Production- Selecting Images for the Magazine

    This week I also focused on deciding which photographs I am going to include in my magazine. Instead of taking completely new photos, I looked through the images I have already taken and started thinking about how they could work together across the pages.

    I compared different photos of flowers and outdoor setups that I already have in my personal camera roll and thought about which ones best matched the calm and minimal style I planned earlier. The variety of photos that i included from previously from my personal camera roll included some sunset photos and different landscapes revolving around nature. Some images worked better because the lighting was softer or the composition felt more balanced, while others felt too busy or too bright. This helped me narrow down which images I will most likely use in the final magazine.

Examples of Nature Photos with Lowkey Lighting-

     I also started thinking about how the images might function on different pages. Some photos will work better as full-page images, while others may be smaller supporting images next to text. At this stage I am not placing them into the final layouts yet, but I am deciding which images fit the overall style and theme.

    This step helped make the production process more organized because I now have a clearer idea of which images I will be working with when I begin building the final pages.

Production- Natural Photography

    This week I focused on taking natural photographs that could be used as backgrounds and supporting images in my mindfulness magazine. I went to Lowe’s and photographed different flowers because I wanted to include more natural elements in my magazine instead of only indoor setups. I thought flowers would work well because they connect to themes of calmness and mindfulness and help make the magazine feel more peaceful and organic.

Variety of Flowers that I Photographed-

    I used my iPhone camera so I could move around easily and take photos from different distances and angles. For some photos I moved closer to focus on the details of the petals, and for others I stepped back so the flowers filled the frame in a more natural way. I tried to keep the compositions simple and avoided including too many distracting objects in the background.

Closer to detail Photos-

    While taking the photos, I paid attention to lighting and tried to shoot in areas where the light looked softer and more even. I wanted the colors to look natural and not too harsh so the images would match the calm style I planned earlier.

    These photos will likely be used as background images or supporting visuals rather than main feature images. Taking these pictures helped me move toward a more natural approach for the magazine while still staying consistent with my original plan.

Production – Initial Photography & Layout Testing

     

    This week, I focused on producing the original photography for my mindfulness magazine. I wanted each image to reflect calm, balance, and intentionality, so I planned the shots carefully instead of taking random pictures. I set up simple spaces for meditation, reading, and journaling, and made sure each scene had neutral colors, clean surfaces, and soft natural light.

Figure 1: Initial setup for a meditation corner -

    I also experimented with flat lays to show mindfulness in small, personal spaces. Flat lays included items like journals, candles, smooth stones, leaves, and herbal teas. I arranged them in simple, balanced compositions with plenty of empty space so the viewer’s eye can rest.

Figure 2: Flat lay composition 

    Once I took the photos, I moved on to editing. I adjusted brightness, softened contrast, and added warmth to make the images feel inviting and calm. Shadows were lightly lifted, and I cropped or reframed images to match the composition I planned.

    To show the effect of editing, I included before-and-after comparisons for some photos. For example, one meditation corner photo looked more serene after softening light and centering the subject. Another flat lay became clearer and more balanced after minor adjustments in color and cropping.

Meditation Corner Before-                                                                         Mediation Corner After-

                           

 

Flat Layout Before-

                              Flat Layout After-                                                                

    This production stage helped me connect my planning with the final visual outcome. By controlling props, placement, lighting, and editing, I could create photos that reflect mindfulness and meditation conventions. Each image now contributes to the calm, intentional mood I want my magazine to convey.

Final setup used for mindfulness magazine photography-

    The images I am using in this production stage are intentionally similar to the ones I outlined in my planning post. I wanted to stay consistent with the compositions, props, and lighting choices I had already decided on instead of changing direction. At this point, I am refining the images and making small adjustments, rather than deciding exactly how they will appear in the final magazine layout. This keeps my work aligned with my original concept and overall style.

    Overall, this process reinforced the importance of preparation and intentionality in photography. The combination of thoughtful props, clear composition, and careful editing ensures that every image in my magazine feels purposeful and aligns with the mindfulness genre.

Planning - Photoshoot Strategy & Mise-en-Scène

    This week, I focused on planning the photography for my mindfulness magazine. Since my magazine relies heavily on visual storytelling, the way I stage and compose my images is just as important as the written content. Mindfulness magazines use calm, intentional imagery to create a certain feeling, so I wanted to make sure every visual decision supports that mood.

