Double Page Spread

I am continuing my preliminary research on travel magazines as plan to create my own in the very near future. Below I analyzed three double page spreads for three travel magazines. For each spread I focus on what they did that stood out to me and I would want to incorporate in my personal magazine, and what I wouldn’t want to duplicate or perhaps alter and do differently.

Double Page Spreads:

This double page spread seen above was taken from the Traveller magazine. It includes many pictures on the top of both pages. Each picture is square in shape and is arranged all next to one another. The pictures are vibrant and full of many colors. These photos are in great quality as you can make out clearly what is in each photo. They also make the location appealing as it shows blue waters, a beautiful landscape and luxury dining. Below the photo is all of the text, and a text box layered on the photos on the right page reads "Sandals Royal Bahamian" which allows readers to understand what the body of text or article below is about. In each paragraph in the text there is also orange coloring that titles the section and the specific benefit or amenity of this Sandals' resort. Further under the main heading of the article is a brief description that could be beneficial to readers who don't plan on reading the text in its entirety. 

The double page spread seen above I extracted from an issue of National Geographic's travel magazine. This spread combines attractive pictures with bodies of text to communicate a story with readers specifically an expedition in the Galapagos. The pictures are not only colorful and vibrant, but serve a meaningful purpose as they dictate what is being described in the text and are a helpful visual in trying to convince readers that this is a location they want to visit or vacation at. The title of the article is found bolded on the top of the left page which reads "On Expedition In The Galapagos: A Day In The Life." This article is cleverly formatted as to take the reader through a day in the life on the islands different activities or expeditions you could go on throughout the day including a local restaurant as well. This may be something I use for inspiration in my magazine as I would also like to be able to include and speak on many different locations or activities in one article or double page spread.

This double page spread featured above includes even greater detail and information compared to the two others pictured above this one. This spread starts with one article at the top of the left page which is titled "A Foodie's Paradise." While the title is not bolded, the text underneath it is in such a small font that the title still stands out. The text discusses restaurants for travelers to visit in France and pictures some of the resturante and food to the right of the text. Under the pictures is a caption to describe the photos. Further there is another article underneath this one, starting on the left page. This second article discusses a resort and spa and the gulf course at the resort along with other activities, which are listed in the event calendar that was formatted on the right page. The blues used in the photos along with text boxes ties all the information together and makes both pages cohesive.

Work Cited:

https://issuu.com/islandtimemag/docs/winter2023

Table of Contents

As I have previously discussed, by main idea for a genre when creating my magazine, was to do a travel magazine of a tropical location specifically. I decided I wanted to do my magazine on a tropical area as I knew some about these areas seeing as I live in South Florida. I also wanted go focus on an island, specifically Puerto Rico, as I would have access to the location in the near future, due to a trip I had planned there.

Further, as I continue my research to create my travel magazines, I looked at table of contents for other magazines, specifically some on tropical locations. I dissected and analyzed three table of contents to get a feel for what I planned on writing.

This table of contents for the magazine Traveller is more simple and is a one page mainly. Like the conventions of many tables of contents in magazines, including travel magazines, there are pictures. The page is full of different pictures of what appears to be luxury hotels or locations. There are also photos of a model and a suitcase and lip gloss. These are adds placed here to draw readers attention in hopes they purchase the product. The table of contents is in smaller font and the title reads "In This Issue." This phrase is used to indicate that this is infact the table of contents and to show the readers what is in the magazine. The table includes page numbers next to a brief description of what can be found on such pages. This is a clear description that instructs readers but does not take too long to look through. These descriptions include the main topic of the pages in bold in order to easily clarify to readers what to expect. On the top of the page there is also an additional header that reads "Contents" in bold with the words Fall 2024 next to it to indicate the issue. I like the clean layout of this page and the simplicity of it.

This table of contents to the National Geographic follows their theme or common vibe. For National Geographic's travel magazine, they focus on adventurous locations and the natural activities you can do outdoors. This table of contents is a two pager, with a single phot those spreads across both pages. I like the use of this one photo as it stands out, even being in the background, and highlights what readers can expect to see more of in the issue. This high-quality photo also stands out against the simple information atop the photo. On the right side is a small paragraph describing the natural landscape of the country being highlighted, Ecuador, and makes the islands of Galpagoes seem appealing. The left side includes the table of contents in a small white box which gives a simple and clean look. the table of contents is easy to digest with the page number to the left of the title of the respective page.

