Lighting Research

Lighting a photograph well is key to producing a masterpiece. This can also be applied to filming. I conducted some research into lighting so that I can gain ideas and confidence when shooting. I have a studio available which uses light-boxes among other things can will greatly enhance my photos. I can also use natural light (which is more likely) when I go out to report on a story. For filming interviews I have a portable studio that I can easily set up to enhance the natural light. 

Studio 


Why use the studio? The studio allows you to produce something that you had in your minds eye. Studio lighting gives you far more control over the illumination of your subject. You can brighten the photo by simply adjusting a switch, and take the same shot over and over again until it is perfected. However, this can lead to photos looking the same, since everything can be tweaked until its just right, unlike taking a photo outside where a cloud might stray over the subjects face, creating a sense of drama. That is not to say using the studio is a bad thing though. 

The simplest studio lighting set up is the standard two light system. The first light is the brighter of the two, and should be placed in front of the subject (between the subject and the camera) and slightly to my left. The light should be directly facing the subject. Since lighting of this type tends to be harsh, the light will be softened with a soft box. The second light shall be placed behind and slightly above the subject just out of frame. This is called the hair or rim light, and will create a soft halo of light around my subject.


Below is a few things I will be keeping in mind while I plan my shoots.

• Full on lighting can wash out skin tones, so when I am using the studio for taking shots for the poster, or website I will bounce light from the sides. 
• When setting up a shot, I will be on the lookout for shadows that may cast awkward angles across the subject's face. This can also be applied to shooting outdoors as well.

Natural Light


Why use natural light? Shooting outdoors creates a sense of realism. The shot has to be well timed and wont always turn out how it was wanted. Outside the subject reacts to the weather conditions, a sudden gust of wind will make an interesting photograph rather than use a wind machine because of the surprise on the subjects face. Some of the best photographs are taken outside. 


Hard Light

Hard light is best at either end of the day, shortly after the sun has risen and just before it sets. Photographers call this period the golden hour, because of the quality of the light. If the sky is clear, the light is still hard, but it’s a great deal softer than in the middle of the day. It also comes at the subject from a low angle which reveals form and texture and is much more interesting than midday light. Hard light is also good for architecture and bringing out colours.

Soft Light

Soft light describes the type of light that you find in the shade or on a cloudy day. Any shadows have soft edges. Soft light, especially on a cloudy winter’s day, can seem grey and dull, without much potential for photography.Soft light is great for taking photos of people, especially portraits. If you’re outside on a sunny day, taking photos of people, find some shade and take photos of them there. The results will be much better.Soft light is also suitable for taking photos in rainforest and woodland, and for still life and flowers. On a cloudy day, avoid including the sky in your photos – it usually just comes out white.

Backlight

 Backlight is created when the light source is behind the subject. Backlight, like hard light, has lots of contrast. Also like hard light, it’s normally best for photos at the end or the start of the day. Backlighting from the sun at any other time of the day has too much contrast. Backlighting is good for landscapes, portraits and architecture. It’s a powerful, moody, evocative type of lighting. It is very dramatic if combined with weather conditions like mist or fog.

Dramatic Light

Dramatic light is created by dramatic weather such as a thunderstorm. It’s the type of light that you see when the clouds clear after a rain storm, or if the sun breaks through the clouds on a rainy day near sunset.Dramatic light is ideal for photographing landscapes, seascapes and architecture – almost anything outside. If you are confronted with a scene lit by dramatic light, treat it as a gift and take as many photos as you can while it lasts. Dramatic light normally doesn't last very long, and it may not return.




I will use this knowledge combined with my previous research of press photography to create something worthy of being placed on the front page. I have decided that I will place a studio shot image as the main image for my newspaper because this allows me to make sure I can take the perfect photograph. By setting the lighting right and alining the backdrop hopefully my photography will attract a younger audience because it will give the newspaper a fresher feel. This research is key to my project because it allows me to gain knowledge in areas that I normally would dismiss and rely on others to help me. Now I feel more confident in setting up a studio with the right amount of light and hopefully will show this in my upcoming shoots.

Press Photography Research

Press Photographers produce photographs of current events, and the people involved in them, on a daily basis, for national or local newspapers, news magazines and press agencies. Images are invariably shot on location, using hand-held digital cameras with a portable electronic flash, with the photographer also carrying a laptop and a mobile phone so that they can download images directly to the picture desk. Newspapers and press agencies keep abreast of upcoming events so a great deal of Press Photography can be scheduled in advance. However, publications do organise work in shifts so that photographers are always available to cover any breaking news story. The news editor decides which stories to cover, while the picture editor decides how many images will be required and briefs photographers on the type of shots he is looking for. 