    One of the main things I considered was location. I plan to take photos in spaces that feel quiet and natural, such as near a window with soft daylight or outdoors in a park setting. Natural light is important because harsh artificial lighting would feel too dramatic and take away from the peaceful tone I am trying to create. From researching magazines like Mindful and Kinfolk, I noticed that their images often use diffused lighting and uncluttered backgrounds, which makes a subject feel grounded and reflective rather than staged.

Indoor Location-

Outdoor Location - 

    In addition to location, I carefully planned my mise-en-scène. I want to use simple props such as a journal, a candle, neutral fabric, or a plant. These objects symbolize reflection, stillness, and intentional living. I will avoid overcrowding the frame because mindfulness magazines rely on negative space to communicate calmness. Every object in the frame needs to feel purposeful rather than decorative.

Planned prop arrangement focusing on neutral tones and minimal composition. -\

    Overall, planning my photoshoot helped me feel more confident about the direction of my magazine. Instead of guessing what will look good, I now have a clearer idea of how lighting, props, and composition will work together to create the calm atmosphere I am aiming for. My next step is to begin taking practice photos and adjusting anything that feels unbalanced.

Planning- Equipment

 

    This week, I focused on the equipment and technical tools I will be using to create my mindfulness magazine. Even though my project is print-based rather than a film, equipment still plays an important role in the overall quality of my images and layouts. Because mindfulness magazines rely on soft lighting, minimal composition, and calm visuals, the tools I use will directly influence whether my magazine feels professional and cohesive.

    For photography, I plan to use my Canon camera. It is capable of high-quality images when used intentionally. From researching magazines such as Mindful, and Kinfolk, I noticed that most images rely on natural light and appear softly lit rather than dramatic or overly edited. Because of this, I will prioritize taking photos near windows or outdoors in natural daylight. I will also carefully plan my mise-en-scène by using simple props like journals, candles, plants, and neutral fabrics to visually represent meditation and intentional living as I have already previously researched. 

    However, I also decided that I will mainly use my iPhone camera for my photos. It’s easier to move around with, and I can quickly capture different angles and lighting without having to set up a lot of equipment. I’ll still keep my Canon handy for shots where I want more detail or control, but most of my images will be taken on my phone. This way, I can focus on arranging my props like journals, candles, and plants, and experimenting with natural light, while keeping everything looking calm, minimal, and consistent with my magazine’s style.

    For layout and design, I plan to use Adobe InDesign. Canva will allow me to experiment with different layout ideas, while InDesign gives me more control over spacing, typography, and alignment. Since I have already researched the importance of negative space and clean font pairings in mindfulness magazines, I will focus on keeping my layouts minimal and balanced rather than overcrowded.

Examples of Desired Layout Designs from The Kinfolk-

    Overall, planning my equipment helped me understand that strong production requires intention and control. Moving forward, I will begin practicing photography in my chosen locations and testing layouts using my style guide to ensure consistency across all pages of my magazine.

Planning- Audience and Marketing Strategies

    This week, I focused on how my mindfulness magazine could reach its purposeful and intended audience while still standing out in the current market of many more of the same product. Understanding where and how readers discover mindfulness magazines publications is important because even the best content won’t be effective if it doesn’t reach the right people. I analyzed examples from magazines like Mindful Magazine, and Calm, Kinfolk to see how they are marketed and distributed, also how they connect with their target audiences.

    One pattern I noticed is that mindfulness magazines often rely on both physical and digital distribution. Physical copies are commonly found in bookstores, shops of any kind like supermarkets or convenience stores, while digital versions are available through magazine apps, subscriptions, and websites. For example, Kinfolk Magazine offers a digital subscription with interactive features, making it easy for readers who prefer online media to access the content on phones or tablets. Mindful Magazine also partners with yoga studios and wellness centers, giving readers a way to engage with the actual physical magazines in a space where mindfulness practices and overall wellness are already being implicated on target audiences. 

Magazine being Sold in Convince Stores -

Kinfolk Magazine offers a digital subscription Hyperlink-

Subscribe - Kinfolk

    For my own magazine, I plan to creatively allude to an alike multi-marketing strategy. Social media previews and posts will highlight calming images, quotes from each of my feature articles, and behind-the-scenes shots of my photo shoots. This approach will help me attract readers who are already interested in mindfulness, meditation, and wellness while still maintaining a calm and reflective tone of my magazine.

Planning- Distribution Companies

    Hello, this week I researched how mindfulness and wellness magazines are distributed and how they actually reach their audience. I realized distribution is more important than I had first thought because it affects the brand image and who ends up seeing the magazine.

