Planning: Cover Page

 Intro:

Choosing the right image for a cover isn't just about finding a "cool" shot; it’s about finding a frame that tells the entire story before a single word is read. When I came across this shot of Jorge Rey III, I knew the search for my portfolio's cover image was over.

Here is how I plan to transform this moment into the face of the magazine.

The Vision: How I’m Using the Shot

This vertical photo is a designer's ideal with its natural "quiet zones."  

• Masthead: The gray sky in the upper portion of the photo offers a neutral and distracting area when placing the magazine title. I will be using a bold serif font and will be slightly overlapping Jorge's long hair with it, to create an impression of depth. 

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• Focal Point: While the jersey number of '8' is placed perfectly in the center of the photograph, the real show is in the details that are included within the photo. The pink captain's armband really stands out from the black uniform and provides a good contrast; while the taped wrist acts both literally and symbolically as the anchor to the "Road to Glory" message. 

• Typography Placement: I will place the headline of the lead story down the lower third of the grass, with a headline like “The Long Way Back,” to allow for the most negated as possible to keep text legible without blocking the subject. 

Analysis:

  

• At first, I pictured a high-energy shot of an athlete in mid-air, or perhaps sliding into home plate after hitting a home run; however when I found this image, my perception completely changed! 

 

Why I Have Changed Course: 

I’m no longer going to concentrate on the excitement of the game regarding this athlete; instead, I’ll put my focus on the athlete as a person. 

The player’s head bent down with his foot pointing to the sky shows how heavy his heart must still be since he has sustained an injury. 

I am now creating a character-driven narrative rather than recapping the performance of a player in the game of baseball. 

• The “comeback” story is not about scoring the first run after rehab; my story is going to have to do with an athlete’s lonely hours spent completing rehab and mentally preparing for his first game back. This image captures the “calm before the storm.”

Here is an Idea of what the cover may look:

Reflection: What’s Next?

Now that the visual anchor is set, the next phase of the project is start thinking about the other content in the magazine and plan my table of contents.

This image isn't just a placeholder; it's the heartbeat of the project. We’re moving from the "visual" phase into the "soul" of the magazine.