The photographer may take a variety of shots, but will generally be expected to present four or five usable pictures for each news story. They are usually under pressure to get from one location to the next and must therefore be organised and efficient. Press Photographers working for local papers need to have the ability to make the mundane or commonplace appear interesting and they are therefore always looking for a fresh "angle".

Newspaper or press photography has a glamorous image based largely on TV documentaries about larger-than-life "paparazzi" (the Italian word for "buzzing insects") whose job it is to capture images of celebrities for the national newspapers and gossip magazines. However the vast majority of Press Photographers are skilful, diplomatic people, who work under pressure to capture the best possible images to document events, tell a story, meet the picture editor's deadlines and help sell the newspaper. Most work for local or provincial newspapers where the photographer covers every possible subject from court proceedings to business stories, hospital openings and village fêtes. On national newspapers it is usual for Press Photographers to specialise in a particular field, such as sports or politics. Press Photographers may be employed by the publication but an increasing number work on commission as freelancers. Most picture editors will consider work offered to them ‘on spec' (speculatively) if it is of a sufficiently high standard or features a subject not covered by their own photographers.

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words and Press Photographers should therefore have a good understanding of the needs of the publishing industry and have the ability to capture significant moments, without fumbling to select the right lens, aperture or shutter speed. They need expert knowledge of suitable photographic equipment, combined with the ability to recognise a developing situation, and to adopt the right approach, in terms of both positioning and reporting. They must be able to work quickly under pressure, effectively manipulating both equipment and people.  





This research is key to my success because without proper instruction on how to take a good photograph my newspaper will look childish and lack an overall feel of professionalism. Press photography is difficult and the main image on a newspapers front cover will make it stand out, or not, from other newspapers. I have learnt and gained some idea about how to present and capture my own imagery and look forward to becoming more knowledgeable in this area. 

Flat Plans of the Poster

The first idea I had for my newspaper poster was to show two contradicting photos, one above the other, presenting them as you would in a comic book or graphic novel. However after some consideration I believe this to be veering in the wrong direction for my poster. 

The second idea I had played more on the research I had conducted, by using a plain white background and having text presented in different colours. However I also feel now that I need a main image to go alongside my persuasive text therefore this idea isn't the right one for me.

The last idea I have had was to design a poster to something similar to the one below. Using a stamp masthead, which can be photoshoped into something more advisable, and drawing Cornwall inside a cloud this poster could be the right one for me. I like the simple white background alongside the main image, and everything connotes this to be a local newspaper.

Survey Monkey Analysis

This survey monkey questioned my target audience about what they would want to see for a newspaper poster. The results were interesting.

The most important question is the persons age, determining the target audience. Again, because I posted this on Facebook, a social networking site the target audience was young people, since only my friends could view the post.

The gender remained reasonably balanced, which meant there was not much room for a biased opinion, which will allow me to create a product that is well suited for both genders.

The social grade remained along the same lines as last time, which again I was expecting. Nearly all the answers above rarely changed from the previous survey

I wanted to ask this question because if my market research turned out negative against building a poster, and if I were creating a real product, I would have to rethink ways of advertising my newspaper. Fortunately more people thought I should have a poster as a way of advertising my product. 

Gaining some idea about contents of the poster was another key point, because if it showed information that was unneeded or unattractive then it would be a waste of space on the poster. The ideas where interesting, with showing news headlines one of the most popular choices. I will have to take this into consideration when building my poster.

This was another important question for my research because I wanted to make sure that my poster would be utilised to its maximum. 30% of people said that they would not buy the newspaper and 30% said that it would be highly likely that they would buy the newspaper. 

A lot of positive responses came from this question. This is obviously the best way to advertise my newspaper, along with the comment, 'advertise on TV'. 

Overall I believe that making a poster is the best choice to advertise my newspaper and I look forward to building it.

Survey Monkey - Posters

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Building the Poster- Looking into Common Conventions

Creativity, according to Bentley, involves 'the making of the new and rearranging of the old.' In other words, in order to create a product that is fit for purpose you have to carefully research the conventions of existing media texts that are from a similar genre and pitched at a similar target audience to the products you intend to produce.

Below are two newspaper posters that I will analyse so when I produce my own I have some grounding in what makes a good poster, and what makes a great one.

