Research- Photography

 Photography

There are many different ways dogs can be depicted in magazine photography. The most common way that i've noticed is studio pictures of the animals. This allows for fixed lighting and preferred background. It makes the magazine feel more fashionable; the dogs, which are usually not in a studio, are having a photo shoot for a magazine. This adds a level of comedy to these magazines, dogs are shown in ways that we don't usually see them. In these studio pictures the dogs are sometimes posed in funny ways that make them seem like humans. In the picture shown, the dog is looking off to the side with its long hair blowing in the wind. This conveys a light hearted and unserious tone to the reader, these pictures and magazines are made to be fun and used for entertainment. 
 

The other common type of dog photography i've seen in magazines is outside/ dogs in their natural element. This gives more of a serious tone to the aspect being covered because they are where they are usually seen, as compared to in a studio with funny poses. The more difficult thing about taking photos outdoors is that you don't have any say in the weather and the lighting. You could go at a certain time of day for golden hour shots but it could be gloomy and raining that day and that could interfere with your pictures. Because of this, I feel that you would have to rely on editing to get the lighting exactly like how you would want it. That reason alone may be reason enough to take studio pictures, as you can manipulate everything about the photo besides the dogs behavior. I personally have much experience with outdoors photography and think that, if I plan accordingly, I will be successful in my ability to get good outdoor dog photographs. 

Sources

https://hhildrethphoto.com/blog/tag/magazine

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ceciliarodriguez/2025/10/28/the-best-dog-photos-of-2025-20-winners-of-dog-photography-awards/

Research- Chosen Genre

 Chosen Genre

After much consideration, my partner and I have chosen to go with the Pet Magazine. It came down to the fact that we know we can do a lot with this and we have access to many pets and equipment that would help us make the best possible magazine we can produce for this genre. There was extensive research that went into this decision but I know that we are going to be able to produce a great product with this genre.

Pet Magazine further research

    Pet magazines are apart of a growing media niche that are targeted towards pet owners, enthusiasts, and professionals with content about pet care, life style, and trends.The pet magazine market is expanding as pet ownership increases, with more demand in information on health, behavior, training, nutrition, and lifestyle topics for a large variety of animals. This growth is shown in the industry reports that show the pet magazine market in the billions of dollars. This is due for demand for specialized content.

    These magazines typically cover multiple practical and lifestyle topics relating to pets. Most include health and veterinary care, behavior and training tips, grooming and wellness, travel tips, and personal stories. Some magazines like to combine educational topics with entertainment like rescue stories, pet fashion, or interview with people who love pets to expand their readership. 

    Most pet magazines were originally found in print but there are now a lot found on digital platforms. The primary audience is typically adults aged anywhere from 30-50. This age group heavily invests time and resources into the wellbeing of their animal. These magazine are meant to inform and inspire, they help owners make smarter choices regarding their pet, while celebrating their bond. 

    They serve as both educational and lifestyle magazines. They provide expert advice for better care while reflecting on how pets factor into lifestyle of their human companion. These magazines help elevate pets from simple companions to valued lifestyle participants, this is a trend that continues to drive the growth of the pet magazine industry. 

Sources:

https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/pet-magazine-market 

Research- Genre comparison of my top choices

 Pet Magazine

The main focus for pet magazines is mostly animals and responsible pet ownership. This entertains readers with pet related lifestyle content. They usually have advice on training, grooming, health, and pet products. They also celebrate the emotional connection with pets and their owners. These magazines usually have close up images of the pet, like the one shown, with a well groomed animal with a friendly appearance, enticing the reader. These magazines are targeted towards animal lovers who have a pet thats apart of their everyday life style.

Life Style Magazine

Most lifestyle magazines highlight modern living, self expression, and trends. They cover fashion, beauty, wellness, and usually always have influential figures that promote aspirational lifestyles. The covers are usually a well styled model or celebrity with strong eye contact and professional lighting. They consistently have bold mastheads and use high quality photography and elegant fonts to convey luxury and influence. 

Comparison of the two

Both magazines share conventions like strong cover images, bold mastheads, and cover lines that promote trends and products. Lifestyle magazines gravitate towards human culture and self expression, while pet magazines do the same concepts but towards animals. This makes pet magazines a more specialized branch of the lifestyle genre. Lifestyle magazines focus on elegance and aspiration while pet magazines use playful language and animal imagery to create a friendly tone. Pet magazines adapt lifestyle conventions to animals, presenting pets as extensions of their owners lifestyles. 

Research- Genre Exploration

 Sports Genre

    Sports magazines aim to promote healthier lifestyles and to promote the sport itself. I used Athletics weekly as my example; its masthead directly relates to the cover image, as it is two runner and the masthead is "The Fast Show". It suggests the sport that is going to be the topic of discussion for this magazine. The arrangements of the letter and the size, font, and color all convey a stronger, more fierce feel that is usually associated with sports. The photo seems like two cutouts with one overlayed of runners from a lower angle with seemingly overhead, natural lighting. These photos allow the reader to know what to expect from picking up this magazine and it draws reader in based on their interest in the sport show through the photos. The magazine appeals to those looking for representation as it hits many marks by showcasing not only two black athletes, but it also shows a male and female runner. In sports magazines in general, they tend to talk about the sport on a base level, sometimes professionally, and sometimes these magazines are used to sell athletic wear and products. They try to target people who have an interest in the sport, want to play, or enjoy following the sport. They have a target audience of teens and young adults. These magazines promote fitness and appeal to the people who clump themselves in this category. 

Lifestyle Genre

Lifestyle magazines can cover a multitude of things related to everyday life. They try to highlight fashion, culture, beauty, and celebrities while reflecting social identity and trends. I used Vogue as my example. Its masthead directly relates to the cover image, as the styling and presence of Amanda Gorman align with Vogue’s reputation for showcasing powerful, trend setting individuals. The masthead “Vogue” suggests elegance and authority in the fashion and cultural world. The size, spacing, and font give a luxurious and sophisticated tone that is commonly associated with high end lifestyle magazines.The cover photo features Amanda Gorman seated confidently in a bold, patterned garment that resembles African inspired design. The lighting is professional, emphasizing both the texture of the clothing and her expression. The composition centers her as the focal point, suggesting that the issue celebrates both fashion and cultural influence. The natural pose combined with strong eye contact creates a powerful feel that draws the reader in. This cover appeals to readers looking for representation and empowerment. It showcases a young Black woman in a space historically dominated by limited beauty standards. This reinforces themes of diversity and progress in fashion media. Lifestyle magazines like Vogue often cover fashion trends, influential figures, culture, and social topics while also advertising luxury brands. They target readers who are interested in style, creativity, identity, and modern culture. The target audience is mainly teens and young adults, especially those who follow fashion and influential voices in society.

Pet Magazine

Pet magazines aim to promote pet care and responsible ownership while entertaining readers with animal focused lifestyle content. I used Dogmopolitan as my example. The masthead is a twist on fashion magazines, showing that the magazine focuses on dog lifestyle, grooming, and trends. The bold lettering gives it a modern feel. The cover features a close-up of a well-groomed dog named Buffy, photographed as id he were a celebrity. The soft lighting and centered framing emphasize grooming and appearance, suggesting pets are treated as stars. Cover lines like “Teach your owner new tricks” and “Grooming: the hottest new styles” mimic fashion language, mixing humor with pet care. The magazine appeals to dog owners and animal lovers interested in grooming, products, and pet trends, mainly targeting teens and adults.

Sources:

https://hollieglasseysblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/17/sports-magazine-genres-codes-and-conventions/ 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vogue-American-magazine 

https://www.ryanomeara.com/k9-magazine