How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I have chosen to compare my image to an image from Kerrang! magazine, this is because the band featured in the Kerrang! image are a punk band called "Gallows" which relates heavily to the type of music that my created band “Sirens” plays.

These two images share some similarities and differences between them; the image on the left hand side is the image I took for my own magazine whereas the image on the right hand side is that from a Kerrang! magazine. Both images are taken in a low light location; however my image is in black and white whereas the other image has simply had its vibrancy and saturation lowered. Both images share a type of casual and relaxed atmosphere, for example the models in my image are leaning against a wall behind them and slouched over showing that they are comfortable and therefore “cool,” this is echoed in the image from Kerrang! with the lead singer in the foreground crouching over and another band member on the left hand side is leaning against something to connote his easy-going “coolness.”

Both images are taken at a standard straight angle to connote

the band’s approachability (rather than power from a low angle) however my image is taken at a further distance than the image from Kerrang! and is less intimidating than that image. In both images both bands are looking directly into the camera, this further instils the personal link with the audience making the reader feel as if they are involved with the band in a way. When considering the costumes in my mise-en-scene I decided to try and have different outfits for each band member, for example the model on the left hand side is wearing a hooded jacket with the hood up. This is in contrast to the model on the right hand side of my image who he is wearing a darker set of clothes which connotes a moody and slightly aggressive attitude. This appeals to my target audience as they would generally go against the culturally dominant ideology and they would generally challenge the more mainstream clothing style by wearing this type of clothing.

There is a difference with expressions in these images as one of my models is smiling, whereas Gallows’ expressions range from a rather moody and unhappy facial expression (lead singer in the foreground and both members on the left hand side) whereas the other two member have a very aggressive facial expression implying that the band themselves have an aggressive and angry sound. This is echoed within my image through one of the band members concealing his face, which has a connotation of crime and a rebellious attitude, almost as if he is hiding his identity.

In relation to the hairstyles of the two bands it is possible to see that my image shares some similarities with the Gallows image. Overall the hair of both bands does not seem to be messy which ensures the bands do not appeal to an Emo audience, however it does seem as if both bands have not done anything special with their hair i.e. straightening it or using product on it. Once again this connotes their refusal to fit with cultural dominant ideologies.

I do not feel that my image or the image from Kerrang! particularly challenges the "norms" of masculinity as both are primarily aimed at a male audience. Magazines commonly feature all males in a moody and aggressive atmosphere. However I do feel that my image challenges the norm of stereotypes, as both of my models are wearing very different clothing that seem more true-to-life than the stereotypical tattoos and dark clothing evident in the Gallows’ clichéd dark image.