Starting A Bibliography

- Collating a list of the previous articles and pieces of writing that I have read that have impacted my thought processes throughout the project thus far, Harvard referenced and in alphabetical order.

- I will continue to add to my Bibliography throughout my research

Organising My Time

Essay Writing and Structure

Layout Experimentation

Continuing the experimentation with layout. Began by digitally resizing all of my photos to 6 x 4 inches and printing them so that I could work with them physically. As I learnt in the image manipulation task, working with my content physically makes a lot more sense than digital editing. I could probably achieve the effect that I want through the use of Photoshop, however, I feel like using a scanner/ copier adds an element of physicality and authenticity that Photoshop lacks when it comes to projects like this. I wanted to emulate the  process of film being scanned, or even just handled, so I copied by photos while playing with the contrast and density. I did all of these in black and white as I want the content to be overprinted in black ink. 

After copying all of the content I trimmed them down and began scanning them in. I ensured that this process was quick and that I didn't think too much into it, as I really like the slightly tilted compositions of just two images on a page. 

Playing with quick page layouts by using the multiply layer blend mode to overlay by scan onto the bright pink page. This gave me my first insight as to what my images could look like printed - and I think it's successful so far. Even though the quality has been lowered (purposefully, for a more 'hand made' feel) the images still shine and are clear. I really like how some (mostly the ones of people) are really obvious, and others completely abstracted - and I think I can use this to my advantage when designing page layout further. Also, up until now I have only imagined one image per page, however, I think that having more than one and cropping them is a really interesting layout and I like how it highlights the slanted composition. 

Quickly looking at overlayed transparent tip-ins. 

Beginning to combine text and image. Just thinking about how the two can work together, the text is extremely decorative - perhaps it works best on a page of its own? 

Front Cover Experiments

 To begin experimenting with layout and the design of the publication - I started with the typesetting on the front cover. I started by using the typeface Clarendon, as I thought that it has a warm, nostalgic quality to it that would reflect the content/ ideas behind Lomography. Upon reflection, Clarendon was definitely the wrong choice - in my experiments it looks like it's trying too hard to be retro, and instead just looks dated. 

Lining the text up with the 35mm mark

Using a grid of ten lines to represent the ten rules

Placing the text in the top right corner, where the flash is in most Lomo cameras

Lining all of the text up with the top of the page to reflect what you would see in a photo that has been 'shot from the hip'

I felt that all of the previous experiments were much too regimented and structured. Working with a grid didn't feel right as it didn't reflect the spontaneity and freedom of Lomography. I combated this by doing the exact opposite - I printed out my type (immediately, working physically felt more right), cut out my words and started dropping them on the scanner. This was giving me completely randomised compositions and layouts - which felt much more appropriate than regimented typesetting. 

I realised that Clarendon was not the right tone of voice at all and searched for something different. I thought back to 'The Hull Countryway' - a publication that inspired me earlier on in the project. I used a website to find out the name of the typeface on the front - it was Pretorian. I really like this typeface due to it's decorativeness, and the way that it's such an old font (I'm not sure when it was made, but The Hull Countryway was published in the 80s) yet it's reminiscent of modern decorative typefaces, like the popular Eckmannpsych by OHNO Type Co. To me, Pretorian is a strange mixture of curly seventies serifs and Blackletter style ascender's (like on the d) which gives it a modern uniqueness.

Quick mockup of the idea of foiling the cover

Bringing in a circular shape to elude to a camera lens 

As much as I love Pretorian, I did winder if it was perhaps too decorative. Upon reflection, I don't think so, Lomography cameras themselves are extravagant and decadent in their design. However, I wanted to try out something a little bit simpler. I did a bit more scanner experimentation with the typeface Souvenir, a sans serif font with soft, rounded features. I think that it looks okay - but it doesn't have the same kind of punchy impact as Pretorian. It's not as quirky - which I think the type needs to be. 

As I liked Pretorian so much, I started playing around with trying to perfect the typesetting. I really like the way that the tops and bottoms of the letters look as though they curl around each other - so I wanted them to be close enough that this is noticeable, but not too close. I also brought the 10 down to fit into the gap above the 'en' and pulled the 'The' in to the centre slightly. I really like the shape that this gives the title as a whole - it looks like a crest/ mark/ stamp, which I find fitting. It almost eludes to The Ten Commandments in a way.