Finalising the Book

Once I had completed the book photographs and text, I began adding this to Blurb pages using Bookwright.  When this was completed I uploaded this to Blurb  

On Blurb, I created a short summary of the book and added the price.  I then ensured the preview was working correctly as below.

I then downloaded the book as a PDF and then uploaded this to Flipsnack so I could embed this into my website - Flipsnack link is here: Woman

Once this was completed I embedded this into my website in two places - I added it to a button and linked it under the Photo section 

I also embedded it as a link in the dropdown navigation box - the book now opens in Flipsnack in both places 

I will now check this on the desktop and mobile version to ensure it works correctly.   

Overall I think the book has worked well this term, the final version is simple and effective and works well on the site, I still may change this so I can write more of an introduction on a page however by embedding the links may make this more challenging in terms of website design.  I still need to work more on the design of the site but this should be an ongoing process.

Finalising the Website

 To complete this project and website I added my work to the portfolio pages.  I add buttons and then embedded the link so that the flipbook I created just opened up in a new window.  I did this by clicking on the 'Add' and then 'button' in the menu and then I placed the button in the correct position on the page and set up the links to either the website page or in the case of the flipbook the website address.

I also embedded a link into the navigation so the project can be accessed two ways on the site. I did this again by add and button and then customising the button - I changed the font on all buttons to Caudex 17 pts to be consistent throughout.

I then checked the mobile view and made sure all of the portfolio is working correctly and that the buttons are in the correct place.  The flipbook will not preview on mobile view so I checked this on my phone as my site is published 

I had to change the front portfolio page and I had some issues as my portfolio page used a repeater and I had to add a section on the desktop to ensure I did not get three buttons every time I added instead of one.  I did this but then on the mobile version this did not work - I, therefore, changed this, and at present, on my actual mobile the Woman project and Photo sections work well the other two sections,  I still think have some issues. 

I will need to change the repeater into three sections to make this work so I will have to work on this further!  Otherwise, though the project is embedded and this does work well in both places where is accessed on the site. 

The design of the site is consistent and I think that it is now (almost) as I want it, I will just work on the mobile version further to complete this.

Reshoot: Pregnant Barbie and Perfect Age Barbie

 I reshot both pregnant Barbie and perfect age barbie as the pregnant barbie originally was shot on a Canon 700D and I did not think the images were consistent with the rest of the shoot.  Perfect age Barbie I just thought she looked a little awkward in the images and I wanted to repose and reshoot to get what I had in mind for the book.

These are the contacts from the reshoot.  Again taken on the Olympus E10-II, the settings I started with were ISO 100, F4, 1/100, 19mm focal length and shot in photo light box.

Generally, I was much happier with these images and here are the ones I quite liked from this shoot

The first image I like as she looks proud, almost regal, she is the ultimate mother, the second image is softer and we look down upon her in a gentle way whereas in the third I think the light falls just right and this one looks most natural (if that is possible here)

The reshoot of the perfect barbie I liked these images

I liked these as she looks confident, perfect at the height of her powers and this is what I wanted with these images.  This was supposed to be the perfect age Barbie (around 30) all is good!

Photo Shoot: Teenage Barbie

 The one I was waiting for to complete the images was teenage Barbie.  I have now shot these on my Olympus E-M10-II using settings F3.5, Shutter speed 1/80, ISO 100 focal length 14mm.  Exposure compensation -1.  

These are the contacts from the session using the photo lightbox

The images I thought might work from these were the following:

The top image I think is perhaps the most engaging and will have the right impact in the book as the doll is close up, the unicorn t-shirt and mobile phone do make her look like a teenager.  The second image could work where the phone is prominent and I quite like that she is staring into the distance on this, not at the camera.  The third image makes barbie look young, and bouncy as she looks up (I think) in hope for the future! 

Book Process: Stages of Woman

 I downloaded Bookwright from Blurb and chose the Tradebook option in 8 x 10.  I set up the pages and uploaded images that I would start with and see what they looked like.  I then looked at the layouts and added a text layout on the left-hand side of each double page and a single photo layout for the right-hand page.

I went to my blog to copy the text I had written and pasted this into each box.  I changed the font to Alegreya 26 pts and black.

I added pages at the beginning for the title and inside page with copyright using another text and image layout.

Choosing the right photographs was difficult and I reshot pregnant Barbie and Woman as pregnant barbie I originally shot with a different camera and so she did not look the same as the other images and I needed consistency.

In the end times images barbie is disabled and mad and, she does look that here.  The wheelchair and strange face I do think work well.

I reshot pregnant barbie and I do think the new image is improved - this is the old image above.  The teenage image is missing as I am waiting for teenage barbie to arrive!

Lastly, I went to do the cover pages, I filled the background with black, and then I added the woman image that I felt most reprensented the book and I added a title (same font at 48pts) and blurb on the back 

I will now just check and adjust the text and add the last image this week so I can then export as a PDF to create a flipbook and upload real book to Blurb for printing so I can get a hard copy

Photo Shoot: Stages of Woman

 Completed the photoshoot for all the stages of woman, I may reshoot or complete an additional shoot depending on how the images work in the book.  I took around 450 images, I shot these in Black and white using my Olympus OMD E-10 II, I was using a lightbox and I had added additional black backdrops on all sides to ensure that it was a completely black background.  The dolls were different sizes and, at times, quite awkward depending on the way they moved, some were more flexible than others.  The child doll and the aged wheelchair Barbie were hardest to shoot.  As I had 15 contact sheets I will just share a few here.

I shot these on F3.5, ISO 100. 1/125 with adjustments in exposure compensation and focal length.  

I realised I had forgotten teenage barbie so ordered her ready to add next week.

The ones I thought worked best for this shoot were the child and menopausal woman - she has pink hair and I am not averse to pink hair myself!

I may use one of these images for the book cover.

Stages of Woman: First Draft Text for Book

 Please see here the intended text to go with each image - this is the first draft and so it is just an idea of the story I would like to tell

Stages of Woman

Child

Pure child, full of dreams

Pretty dolls and decent things

Watching Mother cook and clean

Mother talking about how we should be seen

Teenager

Awkward times, full of discontent

The girl hides away as her mind and body disconnect

Life beckons and so she steps away

Broken dreams, harsh times, and disarray

Woman

At last, the girl becomes a woman 

Strong, vibrant, sensual, and uncommon

Gives everything she has, marches forward 

Determined, clever, ambitious, and ordered

Pregnant

Met a man, everything changed

Domestic bliss, she feels shortchanged

The time has come for her to bear

Fruit of her womb, bright and fair

Change

Years of work, child-rearing and domestic chores

Nothing gained, and no reward

Body strained, time marches on 

The change is here and a woman’s life foregone

Revitalised

At last, the woman is free

Her body returned to thee

Strong and hopeful, no man needed

She now steps out and feels completed

Age

Finally, the last hours, show their face

She has lived, wishes she could have been in the fast race

But the woman has to take the slow path

Now she withers on the vine

Contemplating the wonder of divine design