tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25017086133358079492024-02-08T12:38:01.846-05:00Soul captureA Blog about Photography, writing with lightHuba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-4481712169458495022010-11-20T16:27:00.001-05:002010-11-20T16:27:22.337-05:00Spine<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/TOg9NnRs-BI/AAAAAAAAAFM/qlqQ-GVkfAg/Spine_img_1.jpg"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/TOg9NnRs-BI/AAAAAAAAAFM/qlqQ-GVkfAg/Spine_img_1.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left cursor: pointer;" height="240px" width="180px" /></a><br><br>When you are stripped of everything, when you have lost all your leaves, when birds have foraged flesh off your ribs. What is left? Where is your spine?<br />Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-83520975849873898272010-08-05T07:29:00.001-04:002010-08-05T07:29:23.489-04:00The client<br>Bittersweet. You've got the assignment, you did your best, you delivered. More than that, you know this is good stuff, both technically and artistically.<br /><br>The client comes back and says "I don't like the photographs". What to do?<br /><br>- Get over the frustration, it is not personal. Most of the time it is not about you or your work (why did he hired you in the first place?), it is about taste, or pre-conceived imagery.<br /><br>- Understand what they want, maybe they are not ready for your concentrated creative juices. Give them what they want.<br /><br>- Educate them. Show them why your images are better, but be prepared to show them HOW, with actual examples, mock-ups.<br /><br>- Walk away. If there is nothing you can do, maybe is better just to cut it loose. It will depend on you if you give back the money or just stick to your guns, I don't like to have unhappy customers, but after all, the work is done.<br /><br>- Learn from it. What happened? Did you ask the right questions on what was needed? Did you show examples during the discovery phase? Did you show plenty of shots DURING the shoot to see if you were on the right track? What can you do next time to lock in payment?<br /><br>Just one of the many aspects of managing a photography business...<br />Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-72199624441420842042010-05-04T09:16:00.004-04:002010-05-18T08:42:49.729-04:00Shoot away the Summer<p>Summer is almost here, usually with the so-awaited-for family vacation. Travel is just an excellent opportunity to take great pictures and Who does not want to have some kind of memories of their trips?<br /><br />Here are some tips to make the most out of it:<br /><br /><strong>1.- "Dress" adequately.</strong> If you have lots of gear, tailor your bag for the destination. Wildlife: bring your longest lens (you can also rent lenses), hiking: wide angle, city: medium range, wide angle.<br /><br /><strong>2.- Go snapshot.</strong> A point and shoot is great to carry for those active days, if you are going out with the kids around noon, you would be better off with your smaller, waterproof point and shoot than your heavy DSLR. Who wants those noon shadows anyway? You will still have a camera to capture the moment. Save the DSLR for the artsy shots during the golden hours.<br /><br /><strong>3.- Prefer road-trip over flying.</strong> Ground-level just offers so much more photo opportunities. Pack some drinks and snacks, this way you can stop for photographs at off-the-beaten track stops, not to have a drink at the gas station. It is also cheaper.<br /><strong><br />4.- Plan slack into your itinerary.</strong> This way there will be no rushing you when you are waiting for that cloud to be in just the right place.<br /><br /><strong>5.- Tell a story. </strong>If your trip has a purpose, the better. But if you have not figured this out yet, make a story about the expectation of the trip, have plenty of shots the week BEFORE you leave, maybe even have the kids submit plans or draw a map and then record it on film (sorry, SD card).<br /><br /><strong>6.- Make it a family project. </strong>If everybody is engaged, they will cooperate more and will nag you less when you are taking the fifth shot of the same thing compensating exposure...<br /><br /><strong>7.- Surrender the helm. </strong>Let your sweetie drive, this way you do the important things, like photographing and manning the iPod. (now that I say that...take a look at bonus #2!).<br /><br /><strong>8.- Go undercover. Pack a "day bag".</strong> Especially at "adventure destinations", it is important not to be spotted as the Ugly American with the expensive photo gear. Pack a regular backpack or messenger bag, the simplest and oldest you have. Place your gear in a protective case (hard is better, but at least cushioned) inside the bag. This way most people will think it is a ham sandwich and a sweater what you are carrying. Of course, avoid any camera manufacturer logos...