Media Studies Portfolio: December 2018

Media representation that I may use in my project

For my project I will perhaps do a magazine with the food/cooking genre. This type of magazine oftentimes features articles about living healthier and uses healthier ingredients/ recipes. Therefore, an issue that I may represent in my project is obesity. Obesity is a global problem affecting people from all over the world which is a topic that I would like to discuss. In my project I would discuss ways to a healthy living to help the prevention of obesity.

One example obesity is represented in media is in the documentary movie, Super Size Me. This movie is about a man that tries to eat unhealthy for a period of time, to prove that eating fast foods have a terrible effect on us and could lead to being overweight. The documentary provides the representation of how obesity is a problem based on the menus of fast foods and also based on the person. Therefore, this is something that I would like to represent perhaps in my magazine article. I would like to talk about the negative effects that eating unhealthy foods could do and that gaining weight could be prevented.

Another example this issue is represented in media is in the Tv series The Biggest Loser. This series is about contestants that are obese and overweight that compete to win a prize by trying to lose the most weight. Just by the name, it can be seen that this platform of media represents people that are overweight as “losers”. I believe that this may bring a bad connotation to these kinds of people, which is something that should not be done. Instead, in my project I would discuss the ways this group of people could reduce their weight but in an effective manner that does not deal with a temporary satisfaction.

Overall, I do not agree with all types of media representation with people that are obese. I believe that they should be represented as people that are struggling to try and eat the healthier way. Which is why I would represent people obese that they are in the need for help eating a healthier way.

1. Genre:

Travel Magazine

2. Genre Conventions- content

The main purpose of a travel magazine is to promote tourism and also to inform and entertain those who love to travel with articles. Therefore, this genre normally features seasonal recommendations of places to visit, interviews with experienced travelers, and traveling tips when traveling far from home. The front covers of travel magazines always consist of the name of the magazine in large colorful font to attract viewers. In addition, the front cover of these magazines have large pictures of extravagant landscapes to show the main topic discussed in the issue.

3. Genre Conventions- Production techniques

Most of the pictures for a travel magazine are shot on location rather than a studio this is because these magazines are about promoting people to visit a location. Location shootings can often be quite difficult since it often requires clearing people from a location to take a decent picture, it is especially hard for places that have a lot of tourism. In order to provide beautiful high resolution pictures of a location, photographers are required to take them in professional cameras. In addition, photographers have to be aware of conventions such as composition and angles to create a nice looking picture. Travel magazine production can take a long time, since it requires patience to take good pictures when visiting a place, and then must need the help with editing.

4. Sample #1

Travel + Leisure March 2013 issue

This sample embodies the travel magazine since it contains most of the features that a travel magazine would have. For example, the front cover of this magazine depicts the title in large bolded letters to grab any reader’s attention. It also contains large picture of a well known Roman building to show the main topic discussed in the magazine. In addition, just how travel magazines are, this magazine shows tips on traveling and recommendations in places in Rome. As for production techniques, the pictures show that these were photos taken on location, just like any travel magazine. It also looks to have been taken by a professional camera as well as taken the time of having it edited since the front cover picture looking to be in high resolution and have a nice filter over the original.

5. Sample #2
Condé Nast Traveler April 2015 issue

This second sample embodies the travel magazine genre in many ways. Content wise, just like any travel magazine, this magazine has its title in large letters to attract viewers and depicts one main focus that is going to be featured based on the front cover picture. It also features other main points that relate to traveling around Europe, informing what articles will be shown throughout the magazine. For production techniques, it uses everything that a travel magazine would do, the pictures were shot on location with a professional camera to show the picture in high definition. All of the edited techniques of the photograph and design create an aesthetically pleasing front cover, just like other travel magazines.