The New Yorker never uses photography for its covers. The publication has always relied on illustration and it always works. This upcoming issue, courtesy of MagCulture, continues that trend. At first glance, the Halloween-themed images (darkness, shadows, leaf-less trees, orange border) suggest a typical scene. Yet, as the magazine usually does, subtleties contradict the entire cover to make a societal critique. The cell phone lights shining on the parents' faces show they are not at all engaged with their children's big event. So, it seems the editors are telling the elitist parents (who are their target audience) to wise up, start paying more attention to their kids and enjoy the ghoulish festivities, instead of checking their inboxes.
Because you can infer this much from one aspect of the cover shows how much we can convey with our feature spreads. Choosing the right image and placing it in the right context will make our projects much more effective.
As much as this cover suggests for our feature spreads, I think it shows just as much about our culture which is what we're trying to represent with graphics. Personally, I did not realize they were cell phones until you pointed it out but I feel like most people would be able to realize that they are cell phones and that it is something they can relate to. Being able to have the audience relate to what you are saying, without using words, shows to me that a graphic has worked effectively.
ReplyDeleteI love this one. The New Yorker always uses pictures effectively to tell a story. There's something about this portrait that conveys the overwhelming use of technology over actual human interaction.
ReplyDeleteI think it's weird, yet creative how The New Yorker took such an abstract photo, yet put in those little details of the cell phone lights to make a statement. It is unexpected and definitely something that catches your attention. The picture in itself also has an eerie feel to it that definitely makes you get the Halloween vibe...I'm not too sure if the message is that parents should snap out of their own busy lives to make Halloween a fun day for their kids, or that parents should pay more attention to their kids when they are with them...Either way, it definitely is an eye opener type of cover.
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice the cell phones until you pointed it out. I like that the cover tells a story and sends a specific message to its readers. Something to consider while we are working on our magazine projects.
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