Tips to shooting a magazine cover:
- The first key to creating your very own magazine cover is to identify a magazine that excites you!
- Googling something as simple is : what is a good magazine for food, or fashion, design or travel is a great start.
- Then identify which magazine suits your taste. They've very different, and magazines have worked long and hard to identify a brand that works for them. Some magazines are very specific about different models, backgrounds, or style of lighting that they use. Others are more flexible. Start by saying: I want to photograph FOOD, then look up magazines with food, and then select which (food magazine, Food and Wine Magazine, Crumb Magazine) suits your style. Get it?
- Check out the difference between Men's Health and GQ. Both magazine for men, but both have a very distinct cover. Check out several examples of the same magazine cover to find the consistency which you should incorporate into your image!!
- PLAN PLAN PLAN. When you figure out what you want to shoot then plan when you're going to shoot it. Prepare your models, your background, your location, your lighting. Choose success. Select subjects that you can shoot!
- Check out where the magazine puts its text. Make sure to leave a little room in your image for this text. Consider your depth of field (aperture) and motion (shutter speed) and create successful images. Give yourself options!!!
- SHOOT VERTICAL!!! Magazines are not horizontal, they are vertical, so rememeber to shoot vertical!!! PORTRAIT!!! Up and down, not left to right...... just like the examples you examined!!!
- REmember, you get one image to make a statement, so make it WORK!!
NEED MORE INSPIRATION?
Check out these websites:
How to Shoot Portraits Like a Magazine Cover: Free Online Photography Lessons from Tommy Schultz
6 Essential Steps to Planning a Magazine Cover Shoot
Photography tips - How to shoot a magazine cover
HOW HAVE MAGAZINE COVERS EVOLVED OVER THE LAST CENTURY?
Click here to read article
