Before taking the photographs for our CD digipak, we must ensure to plan sufficiently before hand in order to make sure we have the correct equipment and props for the photographs, our location is appropriate and each member of the group is aware of exactly how we want the image to appear.
What emotional impact do you want your photography do have upon the reader? How?
Rather than emotional, we would like our photo to have a very dramatic impact on the reader. As the music promo video will feature teenagers at a party, participating in very wild behaviour, we would like our image to be consistent with this, and having a shocking effect on the audience.
What personnel do you need? Who are you going to photograph?
For the photographs, we will be featuring the members of the band. We felt this was appropriate as it allows the viewer to identify with who the band are, specifically the image on the front cover by connecting the image in with the band featured in the video. We also felt this would be best as young bands are very popular with the teenage and young adult audience we are targeting our product towards. Also featuring band members that are almost same age as our target audience will be more relatable and possibly enhance the gratification of personal identity, allowing the audience to identify themselves with the values of those in the band.
What props will you need?
We will be using minimal props, as we want the image to be very dramatic and too many props, could cause the image to be too busy and distracting from the members of the band. The props we will be using, will consist of cigarettes and alcohol, to be both consistent with the music video, therefore allowing the overall package too look professional and emphasise the shocking behaviour.
How are you going to emphasise colour?
For the photographs we want to use quite a large amount of colour, to allow the images to maintain consistent with the colourful layout and effects we have used on the magazine advertisement and the layout of the CD digipak. We will be emphasising the colour featured on the models and props, by using a plain and washed out coloured backdrop, in the form of a fence or brick wall. This block colour will contrast with the many colours featured on the models clothing, creating more emphasis on each person, to attract the reader’s attention to them. This is important as we want to attract the viewer to the members of the band, encouraging them to notice the behaviour they are taking part in such as drinking or smoking, increasing the shocking impact we hope to achieve.
Have you briefed your personnel/models?
The models we will be using for the photographs will be the other members of the group. This will be much easier as they are aware of what needs to be done for the photographs and when they need to be produced, as they have participated in every part of the planning of the project.
What lighting will you need? Any other equipment?
To maintain the photographs realistic and natural approach, we will be using natural outdoor lighting. A piece of equipment we will be using whilst taking the photographs will be tripod. Although we want the images to look very candid, therefore the photographs do not need to perfectly straight, we will need the tripod for convenience purposes as all the members of the band will be appearing in the images, we need to have the camera at a high angle and we would have no personnel to take the photographs from such a angle.
Where will you shoot? Will you need a backdrop?
For both the images placed on the front cover and the inside sleeve of our CD digipak, we will be shooting the images outside, using a fence or wall as a backdrop. We decided to use this, as we felt we wanted the images to appear more realistic and candid, rather then using a a stylised, studio background. A regular outdoor backdrop, would allow the image to appear like just a regular photograph, which adds to the realism.
Make-up? Costume?
As featured in our costume and make-up research, we will be using fashion and make-up that is highly influenced by the indie rock/rock vibe, consisting of grungy clothing and dark and bold make-up, which is very popular with bands and artists of the music genre we have chosen, which will therefore allow us to create a professional appearance to our overall package. As this has become very popular in the current fashion market, specifically with our target audience in clothing stores such as Top Shop/Man and H&M, this will also help us to relate to our target audience, and increase the gratification of personal identification.