Representation Study

Jessie J This image is represented as being a play

on the “Pop Rock” genre. The colour scheme of black and gold is demonstrative of power and makes for a rich contrast. She is looking directly at the camera, showing the direct address of the photo-shoot/album cover.

There is nothing sexualised about this image, as the only skin on show is that of her hands and face. Her facial expression is shown to be either id song or mid shout, demonstrating an empowering image. The distance the photo is taken Is at a close up, focusing on her face alone. This takes away any provocation seen in many photo shoots of female artists.

I think this image is very empowering for a female artist and therefore a female audience, her image fills almost the entire space and leaves no room for viewers to look anywhere other than her face.

Olly Murs The image is a close up and focuses

primarily on the face. The body language emitted by the facial expression can be argued as playful.

The photo is pretty simple, with no visible facial makeup and a plain background and clothe choice, however it works to the advantage of portraying the face as the main feature.

There is a youthful look to the image, especially as it is not a serious photo and I think that is purposeful. Considering Olly Murs’s music is more often fun and high energy, having a fun and high energy photo increases the identification of his music and appearance.

The image is sharp, it doesn’t leave anything to be guessed at. What’s shown is shown

Taylor Swift

The image of Taylor Swift is has been taken at a ¾ angle, displaying the majority of her head and shoulder. She isn’t looking right down the camera lens and is more focusing on the upper left hand corner of the picture. However, whilst this picture displays a low neckline and an almost bare shoulder, this image isn’t sexualised. This is because she looks powerful rather than submissive. The slight smirk and raised eyebrows suggest a certain playfulness but nevertheless give an assertive demeanour.

The make up she’s wearing is minimal, only enough to accentuate her eyes and lips. This brings out the highlighted beauty often seen in women’s photo-shoots.

Taylor Swift

One thing magazine covers tend to do is over sexualise women, however this is not the case here. The image is of Taylor looking directly at the camera and therefore at the audience. The picture is an extreme close up that focuses on the face alone. In this way it leaves not other place to look but her face. It is assertive and empowering.

In terms of make up, there is little. Lip gloss and mascara highlight her lips and eyes and the way lighting is used seem to almost make her eyes and skin glow, portraying her in a high position.

Ed Sheeran

This is a very simple photoshoot. He isn’t dressed up in fancy clothes or done up in makeup and styled hair. This may be to portray someone who is down to earth and forward thinking or it may just be someone who wishes to be seen for who he is and not for how he is portrayed to be. There is direct address where Ed Sheeran is looking directly down the camera lens rather than just forward.

Evaluation

In evaluation, the men’s photo shoots are a lot simpler than the women’s. Whilst the women are dressed up in fine clothes and makeup, the men tend to wear more daily life clothes than those suited to a fashion show. Women also tend to be objectified more often and wear more revealing clothing. This isn’t to say, however, that these women are being exploited more than it is saying these women like those clothes enough to consent to and enjoy wearing them. Direct address is common in both genders, perhaps more so for the female gender in the magazines I looked at. This may be because feminism is becoming more widely known and less of a bad thing, therefore female assertiveness has become more common to male audiences and audiences in general.