element Hunters' starts with a portrait on one page. All images are optioned, no italics. Captions are lengthy, some in white depending on the colour. All images are the same style.
'China's Ancient Lifeline' starts off with a double page HDR image, then another double page spread before the text and maps. Then come landscape images at the top with the text under, and there are more double page spreads.
The next magazine was Wild Travel. There was an image of a frog on the front, with room left for the magazine title. This is a magazine I have not seen before, and I was quite surprised at how many images were used.
'Sun Sea and Shearwaters' starts off with a double page spread, with an introduction and large title over it. The next page has images at the top, with text underneath. Then there are 3 more images, 2 landscape and one portrait, large blocks of colour. The next page has 2 images that go over the middle, with others on each side. Then there is a single page with images of different sizes.
'The Hills are Alive' has the first image over 1.5 pages, with a portrait next to it. There is an image of a vast landscape next to a close up. Lots of animal shots. The text is lots of animal info and lots of small photos to illustrate.
'Fade to White' has a double page spread then a mix of shots of people, animals and the terrain and travel - one image goes across two pages.
'Guide - Destination Costa Rica' - This starts off with a portrait image and one page to introduce the guide, then a double page spread. Small images are used, mixed sizes. Some are photos of animals in a circular shape.
'Beach Patrol' - Starts with a double page spread but this time the text crosses the middle of one page. There are collages showing the differing stages of a turtle's lifespan at the top of a page with text under.
'Force of Nature' starts with a double page image with the introduction on it on one side. Then it is followed by various sized landscape images, over both pages. The next page has a mix of portrait and landscape images of various sizes.
Guardian Weekend, from 27/4/13, had a very small amount of text on the cover, overlaying the image.
'A Woman's Place' opens with some text on a white space, and includes an image of a woman in the workplace in square format over the rest of the double page. The images throughout are of women in their workplaces, the women are clear but there is a lot of background included to indicate where they work. Some are portrait, some landscape. The colours are very rich. Some pages have 2 images. There are no captions, the text around the photos tells the story.
Observer Magazine, 28/4/13, has a cover where the text of the title goes behind the photo.
'After the Massacre' uses captions that are quotes from the person in the photo. The opening page has 2 square format photos of people, put facing away from each other, maybe to symbolise loneliness or wanting to turn away from people affected. The full portrait shows a person and her injury is the main focus. The next double page has some text down one side, then 5 photos of varying sizes, showing the victims in different places, one with obvious injuries.
You Magazine 28/4/13 again had text from the title behind the persons head, the rest of the text was fitted around.
'Our Children Were Murdered by our Husbands' started with a large image and some text down the side. Captions were on the inlay with text and were of newspaper articles. The lighting highlighted the faces of the mothers. The next page shows each mum in the same place as the initial photo, one is portrait style and one landscape. Each has a caption and photo of the children, plus a quote. The story ends with an inlay of the children and newspaper, a full page (portrait) of a woman.
Stern Magazine, 8/5/13 has a title that goes behind the subject and you can almost not read the title at all. The format is what makes us know which magazine it is, the star on the top left corner.
'Bilder der Woche' each one is a double page image with a small text for each one in a corner.
'Heiss Erwartet' has a double page spread, with a short caption and title. The next page is 2 images and text, then smaller images.
'Dolce Vita' starts with a double page image, title and introduction, then there is a square image over 2 pages leaving a space on the right for one more image. The double pages have some colour images and some black and white.
Paris Match
'Cleveland la Maison de l'horreur' starts with a double page with some introductory text in the bottom corner and the title. Then there is a collage of images of the house and suspect, missing posters and then a large picture of the girls now, which appears to be taken in a hospital. There are then some police images of the suspect.
'Haiti la lecon de vie' starts off again with a double page image containing some text. The next page has an image over the centre bit then 3 on the side showing the classroom - this format was used again.
Dorset Maagzine May 2013 has quite a busy title page, the sky in the image holds the title.
'The Broadchurch Effect' starts with a portrait of the writer in landscape format, and one of people below it. There are short captions for each image either on the image or just below. The next double page has collages of 3 or 4 images at the top and text under. The last page has an image of 3 people taken in the same place as the initial portrait.
'Pedals, Peaks and Padding' starts with a half page image, on which the caption is placed sideways. Then follow images of cyclists and maps with text around them. The photos are all different sizes and formats.
Whilst doing this project I was struck with the varying image sizes used and the fact there seems to be no set pattern any more. I guess that the images are taken on various cameras and there is no standard size, which may explain this. Captions also vary, some in italics and some sideways, some on the image and some just below. Some publications varied this too, again no set theme.
The first magazine I looked at was the May edition of National Geographic. The cover shot showed a baby, on a very plain white background for text. The first story I looked at was called 'On Beyond 100' and started with an image that was almost a double page spread, and the second page was a large image covering most of the 2 pages and a small amount of text. The next was a smaller photo and a large amount of text. The photos are in a square format, with white space around. On some pages the text dominates and some the photos do. The photos are portraits, some with lots of background and some with other people in them.
