Here, we chose to locate our models on a spiralling staircase so as to give the photograph more of a dynamic. Also, we took the photo from above, making it a high-angle shot.

 Here, me and Saskia decided to make use of a white background so as to make the model stand out. We chose to position the model in the middle of the photograph so that the focus point would become his eyes. This is a mid-shot, and is taken straight-on.

This photograph was a high angle shot. Its was also a close up shot, which makes the facial features stand out more and makes the point of focus the top section of the face.

Essay- "To What Extent Should Magazines Be Held Responsible For The Social Ramifications Of The Representations They Offer?"

Focusing upon magazines with a target audience of teenage girls, it is evident that the girls that read these magazines have the topics of boys and make-up almost forced upon them. Because of this, it could be said that teenage girls are growing up too fast, and feel as if they have to conform to the stereotypes seen in the magazines that they buy. The fact that the celebrities on the glossy covers of these teen mags are airbrushed to perfection does not give out a positive incentive to young girls as it suggests that everyone should have flawless skin and super-toned bodies (which in reality, of course, is not the case).

Another issue to address is the way in which boys are portrayed within these magazines. Advice is frequently given out and advertised on the covers of teen girl magazines concerning how to 'deal with' boys. This does not send out a good message due to the fact that it implies that boys cause problems, which could affect attitudes and communication between teenagers of both genders.
Although teen magazines do claim to answer crucial questions for teenage girls, they do present problems when they mention somewhat 'sexually explicit' content. Bearing in mind that these magazines are aimed at a target audience of girls aged from about 12-16, some of the content could be deemed as inappropriate.
For instance, on the cover of Sugar, one coverline reads "Sweet Sixteen Shock 'They groped my friends and stole my presents'" which could prove to be all too graphic for a twelve year old. Such subject matters are not in any way suitable for teen magazines as they can take away the innocence that teenage girls should have the right to hold onto before they enter the adult world.
Arguably the biggest issue with the social ramifications that teenage magazines portray is the fact that they are completely focused upon the exterior appearance of girls. This encouragement to worry about image is almost overwhelming when you look at the cover of a copy of perhaps Bliss or Sugar. Coverlines such as "Your hair but better- products for every problem" and "Body loving bikinis" present a very clear message that image is everything.

More and more stories are emerging in the headlines of newspapers and on TV concerning the young age at which girls are now subjected to the world of beauty e.g. Toddlers and Tiaras. Although this TV show addresses a much younger age group than that of the magazines, it does demonstrate potential results of sexualizing girls at a young age through pressure to conform to fashion and beauty trends.
In conclusion, I feel that teen magazine companies should consider limiting the amount of mildly explicit stories and beauty guidelines included within the copies, and should have all stories thoroughly reviewed before deciding to put them in the magazine. Furthermore, instead of these controversial features, more music and film reviews would be of interest to teenagers, and would not lead to any feelings of inadequacy. Therefore, if teenage magazines adjusted these elements, they would be far more appropriate and enjoyable for the target age group.  

Research For Essay "To What Extent Should Magazines Be Held Responsible For The Social Ramifications Of The Representations They Offer?"

 Research...

 All of these magazines aimed at teenage girls have large, bold mastheads. This is to grab the attention of teenagers when on supermarket or newsagent shelves. Also, many of them make use of a feminine colour scheme in both their mastheads and coverlines. Magazines such as 'Cosmo Girl', 'More', and 'Sugar' make use of the colour pink so as to appeal to their target audience of teenage girls.

A lot of the coverlines on these magazines are focused upon boys and beauty/fashion advice. This is due to the fact that teenage girls are perceived to prioritise these subjects over things like 'real life stories' which are found in older women's gossip magazines.

Another key feature of teenage girls' magazines is that they feature a celebrity model on the front cover.This celebrity is selected according to the fact that they are seen as an idol in the eyes of teenagers. For instance, Taylor Swift features on the cover of 'Cosmo Girl' as she is seen as an influential figure in the face of modern music, and is also somewhat of a style icon for young girls.

Puffs and plugs are used on most teen magazines due to the fact that teenagers are more likely to spend their money on magazines if they know they are going to get something out of their purchase. An example of this is on 'Teen Vogue' where it states the reader can "Win A Free Room Makeover" which will instantly make the reader consider buying the magazine.

In addition, the main coverlines are presented in brightly coloured text and are in an enlarged and bolder font than any of the other coverlines e.g. "SUNNY STYLE!", "Tulisa- I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE'S JUDGING ME".  This is so as to highlight the main feature of the magazine and to catch the eye of the reader.