This last table of contents is much busier than the other two as it is two pages with various boxes and pictures formatted throughout the two pages. On the left page there is primarily photos of what appears to be a tropical location and a luxury hotel or resort on the beach. These phots are appealing to readers and all share a common color scheme or whites and blues with some pops of yellow. These colors are also used throughout the text boxes, which contain various advertisements and a letter to the editor. The actual table of contents is very brief and is found in the upper left corner of the spread. This table uses a simple smaller font and includes a location as the pages title and the number to the left of the name. There is no elaboration as the table is short and sweet, and includes different front colors that tie together other pops of color in the photographs used.

Work Cited:

https://issuu.com/islandtimemag/docs/winter2023

Preliminary Research 1- GENRE

    Hi guys, welcome back to my blog. Today I'm beginning the first stage of creating my magazine. I researched a few different magazine genres and found out there were many more avenues that these pieces of media go down. A few genres I considered were cooking, women's beauty, fashion, pet, and travel. After much research I decided that I would choose to base my magazine on the topic of traveling. This decision was largely based on accessibility. While a sports magazine would be fun to research and create I do not play any sports nor do my friends, meaning there was not a large amount of accessibility to this topic. This also applied to any magazine revolving around pets as I do not own one myself, and research in this area would be more difficult. I do however plan to travel in the upcoming weeks, and this could provide the perfect base for my magazine.

    I began my research by considering conventions of the genre of choice for my magazine, which was travel. Such conventions included, layouts, design, fonts, and colors. I also needed to look at magazines in this genre to find common article ads, topics, and models of celebrities used in this genre. I first began my research by looking to other travel magazines.

                                            

Above is one magazine I found that was a January issue of World Travel Magazine. This magazine highlighted common travel destinations around the world. This particular issue highlighted Costa Rica as a primer destination. The cover shows the magazine as the master head, and configures the name so that the word "travel" stands out and the magazine genre is very specific. Further, while there is no model or celebrity featured on the cover a picture of Costa Rica fills the page. This main image being a destination is a common convention of the genre as many travel magazines highlight a place rather than a person or object. There is no date present on the cover, which is not typical for a travel magazine. On the left of the cover is a "puff," which is the information that is found inside the magazine. On the bottom right of the cover is the head or cover line, which is the second largest text and is short but yet still informative. There is also a tagline, which reads, "Exploring Costa Rica, city, rainforest, and beach." This is usaually found at the top left corner as shown in the cover above.

Article/Advertisement & Topics:

Many article topics that you would find in a travel magazine would be based on activities related to the location(s) being highlighted in the issue. These activities could range from food to festivals or "tourist attractions." There is often also advertisement for products you use when you travel such as luggage or bags for packing your belongings. Modes of transportation are also advertised in these magazines as they relate to travel this could include airline or cruise line advertisements.

Production Techniques

The general layout of features large photos set as the background. These photos tend to be the main focus of the magazine or feature the highlighted location. The headlines are typically made to be a focal point highlighting a location that introduces the readers to a new place to potentially travel to. The subheadings are used to spotlight certain locations or aspects of one particular location or country. The body of the magazine will include engaging articles or features that entertain the reader while informing them on related topics. The cover of the magazine should also be visually appealing using different colors, font sizes, and an appealing images that compels readers to travel to that specific location. Layered pictures are sometimes featured throughout body text to add visual appeal and show readers what they could experience.

In travel magazines a variety of font types and sizes are used in conjunction to highlight certain ideas or words and create an appealing visual. Certain fonts are chosen that add a "touch of adventure" or "wanderlust" to a piece. This includes travel fonts such as Heritage Font Combinations, and Havana fonts. 

Genre Marketing

This genre is often marketed to a certain audience. The general audience for travel magazines includes people who are generally passionate about traveling the world or who are curious about learning more about new places or locations. The average age for this demographic is middle-aged around late 40s to 60s. This group that is targeted by travel magazines are typically of more affluent origins and have the means to travel. People who don't have lost of money to spend outside of basic needs may only look to this genre for education or may be uninterested as they can not act on its contents. Travel magazines can be found in book stores and supermarkets where they can be accessed by the general public. This genre is also commonly found in places of transportation such as airports, as these are places where people go to travel and all those present here are a part of the genres target market. 