<br /><br /><strong>9.- Have a backup plan.</strong> Have some device where you can download your cards. You have to have enough cards so they last for the day. You may also want to carry an external drive and give it to your partner.<br /><br /><strong>10.- Before you go, go online.</strong> Read about your destination, its history, places to photograph. Look at photographs of the place. Maybe make a list of shots you want. Are there any festivals in the area during your stay? What's special about the weather this time of the year?<br /><br /><strong>11.- (Bonus) Be lazy, it is a vacation. </strong>Build in a couple extra days at the pool if you can. You will come home more rested, will have some time to catalog your shots on your laptop, and it is just extra slack that you could use if you find out last minute about this great destination!<br /></p><strong>12.- (Bonus #2) DJs rock. </strong>Make a note of the songs you listen to, these can become a soundtrack for a flash presentation enhancing the "memories" piece.<br /><br />Have a great vacation!<br /><br />Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at <a href="http://www.rostonics.com/" _cke_saved_href="http://www.rostonics.com" target="_blank">http://www.rostonics.com</a>, you can also follow Huba on twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/rostonics" _cke_saved_href="http://www.twitter.com/rostonics" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/rostonics</a>.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-34093885806548467422010-04-29T08:55:00.002-04:002010-04-29T08:57:11.036-04:00Ricardo Bigai breaks the mold with Supersam's musical video shot on iPhones<p> I was just blown away when I saw <a href="http://www.myspace.com/supersamband" target="_blank">Supersam</a>'s new musical video. It shows 5 iPhones being rearranged on top of a table with rolling videos on each of them.</p> <p> It happens to be that it was actually partially shot on the iPhone. Ricardo Bigai is one of the members of the band and he also directed the video.</p> <p> <strong>HR: Ricardo, tell me a little bit about Supersam...<br /></strong>RB: SuperSam is a spanish rock band from Miami, members are José Martinez leads with the voice, Carlos García-Menocal on the Drums, Jorge García does the Guitars, Daniel Lazo Guitars and myself on the bass, we've been playing with this line-up since 2008, and "Un Tiempo En Marte" is our first CD. "E.M.O." is the second single we release from it.<br /><br /><strong>HR: How did you guys come up with this idea?<br /></strong>RB:Immediately after we decided to release that song (E.M.O.) as our second single, the idea came to fruition. We have a lot of talented friends in the video industry willing to help us, but this time we didn't want to bother them, and we wanted the video as fast as possible, so the initial idea was "Why don't we shot the video ourselves with the iPhone camera?, cool! we said, but next question was "so what do we do in the video". That's when came the idea to shoot the video with the iPhone and present it with iPhones, initially the idea was to put 5 static iPhones, each member on each one, interacting, moving from one to the other, etc. The more complex "choreography" between them came after, when I was working on the story board.<br /><br /><strong>HR: What was the processes to shoot and edit the video?<br /></strong>RB: After creating the main screenplay on paper, I had created 5 different ones from that main one, for each memeber of the band. Once everyone was happy with that, we went for production. The whole point was to create a "guerilla style" video, but even for that you need some level of artistry, specially in the photography department, we had the idea but we need those professional eyes, so we ended "bothering" our good friends Rafael Mata for DP and "camera" (the iPhone's )and Alejandra Romero and Marlene Mata from Blue Hope Prod for the production. We shot five different videos in five different locations, with a very simple illumination and production, a very detailed (and strict) screenplay but with a home made feel. Then I edited each one (in Pro Tools!) placed them in five different devices, and then we shot the 5 iPhones playing in sync (with a Panasonic P2 HD cam) in a single pass. After a little color correction... done!<br /><br /><strong>HR: What were the technical challenges that you found?<br /></strong>RB: A few, for example, to create a smooth camera movement with such a small and light device was a difficult task for Rafael, we created what we called "the woodycam" we tied the iPhone to a piece of wood with velcro, and we used 2 C-clamps as handles.