Mindful Magazines publicly selling online copies of their magazines -

Physical Magazines being sold in a book store -

    Magazines like Mindful and Breathe use both print and digital distribution. In print, they’re usually sold in places like Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, airport stores, and sometimes grocery stores. They’re not everywhere though, which actually makes them feel more premium and intentional. This matches the mindfulness genre because it’s about being calm and thoughtful, not being overly produced or overwhelming.

Subscription page of 'Breath' Magazines-

    In my research I also noticed that a lot of mindfulness magazines also focus on subscriptions. Readers can sign up to receive issues at home, which helps build a loyal audience. Since mindfulness is more of a lifestyle, having subscribers makes sense because people who are interested in it usually want consistent content, not just one random issue.

The Kinfolk Magazine Instagram media promotion-

Branded post by the Kinfolk on their official Instagram page-

    Digital distribution is also really important. Most of these magazines have websites, online versions, and social media accounts. On Instagram especially, they post calming quotes, aesthetic photography, and short clips that match their brand. Social media works almost like free advertising and helps bring people to their website or subscription page.

    From researching this, I learned that mindfulness magazines usually use selective distribution instead of mass distribution. That helps keep their brand identity strong and focused. For my own magazine, I would probably use Instagram and a website for digital promotion and possibly sell limited print copies in bookstores or wellness spaces so it still feels intentional and not over-commercialized.

Sources / References

Kinfolk Magazine. Kinfolk – About the Publication. https://www.kinfolk.com
Barnes & Noble. Magazine Distribution Information. https://www.barnesandnoble.com
Apple News+. Magazine Distribution on Digital Platforms. https://www.apple.com/apple-news/
Mindful Magazine Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmagazine/

Planning- Project Planning

       This week, I started fully planning the direction and purpose of my original mindfulness magazine. I am working independently on this project, which gives me full control over the design, content, and overall message. Working on my own also helps me keep everything consistent and closely connected to the research and planning I have already done.

    For this project, I chose to create a magazine within the mindfulness and wellness sub-genre, with a focus on meditation and intentional living. I was drawn to this genre because mindfulness magazines rely on subtle design choices, such as calm imagery, minimal layouts, and reflective writing, to shape how readers feel. This genre also allows me to explore photography, color, and layout design in a way that supports mental well-being instead of overwhelming the audience.

Visual ideas I made for my magazine-

    The target audience for my magazine is young adults between the ages of 16 and 30, of any gender, mainly living in urban or suburban areas. This audience is often interested in self-care, mental health, journaling, yoga, and creative lifestyles. I chose this age group because many young people are becoming more aware of mental health and are more into media that feels calm, intentional, and visually pleasing. Mindfulness magazines often appeal to readers who are looking for balance in their everyday lives.

Visual inspiration representing the target audience and lifestyle.-

    Additionally, a major focus of my magazine will be mental health awareness and accessibility to mindfulness practices. I want my magazine to follow mindfulness and to feel realistic and. By using imagery, simple language, and everyday settings, my magazine will show that mindfulness can fit into daily life and does not require a specific lifestyle or background.

    To create my magazine, I plan to use Adobe InDesign for layout and design, and I will take all photos myself using my phone camera. When taking photos, I will focus on lighting, composition, and mise-en-scene so the images match the calm tone of the meditation sub-genre. Through this process, I also want to improve my skills in layout design, typography, and color theory.

    My final magazine will include a front cover, a table of contents spread, and a double-page feature article. It will feature at least six original photographs and completely original writing. I plan to start by finalizing my style guide, then creating rough layout sketches and practicing photography before moving into full production. These steps will help me stay organized and make sure my final magazine clearly fits the mindfulness genre.

Planning- Magazine Structure, Content, and Production Plan

 

    This week, while still following the creation of my magazine style guide, I focused on planning the structure and actual content of my original mindfulness magazine portfolio. Thought I have not yet taken to design full page layouts yet, I mapped out what my magazine will be including and how each component will be required to be organized.

    I also planned a count of three core sections for my magazine: the front cover, table of contents spread, and double-page feature article. These sections that I separated will help me have a better idea and structure to my magazine. I also outlined the type of content that will appear throughout the magazine, specifically these sections, and how it will be reflecting mindfulness and meditation conventions.

 Examples of double page feature articles in other Mindfulness magazines-

Examples of my planning to structure the magazine

Page 1: Cover – title, image, tagline

Page 2: Table of contents

Page 3–5: Main article/ Articles 

Page 6: Quotes + photography

Personal Layout notes-

    As part of this planning process, I also reviewed examples from the Mindful Magazine, Kinfolk, and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review to understand how professional mindfulness magazine's structure and control their content within pages 

    Planning the structure of my magazine helped me see how the style guide I have already created can be applied with consistency across all of my sections. For example, my decision I have already made in my style guide to use minimalist layouts and neutral colors directly influences how my cover and table of contents will be designed.

