Evaluation question 2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

    

Originally I was to base my artist around a rocky style such as Taylor Monsen, my ideas were going to be based around the dark colours, big hair, leather and studs. However after much research I discovered 1) If I was going to dress my artist like this they would perhaps not be featured in my style of magazine 2) The rocky style could perhaps limit my audience as I personally I feel it appeals more to females and finally 3) I feel the rock style would not have gone with the personality I wished to portray for my artist. Taking this into mind I altered the way my artist was to be dressed however I did still include elements of the rock style such as the black lipstick, darkened eye makeup and fairly big dark hair. After researching female solo artists I realised there were very few of an indie/alternative genre. Female solo artists tend to be categorised into the pop genre of music. I did find however that Ellie Goulding was a similar artist to Erica. Similar to  Erica, Ellie is from London, is a white female and is around the same age. Taken straight from an interview, asking about her dress sense Ellie says..."I like the androgynous look, I like to wear skinny jeans and brogues, bow ties, tee shirts with rolled up sleeves... But I still love to dress glamorously when I go out and perform- I'm a total magpie when it comes to shiny, sequiny glittery things! I'm a bit of a tomboy with an elegant side" The way she has described her dress sense can be related to the way I have dressed my artist. With my double page shoot I have dressed Erica in skinny high waisted jeans, a shirt and a quilted coat-very simple and not your stereotypical outfit for a female.  Overall I think the way I have dressed my artist represents an alternative group of people whose interests are mainly music however fashion is too important in showing off originality. Using an artist whose look is realistically achievable to re-create appeals to readers of my magazine as it inspires them with new ideas with ways to dress. Readers perhaps even dress similarly to Erica which creates an artist that can be related to.

The cover artist appeals and represents an alternative social group. Members of this particular group tend to be wary of the mainstream and prefer to be different. The majority of the group is made up of white middle class people, they're passionate about music and the best way to reach out to this particular group is through niche magazines and social media.  With my choice of cover artist I have followed what would be considered a member of this group (white, middle class) My choice of pose is according to Majorie Ferguson an invitational pose which can achieve a sense of mystery, creating an image that makes my audience want to find out more about this artist. My artist is not represented in Laura Mulveys theory of the male gaze, despite the fact my target audience is made up by some males,  I wanted to avoid a bias view of the photo. Furthermore I would like my audience to see Erica as someone to listen to rather than to look at. Putting forward the use of the male gaze could have resulted in some of my target audience being put off or my artist being displayed in the wrong way.