<br />The actual syncing of the 5 devices was a pain since we had to do it manually. For this I placed a one frame flash with a beep (a 2 pop) in the first second of each movie, so right after we press play on all of them we knew we were in sync already, and if not we wouldn't have to wait for almost the whole video to know if we were in sync. If all the 2 pops flashed at once we knew we were OK right from the beginning.</p> <p> But the real problem was that we had 3 different devices, 2 iPhone 3Gs, 2 2Gs and one iPod Touch for the playback. 3 different devices, 3 different cpu speeds, 3 different times to start playing after you hit play! we figured out "by ear" more or less those timings, (thanks to the 2 pops).<br />The other challenge was to film the 5 iPhones and find a good balance between light and the brightness of the devices, also focus was an issue, because part of the choreography was to sometimes put the devices very close to the lens, Rafael had to follow those movements and correct the focusing thru the entire piece.<br /><br /><br /><strong>HR: How about the capabilities of these devices for this task?<br /></strong>RB: At some moment I thought to shoot each video with a pro camera and then play those videos on the iPhones, but I quickly abandoned that idea after I shot with the guys a scratch version of the video with the iPhone (as originally planned) , and we realized that the iPhone camera was very "forgiving" with us, you know, we are a bunch of ugly guys, but we liked how we looked filmed on the iPhone, I guess its texture helps us a lot! LOL!. Also the iPhone lens and autofocus are very versatile, it really is shoot and go, it adapts rapidly to any lighting conditions, so the shooting was very easy .<br /><br /><strong>HR: Do you think this is a trend? We will be seeing more videos shot with handheld devices? Or Supersam did it and now its 'passé'?<br /></strong>RB: I'm totally positive that people is going to start doing things like this, because is a tool people already have in their pockets, and is a very versatile one. Possibilities are endless. Artistically speaking people just need to know their technical limitations and put them on their side.<br /><br /><strong>HR: Yeah, I guess the old saying that "The best camera is the one that it is with you" is truer than ever...<br /></strong></p> <p> <strong>There is a lot of discussion about people stepping into each other courts, amateurs selling stock photos on the internet, photographers shooting video...What can you say about a bass player directing a musical video shoot on iPhones?<br /></strong><br />RB: With today's technology, the sky is the limit, and especially in media arts the rules are there to be broken,every day. I don't see a problem with that . There is good and really bad stuff made both by professionals as well as by amateurs in every field. </p> <p> <strong>HR: On a related note, How does this play out in the music industry and where do you see it going? The musical industry has been dealing longer with the "new economy" of 99 cent downloads and $300 studios...<br /></strong>RB: This video is both cause and consequence of the current state of the record industry and the world economy. You got to be creative to make your work known. The large record companies are not developing artists nor investing in them as they used to do. At the same time they are not strictly necessary anymore to make yourself known. They are guilty of what's happening to them, I don't feel sorry for them, it is just the way it is and we all have to figure out how to survive.</p> <p> </p> <p> Check out the video!</p><p><br /></p> <p> Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at <a href="http://www.rostonics.com/" target="_blank">http://www.rostonics.com</a> and read his articles on The Examiner at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-7138-Miami-Photography-Examiner. You can also follow Huba on twitter @ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/rostonics" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/rostonics</a>.</p>Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-58472096855690333352010-03-06T23:13:00.001-05:002010-03-07T06:52:33.832-05:00The $3,000 brick<p>The following is a true story. The names have been changed to protect the extremely innocent (and wealthy).</p><br /><p>I will call her Belinda. Never told me her name, but sure looked like a Belinda. She came into my tent at the art fair avoiding eye contact and with an air of superiority. She scanned my images like judging them, like comparing them to an imaginary standard. Her face had a hint of dislike.</p><br /><p>She had a camera straped around her neck. Then I noticed, it was not just any camera, but the object of my desire, a beatiful and massive Nikon D700. I approached her in an intent of disarming her. "I see you brought me my camera" - I said. She smiled. "May I?" - I further asked while I reached for the camera. I took it in my hands and it felt just as it should. </p><br /><p>But something was wrong. I hesitated, Am I really seeing this? An "E" was flashing on the top screen.