    Through my recent research, I noticed that mindfulness magazines often prioritize quality over quantity tying back into the use of negative space I have already observed in mindfulness magazines, when it comes to content. Rather than including many short articles, mindfulness magazines focus on fewer, more reflective and in-depth pieces. This influenced my decision to create one strong feature article that aligns with the meditation sub-genre and takes up more than one page instead of multiple shorter feature articles that would crowd my designed layouts. 

 

Planning – Creating a Style Guide

     This week, I began creating the style guide for my own original mindfulness magazine. I utilized the website provided to me by my inductor to create an elaborate style guide, (How to Create a Magazine Style Guide Nxtbook)

    "Style guides establish the visual and editorial rules that will be used consistently throughout the 652magazine, including the cover, table of contents, and feature article spreads."

My Magazine Style Guide (Draft)

Magazine Title (Working Title):

Still.

Genre / Sub-Genre:

Health & Wellness – Mindfulness / Meditation

Visual Tone:
Calm, minimal, reflective, and intentional

Color Palette

-My magazine will use a muted, neutral color palette inspired by the mindfulness conventions i have researched. 

.Soft beige

.Warm off-white

.Sage green

.Muted gray

.Soft blue (accent color only)

These colors were chosen because they reduce stress on the pages and create a calming and emotional response. This palette will be used consistently across the cover, table of contents, and feature spreads.

Typography

. Masthead & Headings: Clean sans-serif font

.Body Text: Light-weight serif font

This pairing creates clear hierarchy and legibility while maintaining a soft, editorial aesthetic. Decorative fonts will be avoided to keep the design simple and uncluttered.

Layout & Design Rules

.Minimalist layout with generous margins

.Use of negative space to slow the reading experience

.Centered or symmetrical composition

Imagery & Mise-en-Scène

-Natural lighting or soft artificial lighting

-Nature-based or symbolic imagery (plants, stones, candles, fabric)

-Neutral environments with minimal props

    Creating this style guide helped me make a lot of clear design related decisions early in my project rather than improvising and end up making a less developed magazine later on. The NXTBook Media article showed me that style guides are meant to support a consistent and efficient, which is influenced my choice to surely decide on these elements before designing layouts.

    Next, in my project I will begin applying this style guide to practice layouts, starting with the front cover and table of contents. I also plan to take original photographs that align with my imagery guidelines. 

    The style guide will remain a reference point throughout the project to ensure visual consistency and genre alignment.

Research- Design Trends for Mindfulness Magazines

    This week, I focused my research on current design trends that are being used in mindfulness and wellness magazines. Rather than looking at individual technical elements in different magazines under the same sub genre, I examined how design choices work together to create a calm, intentional reading experience. I analyzed examples from Kinfolk, Mindful Magazine, Calm Magazine, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and select wellness-focused editorial spreads.

    The purpose of this research was to understand how design trends visually communicate mindfulness, balance, simplicity, and reflection.

    The first design trend that I focused on was the minimalistic layouts of mindful magazines and the restraint they but on their visuals. One of the most obvious trends across mindfulness magazines is a minimalist approach to layout. The pages of these magazines are often very uncluttered with a lot of limited text and carefully placed images with enough negative space allotted to those images, I noticed that the negative space around images is what contributes to a minimalistic layout the most. 

Some examples noticed of this-

(The Kinfolk)

    Another design trend that I noticed was the use of nature-based photos. This is clear because nature plays such a central role in many mindfulness magazines. For example, the use of images of landscapes, natural textures, plants, water, or symbolic objects such as stones, candles, or ceramics. These visuals are often softly lit and minimally styled.

 Examples of softly lit, and nature centered photos- 

    

    Researching these design trends helped me understand how different mindfulness magazines use visual choices to create a specific reader experience. Minimalist layouts, nature images and slow-reading structures all work together to support a mindful and intentional engagement.

    For my own magazine project, I plan to use these trends by focusing on simplicity, visual balance, and a calm tone. By utilizing current mindfulness design trends, my magazine will feel cohesive and clearly aligned with genre expectations.

Sources / References

Kinfolk Magazine – https://kinfolk.com
Mindful Magazine – https://www.mindful.org
Calm Magazine – https://www.calm.com
Tricycle: The Buddhist Review – https://tricycle.org