The Guardian uses an interesting way of catching the public eye by keeping the poster very simple, but also using a lot of colour. It makes a bold statement about its product; that it is trustworthy for not confusing facts with opinions, therefore not breaking moral codes and stereotyping. It also advertises its website by adding the '.co.uk' under the masthead. This poster would be placed on billboards and in shops, somewhere I was planning on placing mine, therefore maximising viewing by potential buyers. The colours used for the words fact and opinion vary; the blues and greens represent the Guardian as these are the papers colours, and the reds and oranges could represent danger of being led astray by opinionated news, since red connotes this. The choice of layout is important because fact is bent upwards, towards the top of the paper, and is therefore higher than opinion. The white background allows the readers to focus of the text, and makes sure the strong message is not lost in a pictured background.
Overall this poster is very effective in the message it gets across and I would be happy to take ideas for my local newspaper poster from this style model.

The 'i' also uses an unique way of catching the public eye by keeping the poster very simple, but using typography to make the letter i. I would like to follow suit and produce something along the same lines because I feel it advertises my newspaper at my target audience by having a unique and quirky poster. The letter C would be a good idea, or even having an image of a cloud which is filled with words from my stories and what comments I have received about my product. Again this poster uses a plain white background, therefore my own work will follow the common conventions. The language used on the i's poster would be targeted at young people and lexis such as 'cheap price' proves this point. If the target audience was a higher age bracket the lexis would most likely be 'inexpensive' or 'affordable'. Therefore the poster is hitting its target audience and mine must do the same.
Overall this poster is very effective in the message it gets across and I would be happy to take ideas for my local newspaper poster from this style model.

Building the Website - Looking into Common Conventions

Common Conventions of Websites on Prezi

Survey Monkey - Interests, Tweets, and Publishing Dates

The second Survey Monkey was more focused on local newspapers, disregarding national and asking about technology and publishing. I was interested to see what local young people thought about technology  and the newspaper, using social networking sites such as Twitter, and creating a website for the newspaper which can be available for use on the iPad, iPod, and iPhone.

Of course the most important question is the persons age, determining the target audience. Again, because I posted this on Facebook, a social networking site the target audience was young people, since only my friends could view the post.

The gender remained balanced again, not allowing for a biased opinion, which will allow me to create a product that is well suited for males and females. Unlike last time there was not as many people answering this survey which I need to take into account. 

The social grade remained along the same lines as last time, which again I was expecting. Nearly all the answers above rarely changed from the previous survey. 

This question addressed what audiences like to read in local newspapers and the most common answers were the sport section, local news (which of course would be covered) and art awards etc. This gives me some idea about what to report on, and what stories I should pursuit. 

This question addressed what audiences dislike to read in local newspapers and the most common answers were the sport section, advertising, and stereotypical views. This gives me some idea about what not to report on, and what stories I should not pursuit. 

This question is very important in research because I will be able to create a base of ideas before adding my own. Gaining ideas from the target audience allows an insight into what the reader wants to see covered and gives me an insight into what other newspapers might be missing. It is clear to see I will have to gain stories on local events, stories on youth and generally a variety of information to hold the readers interest.  

Technology is evolving every day so I feel it should be part of my newspaper in the form of tweets and the website which will be constantly updated. However, though I might feel this is a good idea, the reader might not so it was imperative that I ask before I spend hours creating something that will not have a massive impact. I was pleased to find out that technology would be appreciated and that a website would be useful. 

This was the last question and allows me to think about how often I would publish the newspaper. Once a week was the strongest answer so this will be my final choice. 

Overall I feel a lot more confident about creating a newspaper because I have strong ideas about what the target audience wants out of my product. 

Survey Monkey - Buying, Reading, and Preferences

Before even  searching for stories or drafting design ideas I needed some research into what the target audience wants from a newspaper. I decided to create two Survey Monkeys, one asking how often readers buy a local newspaper, and one questioning what readers would like to see included in a local newspaper. This will give me the grounding to build upon when I come to the designing stage. By asking the first three questions I was also able to determine my target audience. 

Below is the analysis of the first Survey Monkey:

Since I posted my survey onto social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter the majority, as can be seen in the above image, is young people, mainly teenagers. It was open on the internet so this did allow for an older audience to participate. The results effect the rest of the questionnaire, but since my target audience is youth, this works in my favour. I was intrigued by what young people think of print newspapers since they are being put out of fashion by the internet and the new magazine rack produced by Apple which allows for newspapers and magazines to be brought and read on iPads. 

Stanley Hall devised the Storm and Stress model which had two main points; that depression was a common mood in teenagers, and criminal activity would increase between the ages of 12 and 24. He explained that teenagers are after heightened sensations and if this cannot be found legally then they turn to illegal methods such as drink, drugs, and sex. When designing my newspaper I need to keep in mind this theory because even though it was written in 1904 it is relevant today and my newspaper needs to keep the audience involved throughout the story and pages.