</p><br /><p>I couldn't resist telling her: "You have no card!"</p><br /><br><b>Location : </b><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.124235,-80.425228">1599 Winterberry Ln, Weston, FL 33327, </a><br>Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-71240835602130302732010-01-22T20:07:00.004-05:002010-01-22T20:14:04.589-05:00The future of photography as a businessRecently, I got engaged in an online discussion on the future of photography as a profession. Well, more than engaged, I was monitoring everybody's comments. <br /><br />The predominant topic of the discussion was driven by the frustration of long-time photographers whose business has eroded as a product of the technological evolution. <br /><br />To be honest, the tone of many of those writing, wasn't very positive.<br /><br />For many years, professional photography's high fees were based on the exploitation <br />throughout time of a costly asset. The business model resembled more an equipment rental than a professional service delivered by a skilled tehnitian who is also capable of infusing the final product with creative energy and visual appeal. <br /><br />I have been lucky enough to work or be related to a variety of fields of work and unfortunate enough to see the competitive advantages vanish in one way or another. I will give you some examples:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The recording industry. </span><br />Recording studios used to be expensive, difficult to afford. They would be equipped with hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment. Somebody would make the investment and musicians would use their services for a fee. The quality they offered just wasn't obtainable otherwise. Talent was not necessarily what got you into the studio to record, it was more a function of how you related with the investor, willing to back your musical project.<br /><br />How it changed? Recording and sound processing equipment got more and more accessible and it became part of the musician's or recording artist's gear. <br /><br />How did they adapt? After this, everybody had recording gear.The primary value and differentiator became talent,creativity and professionalism in meeting deadlines. The "soft skills" like setting up microphones and blending the layers became also more valuable. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Computing Industry</span><br />I remember when in the 70s my dad was evaluating a business proposal that involved buying a Wang computer with 4K of RAM and a 5M HDD for processing books for third parties. <br /><br />How it changed? Everybody knows that. Your iPhone is more than 200 times more powerful than that machine. Nobody would hire a company because of their computing power. You can do pretty much everything in-house. That's it YOUR HOUSE.<br /><br />How did they adapt? Even after all this, you still hire an accountant, and the main reason is usually that he or she should keep you out of trouble. <br /><br /><br /><br />I am not going to join the whining, I am interested in breakthrough ideas...<br /><br />* Photography is more alive than ever (look at all the DSLRs sold), it is the Photographer species that is hurting.This means there is a demand for the still image, it is just being fulfilled differently. How do we steer them back? Most people want to do them themselves, not because it is less expensive (they shed $600 out already), but because they want that sense of accomplishment. Don't you enjoy making images? Why shouldn't they!<br /><br />* The Tablet/eBook reader hype as a magazine replacement: They come with a monopoly built-in. Most of this is just new media with the same hurting business model. I am not sure on how Pro Photographers can "plug-in" here...<br /><br />* There will always be need for new images, stock can't win. Images wear off, customs and fashion change, you have to update the library constantly.<br /><br />* Whoever shoots his once-in-a-lifetime event with somebody who cannot guarantee results is making a poor choice. It will not take very long until the market understands this. Listen to me: there will be skits about this on SNL and will become an example on what not to do. <br /><br />* Video might be the answer, but it looks like just another field. I have a videographer friend complaining about "all these newcomers with their 5Ds" cannibalizing his business...<br /><br />* We should look at how other industries are tackling this. Some examples:<br />- Phone companies: No longer selling minutes, now bundling the proverbial triple-play.<br />- TV and Cable: Product placement is the new revenue generator.