CCR #1 DRAFT

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
My product utilizes a number of conventions, and also challenges a few as well. In my main photograph (cover), I wanted to create a sense of unease and anxiety. Overall, I wanted the photo to be as artistic as possible, and I knew I would have to use Photoshop in order to do that. I have the model in the center, and her body language is supposed to convey a sense of calm and "coolness". I had her move around the space and convey the exact opposite. I wanted her to act like she was scared, and closed off from the world. I then spliced all those images together, and made the anxious poses more transparent than the center image. The editing process was necessary. Most photographers do not like to use Photoshop for their entire images, which was one convention I challenged. I had to use the software in order to achieve the photo I wanted, despite the "no filter" and "no editing" views of most photographers. I also used an editing app to place some filters on my photos and change them to my liking.This was all in order to convey how mental illness can be an internal struggle rather than an external struggle. This also represents the social issue of stigma surrounding mental illness. Many people do not register disorders such as anxiety and depression as illnesses because they cannot see its physical effects like one can with the flu or cancer. I feel that it is enormously underrepresented, and more light needs to shine on it in order to end the stigma.

The fonts I used in my magazine were meant to be simple but eye-catching. I am not a fan of basic fonts on magazines, or really extravagant ones either. I believe that the magazine should do the talking, not the fonts. I wanted a sleek and modern style, and my fonts were one way to achieve that. I tried to match my colors with what would best work for the cover, and I also color-matched the font for my main article with the model's shirt for some continuity.

My photo shoots were spread out in terms of both time and location, but I wanted to provide a different scene in each photo. Therefore, some of my photos were taken in my backyard, and others in downtown. I needed a mostly blank background for my Photoshop photograph, as it allowed for more ease when the editing process came into play.