Britney Spears Magazine Cover Analysis'

The image has been cropped into a mid-long shot so that the bed covers and her outfit are clearly visible. They have made sure that the only thing in the image to focus on is her and her top is open so that readers see that she is trying to get their attention. This is typical of men’s magazines as they generally have images of half naked women on their cover that ooze sex appeal.

The image is very focused on her silhouette which again oozes sex appeal. She is wearing lingerie that looks maybe as if it is from the 60’s which again links to the theme of the entire image. Even though she is wearing lingerie it is not that dramatic. Her bottoms are quite girly. They are pink have polka dots and have a little bow. Along with this and the other props such as the telly-tubby and the phone which are used to soften the image and not make it too sexual and seductive. The props are also used to show that “she’s a girl, but not yet a woman”. Her image is of course appealing to a male audience which takes up most of the readership of this particular magazine.

The image is meant to imitate that of the classic film “Lolita”. This inter-textual reference carries meaning because in the video of her debut single “hit me baby one more time” she is practically playing a school girl trying to seduce older men, which is exactly what she is trying to do in the image and the message that she is giving off.

The colours used in the image are very significant as well. There are a lot of different shades of pink.. This makes Britney look more feminine and again adds to the appeal of the image. The black used also shows that she is a bit more mature.

The image has again been cropped into a mid-long shot just as in the previous cover I analysed. This highlights the fact that the editors of the image want her whole body to be seen to satisfy the male audience, who make up 59% of the readership whilst women make up only 42%.

Britney is practically naked in this image apart from her underwear and the towel she is holding to cover her breasts. This choice of costume makes it evident to readers the type of relationship she wants with her audience. She wants people to see her as a kind of “sex icon” and even thought she is a musician the image does not refer to her music in any way shape or form. Also her pose is quite sexual as she is emphasising her bum and is overtly trying to look sexy.

In the image it looks as if Britney is standing in the doorway to a bedroom. Again this links back to her appeal to the male audience of the magazine. It seems as if she is saying to the audience “come into my room” in an attempt to seduce readers.

The lighting in this image is very bright. This makes her skin glow and softens the image. There is also use of hi-key lighting. She is mixing quite obvious sexuality with innocence and the colours used help portray this is idea because white is a colour that is associated with purity.

I think this image has been chosen because at the time the issue was released it was a highly known fact that Britney was having a great deal of trouble in her life. The image is also in black and white which could be interpreted as her seeming to be lifeless. It could also be seen as a reference to the past.

The image is a close-up which is a big difference from the previous covers she has dominated. This could be due to the fact that her body is not in the same shape as it used to be after two children, but it could also be down to the fact that it gives the impression that the interview will be very in depth. Make readers feel as if they are going to see the real Britney. I have also noticed that the camera angle of the image is a very low camera angle and this gives the impression that her eyes are turned down to the sides, like she is sad. This links back to the state of her well being and life at the time this issue was printed. From the image I get the impression that she would like a close and personal relationship with readers.