Sample #1

This sample above is an issue of the cruise and travel magazine. This particular issue highlights travel in the country of Greece. This island is a popular travel destination and it known for its tourism industry. The cover of the magazine featured above shows a beautiful picture of a Greek town on the the water. This picture is vibrant and bright as it features many different colors and intricate details. This is appealing to readers as it shows a destination that is not only picturesque, but potentially a new and different place for people to visit. There is a small headline underneath the master head, which reads "Cruise & Travel," which states that this is "The perfect way to plan your holiday." This tagline highlights that by reading this article and using the suggestions they make or working with the places they advertise you can plan a perfect holiday or vacation. On the cover there is also "puff" on the left side, which clues readers as to what the magazine contains as far as articles and other information on travel. Various text fonts are used throughout the cover to keep the information appealing and yellow coloring is used to highlight certain words, while tying in the colors from the main photo. 

Sample #2

This sample above is an issue of Natural Geographic' Traveller magazine, which is their magazine that specifically speaks about traveling. This cover includes a main picture of a mountain in Scandinavia, which features a man posing atop the rock. This picture is not only breath-taking and appealing to look at, but features a potential activity in the location or country featured on the cover. The picture is also high quality with great detail. This follows the theme of the national geographic magazine, which typically uses high definition photos, particularity of geography. The cover includes the master head, which reads "Traveller" and is bolded to stand out to readers. There is also a tagline underneath this heading, which may be considered a sub-heading. It reads "The Best of Scandinavia," which shows Scandinavia in bold lettering that is of a much darker color, to highlight the main destination featured in the magazine. Under this line a short list of outdoor activities that one can part take in within the nature or geographics of Scandinavia. 

Other Samples:

Representation:

In travel magazines locations around the world are being represented in new ways to attract visitors or travelers and bring money and traffic to that specific location. Destinations featured are typically different countries, while one is being focused on as the main destination of interest. This country featured could be dependent on the time of year, political climate in the nation, and what activities the location has to offer. These places often tend to be appealing or considered to have great beauty, and are therefore attractive to the masses. The activities included in travel magazines surrounding the particular destination may include anything from festivals to beaches to rock climbing. All of which surround the people who live in the places and the natural geographic of the place they hope you will visit. 

 Work Cited:

https://images.app.goo.gl/NQoZYq2TBnMGVUxq5

https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/10-tips-for-writing-travel-articles/

https://www.visme.co/templates/magazines/travel-magazine-templates-1425285851/

https://blueonionmedia.com/why-high-end-magazines-havent-gone-away-in-the-luxury-travel-world/#:~:text=Who%20Still%20Buys%20Travel%20Magazines,don't%20influence%20their%20decisions.

https://issuu.com/chelseamagazines/docs/discoverbritain_feb-mar2025_sample

https://images.app.goo.gl/7CD9vu6oQzJNaPWx5

https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/102725/national-geographic-traveller-uk-june-2022-available-on-newsstands-now/

https://libraryconnection.overdrive.com/lci-mansfield/magazines/media/8988612

Prelim Research 2- Openings and Cover

Hi guys, today I plan on continuing my research and analyzing cover pages of some travel magazines to get a feel of how I want the cover of mine to look. Below I listed some common conventions of cover pages and what these features communicate to readers or the overall purpose of them.

Conventions:

- Mast-Head
-Subtitle
-Tagline
-Cover line
-Puffs
-Pugs
-Cover Image
-Featured Article 

-Colors

-Dates

-Barcodes

This magazine seen above shows common conventions or features of a travel magazine. The mast head of the magazine is the main title seen bolded at the very top of the cover, which features the words "Travel + Leisure" this is the name of the magazine, which is well known and has produced many issues over the years. The red color used in the mast head contributes the colors featured in the cover image, which shows a luxury villa or home on the water. This building is surrounded by heavy vegetation or tropical plants and flowers that make the location appear more attractive. The picture includes lots of bright colors which is typical of travel magazine cover. Across the  middle of the cover read the words "The Access Issue" which tells readers which issue of this magazine they are reading. This is in a white bolded font, yet is warped or wrapped so that it curves both up and down on the ends. This may have been done to the text could fit in the greenery within the cover photo, and be easily read as the white and green contrast well.  

