While looking for inspiration for how I could create a layout for my photo book, I came across two sources the first one was the ‘Vagus’ magazine December 2022 edition which can be available here on blurb for preview. The magazine is only a online version but described as a soft cover, which I wanted to use in my own book, and it experimented with still life in different glassware in some of the images which I will discuss further later on and I liked some of the way that the pages were laid out throughout this book which I thought that I could use within my own work. The second source which I have found for inspiration of my photobook is called ‘Breakfast’ by Niall McDiarmid, which can be found here, this book focussed on different what having breakfast means to him as a person and how it is a natural still life with lighting that changes in different ways to manipulate and change the shadows or reflections that we may see day to day in a space we are always in but never notice. I really liked this book as it experimented with different colours and how vibrant they were along with the simplicity of repeating different page spreads, I also really like the cover of the book as it is a bright yellow colour with a photo taken previously and the has ‘Breakfast’ written on the back in red letters.
Examples of page layouts from the Vagus Magazine –
Vagus Magazine, December 2022 edition –
Book in hand and binding, soft/hard cover: Image wrap/dust jacket/Swiss binding/How does it feel?:
As I can only get the online version of the magazine, it is smaller due to being seen on a computer screen but it described to be softcover just like any normal magazine would have, with an element of flimsiness as it would be used by other people in a setting where they are flipping through the magazine to keep themselves occupied when they are travelling or waiting in a line for something..
Paper/ink and format, size and orientation: Portrait/landscape/square/A5, A4, A3/number of pages/Use of different paper/textures/colour or black and white or both?
The layout is in an A4 portrait for the orientation and size, the paper which is used is white and there is a variety of different bright colours and patterns throughout the book, revolved around a piece of text, there is also other pages that are plain in their appearance or revolved around a certain colour and theme.
Cover: Linen/card/graphic/printed image/embossed/deposed/letterpress/silkscreen/etc?
The cover is a printed image which has been taken previously, it has bold letters in white for the title and date of publishing with a small description of the right hand side. There is also a small description in black in the left corner of what may be featured in this issue, this stands out well but also works on the cover because there is a feature of black within the front cover on the bottle and text that reads ‘happy birthday’.
Title: Literal or poetic/relevant or intriguing?
The title is literal as it is the name of the magazine which is ‘vagus’ in lowercase letters, it is intriguing to an extent because there is no meaning which I can find in relation to the title which can suggest that it is made up and created just for the purpose of having a title for something.
Narrative: What is the story/subject matter? How is it told?
There is no narrative throughout this magazine as it is used by one specific photographer to discuss their inspirations that they have used in relation to their creation of images such as different glassware photography, plants, still life, etc.
Structure and architecture: Design/specific features/layout of images/grid/fold-outs/inserts/single of double page spread?
Throughout the magazine their are repeats of single and double page spreads, there are also double page spreads which feature an image on one side and text on the other which is discussing what the inspiration was for the pictures and the pictures following. When there is a new subject there is an introductory page which highlights the subject of the photoshoot and some other background context in relation to it, I really like this as it is showing a high level of organisation throughout the magazine. There is also a feature of different quotes from different people throughout the book and they all mostly share the same layout where it is a box in the middle of the page with a title above and the text inside of it.
Editing/sequencing/images and text/Are they linked?/use of captions/Selection of images/how they were juxtaposed/editing process:
The images for each subject that have been selected are in relation to a specific subject such as candles, people, Stences (a home décor business), other still life objects. The photos all have a title on the top right hand corner of the page which gives more information on what each picture is about specifically. The images also have similarities in the colours, shapes and objects which are being used which I really like.
Examples of page layouts from ‘Breakfast’ –
Breakfast, by Niall McDiarmid –
Book in hand and binding, soft/hard cover: Image wrap/dust jacket/Swiss binding/How does it feel?:
As I only have access to an online preview of the book I am unable to know how it feels in hand but from seeing the book and a description of it, it is described as a ‘cloth covered hard back’ which means that the cover would feel like fabric with a bit of texture to it.
Paper/ink and format, size and orientation: Portrait/landscape/square/A5, A4, A3/number of pages/Use of different paper/textures/colour or black and white or both?
The photobook is orientated in a square format and is of A4 size, it is described to have 56 pages with 26 coloured images as the format of the layout of this photobook follows a uniformed structure of one image on the right hand side of the page.
Cover: Linen/card/graphic/printed image/embossed/deposed/letterpress/silkscreen/etc?
The cover features a printed image on the front of it, which has been taken previously, and as previously described has a cloth cover. This gives the book texture and the title of the book ‘Breakfast’ is on the back of the book in red letters, this stands out against the yellow cover of the book due to them being contrasting colours.
Title: Literal or poetic/relevant or intriguing?
The title of the book is literal as it is ‘Breakfast’ which means that the photographer has taken these photos every time he has had breakfast in his house from around his breakfast table.
Narrative: What is the story/subject matter? How is it told?
The subject matter of this photobook is to show a story of how breakfast is the most important part of the day and shouldn’t be missed by others as it is where you think about what your day may hold and is shown through a series of images which feature different breakfast table layouts and people.
Structure and architecture: Design/specific features/layout of images/grid/fold-outs/inserts/single of double page spread?
The book features a specific repeated layout of having one image on the right hand side of the page in a square layout, following the formation of the photobook.
Editing/sequencing/images and text/Are they linked?/use of captions/Selection of images/how they were juxtaposed/editing process:
There is no use of captions throughout the book but the images feature the same space in which the photos are taken in but from different perspectives and layouts of the breakfast table each morning as it may be set up or shown to be people in a rush or getting up at different times so they might not be able to sit down formally and have to take their breakfast on the go with them