How have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this project?

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Whilst constructing my pop magazine, I used many different programmes such as ‘Publisher’ and digital cameras. Whilst working with my camera (Canon 400D), I have learnt to take main images at different angles to highlight certain parts of the face (medium close up shots). I have also learnt to use the camera on manual and changing the focal points of the lens, this will help me get what I want focused in the picture and what I don’t want to be, this will create shallow and long depths of field in my images. I also decided not to use the internal flash of the camera and simply use a reflector to shine light on the model. 

These new skills I have learnt during my project have really helped to construct my main pieces. The main technology programme that was used is ‘Photoshop’. As you can see, in my presentation, there are different steps that I took to produce each parts of the magazine, for instance the pull quotes, sky line and adding in thumbnails. I believe that I have learnt many new skills from the constant use of ‘Photoshop’. By using the effects of changing the opacity of my shapes (for the skyline and pull quote bubble) is a new skill that using this programme has taught me. I have also learnt to airbrush the skin. This is heavily used by magazine companies who hide blemishes and spots on all the models skin making it look flawless. By trying to replicate this, it had made my main image look professional which imitates real conventions of a pop magazine. I have learnt new things about different types of technologies whilst constructing my main pieces. 

By using these technologies has enabled me to produce this high level piece of work. Now that programmes such as 'Photoshop' has become available to purchase; although it is quite costly; (and in some cases free through illegal downloading), it has made it very accessible to produce and manipulate products at the same standards of real products on the market. 

Besides from the practical elements of the technologies I have used in my constructed pieces, I have also learnt the importance of Web 2.0. This is because it is the main research source I had to refer to and compare, use and evaluate from. For example, the evaluation process of real pop magazines were found using the world wide web. This has taught me how I can use the internet as a strength to improve my work. I understand that a maybe half a century ago there was a restriction towards getting information through the internet and it is not as open as it was. I have learnt that I am very advantaged to be able to have so many resources from technologies that I can in co-operate with the construction of my project.