There is a tagline in the bottom right corner of the cover which reads, "Wish you were here?  Our trusted travel experts share how to make travel dreams come true . . ." This tagline also helps inform readers what information they will be exposed to as they read through the magazine and give them a more vague general idea of what contents are found in the magazine. Lastly and barcode is seen in the lower right corner of the cover, which is used when purchasing this issue. This cover is missing many features seen in other travel magazines such as a date, puffs, and cover line, which while unusal may play to the more minimalistic vibe of this magazine in particular. 

This next magazine seen above shows common conventions or features of a travel magazine. You can clearly see the mast head of the magazine as the main title seen bolded at the very top of the cover, shows the words Cruise & Travel. This is the name of the magazine, which is producing various issues, and can be recognized by the white bold phrase which is always seen in this same font. The main picture seen on the cover shows a Greek city on the water, which may potential be an island. This picture is in high contrast and shows vibrant colors and clear water, making the location appeal to readers. Towards the bottom of the cover, you can read the cover line which is "Secret Greece" this makes it obvious as to what the magazine is about, specifically the location. Underneath this is a red plus sign graphic that moves the readers attention to the additional information that they will find in the text. On the right bottom of the cover is the barcode for the magazine, and there is no other tagline or puff found on the page as the information is kept minimal so that the main attraction remains the beautiful cover photo.

This last magazine above shows common conventions or features of a travel magazine. The mast head of the magazine is the main title seen bolded in white at the very top of the cover, which features the mast head that reads "TRAVELLER." This name is the for the brand National Geolphraphic's own travel magazine. Under the mast head is a subtitle that reads the name of the location, which is South Africa. The main location is featured as the cover picture as you can see a beautiful picture of a city in South Africa located on the coast. This picture is angled wider so that you can see the town, shore, and mountain all in one picture. This also aligns so that the tip of the mountain is in the middle of the photo, which is aesthetically pleasing to look at. The cover is rimmed in a yellow frame, which helps it to stand out and shows readers that this is a national geographic issue. Continuously, the yellow color pops and contracts with the blue and green hues in the main picture. The barcode is also placed in the bottom right corner.

Continuously, the magazine includes a brief phrase in the upper right corner that informs readers that this specific magazine won "Travel magazine of the year." There is also some puff on the left side of the cover as it includes a blue plus sign and names three countries that readers can infer are also featured within this particular issue, while South Africa is the main location featured. There is also no date featured on this issue, as I found this to not be very common on travel magazine covers. 

Work Cited:

https://prezi.com/p/p__p013k5erz/travel-magazine-codes-and-conventions/#:~:text=The%20main%20image%20should%20be,relate%20to%20the%20image%20shown

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTravel-Leisure-Magazine-Trusted-Experts%2Fdp%2FB0CW69QGVN&psig=AOvVaw0PtvGbhb9lXjOL7kwcB1Yx&ust=1738082655666000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBcQjhxqFwoTCJCj3cyslosDFQAAAAAdAAAAABA1

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpocketmags.com%2Fus%2Fcruise-international-magazine%2Ffebmar-2024&psig=AOvVaw0PtvGbhb9lXjOL7kwcB1Yx&ust=1738082655666000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBcQjhxqFwoTCJCj3cyslosDFQAAAAAdAAAAABA9

https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/105030/national-geographic-traveller-uk-march-2024-available-on-newsstands-now/

Blog Beginnings

Hey guys, my name is Isabella Ugalde, but I'd prefer to be called Bella. 

I'm so excited to be starting my journey with you guys today. This is my first ever blog post and while I'm new to the game I'm excited to record this journey I am soon to embark on. Creating a blog was enticing to me for a few reasons, one of which was having my own space to record my thought processes, trials, and tribulations. I used to believe that recording your experiences in a blog was somewhat pointless or a significant waste of time. However, after doing some research and looking at some blogs written by women around the world, I realized that the blog doesn't serve to entertain others, but to provide a channel or escape for the writer. I have now come around to the personal benefits of writing my own blog, and I am excited to express and explore my creativity in this format.

I will be mainly using this blog as a source to record my experiences and journey as I create a magazine. In my media class our teacher presented us with a project where we could choose to create a magazine or a film, I was immediately entranced by the idea of creating a magazine, as it would allow me to explore and develop my writing skills. I am excited to begin this journey and to record the process while sharing it to you all. 

Welcome to my page. I hope you enjoy these posts and stay for the journey!