The second most important question is of course gender and I managed to gain a nearly even amount of females and males, and therefore allowing my survey not to be gender biased. This is important because having too much of one genders opinion can lead me to create a biased newspaper, therefore stopping max profit. 

One of the most common ways of identifying a target audience is the social economic model. Even though this model, used by the NRS has been used for a long time, it is still useful way of identifying an audience. This is in the same standing as the first two questions, as it still puts into perspective who is answering my questions, allowing me to analyse the results, and being able to summarise my target audience better. Hall and Homes (1998) stated that 'any media text is created for a particular audience and will usually appeal most of this particular target audience'. Since I discovered previously that teenagers were completing my survey I was not surprised to see that the most ticked NRS grade was grade E. 

Audience is one of the most important things to consider when creating a media product because there is always a commercial aspect and context to consider. Part of the context has to be structuring the text to represent a particular target audience and their needs; if this is not done successfully then the reader will not be happy, and therefore not buy the product. To get this right knowledge of the target audience (consumer) defines the ideology of the work. In other words to make a successful product you need to know your target audience. 

Aiming this product at teenagers is risky because they are classed under the niche audience heading, and it is a common known fact that they do not have a lot of money, since most do not hold a full time job. However by attracting the right audience now they will hopefully stay with the newspaper as they age, therefore boosting profit. Niche audiences are much smaller than mass audiences but more influential. Marxist would define them as upper class/middle class who control the media and may wish to see 'high culture' products. 

To understand if I should create a daily or weekly newspaper I  I asked how often the reader bought a paper (local and national). This will lead onto me saving money by not publishing too often and making a profit in the long run. The common answer was every few months with 5 people ticking this box, followed by every month with only 3 people. It then filtered out to 2 people buying and reading a paper once a week, and 1 person enjoying a paper every day. The two 'other' answers stated that they brought it 'once in a while' and 'only if my family or myself are in a story'. This shows how Cornwall needs a local paper that is targeted at youth, because by looking at these responses teenagers are not interested in anything to do with a print production. There is a gap in the market for a local youth newspaper, which is good news for me. It was surprising that even though this question included nation newspapers there still was not a very good response. This could be because teenage related stories that are published by newspapers normally do not support youth, stereotyping them as 'chavs' and 'hoodies' who have nothing better to do than commit crimes to save them from boredom. Obviously this puts off young people from buying a newspaper because by reading it they see how the media view teenagers in such a negative light. By creating a local newspaper for teenagers and celebrating their success, hopefully this will encourage them to start buying a newspaper again. 

To gain some insight into how many young people actually read the local newspapers I posed the question above which lead to some interesting results. No one read the local newspaper every day, which wasn't surprising, but only 3 out of the 17 never read the local newspaper, giving some hope to the matter. 10 people read it 'sometimes' while only 2 people read a paper every week. Although I am not surprised by this information I would like to change it so that if I asked the same question in 6 months time, most of the answers will be around every week to every other week. 

I wanted to know out of local and national, which was brought and read more. Out of the 17 people 9 brought and read a local newspaper compared to 7 who brought and read a national. 1 person chose neither. This question gives me hope for my newspaper because local newspaper are chosen over national, therefore the competition is less already. It is surprising that young people are more interested in local news and events rather than national because it is more commonly viewed that young people want to read celebrity gossip in papers such as 'The Sun' and football scores in the sports section.  

This question follows on from the previous, but allowing me more insight into why they chose their answer. The answers are interesting to read, a have a variety of peoples opinions, which is good for me to study and allows me to make better choices about my newspaper. The even spread between people choosing the Cornish Guardian and national newspapers is good because I can take note of what the audience want, and make the appropriate changes to my product.

This was meant to be a 'fun question' that some surveys have nearing the end but also an insight into what newspapers the audience have read. It was pleasing to note that one of the highest papers read was the Cornish Guardian, a local newspaper. The rest were near enough even with votes, ranging from 2 votes for The Observer, to 7 votes for The Independent. It is pleasing to see the Daily Star has only two votes, showing that not all teenagers are interested in celebrity gossip, and more interested in local news. 

The last question was another 'fun' question, and finished the questionnaire. I asked the audience what they would name a local newspaper, which will help with my research because I can see what ideas young people would want to call a new paper. Some had a humorous undertone while others were more serious. However these did not sway my original thought and I will be continue to call my paper The Cloud.

Overall I was pleased with the results and will take into account that the answers came from teenagers, who I want to aim my product at.