<br />- Music: The CD is just a marketing vehicle to sell the live show.<br />- Open source software: Software IS FREE, the support costs you an arm and a leg.<br />- One that is still holding strong: Lots of cooking shows on TV, still, you go out and pay $16/entree. You are paying for the experience, not just the plate.<br /><br />* We should move away from "thinking gear". For many years, $$$ spent on equipment is what set the Pro away from the amateur. Now, anybody can buy a decent camera. You can buy a set of clubs for $100, not everybody is Tiger (maybe I should have used a different example).<br /><br />So maybe the learning is:<br />- Adapt and include the new stuff out there.<br />- Don't panic.<br />- Act professionally.<br />- Create images. Really CREATE stuff, don't just "steal the soul".<br />- Create an experience, by bundling with innovative services. <br />- Charge for the production, not for pressing the shutter. You can even invite your customer to do it (press the shutter) himself, after you set-up, lit, framed and adjusted the camera. Oh,I almost forgot, gathered all the releases.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-15561496672688240062009-12-11T18:12:00.001-05:002009-12-11T18:12:52.769-05:00The Photographer's New Year's Resolutions for 2010Every year we come up with these lists that we swear we are going to live by. As symbolic and exemplary of a life of procrastination as they are, they make up an important part of our end-of-the-year reflections and, if taken seriously, they can set the vision for the future.<br /><br />So, why not make a list specific to your passion and favorite discipline?<br />Here are my ten. Let's circle back a year from now....<br /><br />1.- Shoot, and shoot plenty. Even if you don't agree with those that say that even a monkey will be able to take a good photograph if we wait long enough, setting up, shooting and processing your photographs can only make you better.<br /><br />2.- Publish. There is no point in shooting if you don't show your work to somebody, or even better, to a wider audience. Find your sweetspot and go for it regularly.<br /><br />3.- Reign the web. Some say that if you cannot be found by Google, you are nobody. Start a blog or just have your own Flickr account where you publish your "picture of the week". Even advertising agencies are now sometimes harvesting Flickr instead of stock agencies. Get a Google Ad-Words account and dip your toes on pay-per-click, use the "Prepaid" version, having an open-ended campaign attached to a post-paid credit card is a formula to go broke if you don't know what you are doing.<br /><br />4.- Be social. If you want to develop your business as a photographer, you have to be associated with good imagery in the mind of everybody who you know. Go to networking events -all kinds of them- and have a Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter strategy.<br /><br />5.- Loose your obsession with equipment. Equipment is a means to an end, but you know that what counts is who's behind it. Develop your technique and your eye, instead of your equipment cabinet.<br /><br />6.- Let go of comfort. Uneasy situations, bad weather, unlikely locations...they all make for potentially great photographs. Go for them, make a point of leaving the house/office when it is raining outside. Get up before dawn.<br /><br />7.- Be disciplined. Backup your files, get a RAID array. Process them in a timely manner. Set your camera back to your defaults before stashing it in the bag. Keep your lenses clean, your batteries fresh and your cards empty. Just like you brush your teeth and you DO run those 5 miles everyday...<br /><br />8.- Get better at producing, documenting and delivering. This is probably the greatest difference between a professional and an amateur. Check out pre-production software. Celtx (http://www.celtx.com) is an open-source alternative created for the film industry, but fits pretty well.<br /><br />9.- Don't talk down other photographers. There are too many talented photographers doing nothing as well as a few mediocre working their way into the craft. Look for the positive and learn on what has worked for every individual. Make note also on what NOT to do. Offer your input in a humble way.<br /><br />10.- Put your work in perspective. It is not arrogance. There is much more to crafting a great image than pressing the shutter. Countless hours go into conceiving, pre-producing, taking and then post-produce an image. That work is worth it and it cannot be done by other than a professional. I can cook, and I still go every once in a while to a restaurant that charges $20 an entree, and it never crosses my mind to say "I could do that too".<br /><br />Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at http://www.rostonics.com, you can also follow Huba on twitter @ http://www.twitter.com/rostonics.