Design I Like

The National Geographic magazine seeks to communicate the natural beauty and awe of Earth. The most effective way of conveying this is through photography first, and then through journalism that elaborates on the nature of the photograph. National Geographic photographs are renowned for their superb quality and composition, and the magazine places a large focus on the display of their photographs. The covers of the magazines consistently hold priority for the featured photograph, which illustrates the feature story. Here is a link to view several National Geographic magazine covers

http://www.magazine-agent.com/national-geographic-magazine/covers

Every cover includes the well-known yellow rectangle that frames the page. This yellow rectangle is a symbol for the company’s other media outlets, on television and the Internet. The font used for the title “National Geographic” is Times New Roman Condensed, which is also a well -known symbol for the company. This font is a simple design that does not draw attention from the photograph on the cover, emphasizing the number one priority of the photo. The next most prominent feature of the cover, after the photograph, is the title of the featured story. This title upholds a more bold and noticeable appearance, as it is matched with the photograph. While the “National geographic” title remains in the same position month after month, the arrangement of the photo and its title is different every month. Each photograph is different in size, shape, and color, so the corresponding title must fit compatibly with the photograph. There has to be a sense of balance among the separate elements of the page. For example, this cover:

http://blogs.tamtam.nl/paulb/content/binary/natgeo1.jpg

Is set up very differently from this cover for obvious reasons of color, size, and positioning:

http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/ing/01/fotos/zoom/foto639_2.jpg

Graphic designer Robin Williams suggests that if you squint your eyes and look at the design and see more than 3-5 items on a page, then there are too many separate elements. Trying this on National Geographic magazine, I continuously see 3 separate elements (The National Geographic title, the image, and the image title story). Even though each magazine is different from the last, they all share the same functionality of the design, keeping 3 separate elements. The design of the cover also symbolizes the values that the magazine upholds and the message it is conveying. The lack of flashy and modern font types reinforces their priority of the photographs. Because oftentimes the amazement and awe of the natural world goes unnoticed, they are seeking to communicate this admiration for nature to people all over the world through a focus on photography that captures objects, animals, and nature in a way that is impossible for viewers not to be amazed by. Although there is not one single National geographic cover design for every magazine, each cover upholds the same priorities and sense of balance that revolves around the photographs. 

Trouble the Water

Tia Lessin’s documentary “Trouble the Water” takes you on an extraordinary first-hand journey through the Hurricane Katrina disasters from the incredible experiences of the couple Kimberly and Scott Roberts. Not only does the film do an astounding job of presenting shocking images and footage from the midst of the hurricane, but it also delves into the heavy, emotional aspects as the audience bonds with the courageous Kim and Scott Roberts. Personally, I felt that the disasters and horrible consequences of the physical destructions from Katrina were sufficiently covered in the mainstream media, however Tia Lessin bravely reveals the astonishing lack of aid provided by the government, which was desperately needed, and scarcely covered by the media. The primary evidence is blatantly revealed in the film, where thousands of people unable to evacuate New Orleans were simply abandoned and left to endure. The decision to keep significant military sources overseas fighting in the war against terror while thousands of people were in desperate need of military aid, in need of food, water, and shelter, truly speaks about the corrupt priorities of the Unites States government. The footage shot about a year after the hurricane revealed more disturbing realities about unjust priorities; all of the buildings and property that contributed to tourist profit were sufficiently rebuilt and reopened, while the homes and residential neighborhoods of the lower class citizens of New Orleans were left in their horrific state of rubble. The levees remain to be weak and vulnerable to floods, neighborhoods like the ninth ward where Kim and Scott lived remain devastated, and many people who lost everything remain without government compensation for their losses.

After the screening, Tia Lessin spoke for about an hour about her journey making the film and the intentions she had for the finished project. My initial reaction to the film was that the documentary was an incredible account of the Katrina disaster, filmed first-hand from the perspective of Kim and Scott, giving the film a unique angle that really draws the viewer in. However, I am glad I was able to witness her speech after the screening because her personal account of the experiences she went through making the film truly made the documentary so much more significant. Her intentions were full of integrity and bravery, covering a topic that is extremely controversial. She endured so much initial rejection, and I commend her stubborn nature for persisting to work and complete the film, regardless of the reactions of some. I hope that her film continues to circulate and that more and more people become aware of the corruption Tia Lessin is revealing.