'Russian Refuge' starts with a portrait image, then a double page spread. The images are mainly of wildlife and often fill the page and spread to the second one if not a full double page spread. Italics were used for captions, which made them stand out more than others.
'Breaking the Silence' opens with a double page spread, and then has one more before a whole page portrait shot. There are then maps and more double pages to illustrate the story. Other pages are portraits taking up a whole page each, taken on a black background.
'Our Fertilized World' starts off with 2 double spreads. This article has long captions with no italics. The next page has an image at the top and maps and 3 images over the text.
'Element Hunters' starts with a portrait on one page. All images are optioned, no italics. Captions are lengthy, some in white depending on the colour. All images are the same style.
'China's Ancient Lifeline' starts off with a double page HDR image, then another double page spread before the text and maps. Then come landscape images at the top with the text under, and there are more double page spreads.
The next magazine was Wild Travel. There was an image of a frog on the front, with room left for the magazine title. This is a magazine I have not seen before, and I was quite surprised at how many images were used.
'Sun Sea and Shearwaters' starts off with a double page spread, with an introduction and large title over it. The next page has images at the top, with text underneath. Then there are 3 more images, 2 landscape and one portrait, large blocks of colour. The next page has 2 images that go over the middle, with others on each side. Then there is a single page with images of different sizes.
'The Hills are Alive' has the first image over 1.5 pages, with a portrait next to it. There is an image of a vast landscape next to a close up. Lots of animal shots. The text is lots of animal info and lots of small photos to illustrate.
'Fade to White' has a double page spread then a mix of shots of people, animals and the terrain and travel - one image goes across two pages.
'Guide - Destination Costa Rica' - This starts off with a portrait image and one page to introduce the guide, then a double page spread. Small images are used, mixed sizes. Some are photos of animals in a circular shape.
'Beach Patrol' - Starts with a double page spread but this time the text crosses the middle of one page. There are collages showing the differing stages of a turtle's lifespan at the top of a page with text under.
'Force of Nature' starts with a double page image with the introduction on it on one side. Then it is followed by various sized landscape images, over both pages. The next page has a mix of portrait and landscape images of various sizes.
Guardian Weekend, from 27/4/13, had a very small amount of text on the cover, overlaying the image.
'A Woman's Place' opens with some text on a white space, and includes an image of a woman in the workplace in square format over the rest of the double page. The images throughout are of women in their workplaces, the women are clear but there is a lot of background included to indicate where they work. Some are portrait, some landscape. The colours are very rich. Some pages have 2 images. There are no captions, the text around the photos tells the story.
Observer Magazine, 28/4/13, has a cover where the text of the title goes behind the photo.
'After the Massacre' uses captions that are quotes from the person in the photo. The opening page has 2 square format photos of people, put facing away from each other, maybe to symbolise loneliness or wanting to turn away from people affected. The full portrait shows a person and her injury is the main focus. The next double page has some text down one side, then 5 photos of varying sizes, showing the victims in different places, one with obvious injuries.
You Magazine 28/4/13 again had text from the title behind the persons head, the rest of the text was fitted around.
'Our Children Were Murdered by our Husbands' started with a large image and some text down the side. Captions were on the inlay with text and were of newspaper articles. The lighting highlighted the faces of the mothers. The next page shows each mum in the same place as the initial photo, one is portrait style and one landscape. Each has a caption and photo of the children, plus a quote. The story ends with an inlay of the children and newspaper, a full page (portrait) of a woman.
Stern Magazine, 8/5/13 has a title that goes behind the subject and you can almost not read the title at all. The format is what makes us know which magazine it is, the star on the top left corner.
'Bilder der Woche' each one is a double page image with a small text for each one in a corner.
'Heiss Erwartet' has a double page spread, with a short caption and title. The next page is 2 images and text, then smaller images.
'Dolce Vita' starts with a double page image, title and introduction, then there is a square image over 2 pages leaving a space on the right for one more image. The double pages have some colour images and some black and white.
Paris Match
'Cleveland la Maison de l'horreur' starts with a double page with some introductory text in the bottom corner and the title. Then there is a collage of images of the house and suspect, missing posters and then a large picture of the girls now, which appears to be taken in a hospital. There are then some police images of the suspect.
'Haiti la lecon de vie' starts off again with a double page image containing some text. The next page has an image over the centre bit then 3 on the side showing the classroom - this format was used again.
Dorset Maagzine May 2013 has quite a busy title page, the sky in the image holds the title.
'The Broadchurch Effect' starts with a portrait of the writer in landscape format, and one of people below it. There are short captions for each image either on the image or just below. The next double page has collages of 3 or 4 images at the top and text under. The last page has an image of 3 people taken in the same place as the initial portrait.
'Pedals, Peaks and Padding' starts with a half page image, on which the caption is placed sideways. Then follow images of cyclists and maps with text around them. The photos are all different sizes and formats.
Whilst doing this project I was struck with the varying image sizes used and the fact there seems to be no set pattern any more. I guess that the images are taken on various cameras and there is no standard size, which may explain this. Captions also vary, some in italics and some sideways, some on the image and some just below. Some publications varied this too, again no set theme.
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