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-51116149845568451592009-11-22T22:11:00.003-05:002009-11-22T22:13:14.328-05:00The relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO (again?) .... now simplified<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn9wUZCb3I/AAAAAAAAACw/9aPzDvWGDsc/s1600/resized_shutter_aperture_ISO.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 105px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn9wUZCb3I/AAAAAAAAACw/9aPzDvWGDsc/s200/resized_shutter_aperture_ISO.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407131834184265586" /></a><br />This might sound like a topic that has been hammered enough to not even bother to publish an article on, but I can see the confusion in the eyes of my students every time this comes up. Why do we have 3 (four if you count the flash!) different adjustments for exposure in a camera?<br /><br />The usual explanation goes like: "...aperture controls the ammount of light entering the lens, but it also has effect on the depth of field in the image..". So this gets even more confusing as we bring another parameter into play! I seem to have much more success with a little twist that I have given to these well-known (for a photographer) concepts.<br /><br />I try to explain what are the unique effects of each of the adjustments in the camera in terms that are not related to exposure and then add, "...but it also has a collateral effect of changing the exposure.." So here is the whole explanation:<br />Aperture affects the depth of field. The higher the "f-stop" number, the better the depth of field. The lower the number, the shallower the depth of field. Changing the aperture has the additional effect of changing the amount of light that gets into the camera. The higher the number, the more light is blocked.<br />Shutter speed affects how motion is recorded in the image. Increasing the shutter speed will stop motion. Slower shutter speeds will cause blur or will make the camera more prone to record camera shake. Shutter speed also affects how long the sensor is exposed to light. The higher the number, the faster the shutter, more light is kept out of the camera.<br />ISO is the sensor sensitivity and the lower it is, the less noise we have in the image. But the higher the number, the more sensible the sensor is to light.<br />So is clear now the function of each parameter, but it is also clear that if you want to get a certain (many times referred to as the "correct") exposure, when you move one of them, either one of the other two have to change accordingly to restore balance. If you are in any of the automatic exposure modes (Aperture priority, Shutter Speed priority), this will happen automatically.<br />This is proving to be a much more easier to understand approach as it assigns at first a unique effect to each control and then ties them together through exposure.<br />Shoot away...Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-79659897010982992782009-11-22T22:11:00.001-05:002009-11-22T22:11:42.287-05:00What would Cartier-Bresson use today?I was pleasantly surprised when I read this month's American Photo's article on the iPhone's camera apps. It has been a long time since I saw an article on Cameraphones, besides the usual novelty note.<br /><br />In my opinion, the iPhone with their camera apps is the new Leica. It has reasonable quality for web and even an 8"x10" print, is highly portable, silent and inconspicuous and -because of the audience that the iPhone and Apple in general appeals to- now in the hands of a highly creative people. Because of these reasons, i believe that the iPhone, and the cameraphone in general, is the new candid and street photography tool by excellence andwe willbe seeing a lot of art created by this craft.<br /><br />I have always been excited about the possibilities a Camera Phone brings to the table and I did some early experiments in 2003 and early 2004 when I used to work for Nokia. They released one of their first cameraphones, the 3650, and I got one of these in my hands early enough with all its then mind-blowing 640x480 resolution.<br />The result of these experiments are captured in a flash gallery that you can check out at http://www.rostonics.com/files/TravellingImages.swfHuba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-31389618928612480552009-11-22T22:10:00.000-05:002009-11-22T22:11:00.730-05:00Digital CrayolaI just read this article on the future of photography on PopPhoto on how photography will look like in 2006.<br /><br />The author goes into every possible hi-tech gadget possibility, ranging from photo-gloves and eye implants. In my personal opinion the article looks, in the best case like a 3-D visual effect sensationalist Sci-Fi with a crappy storyline, sometimes childish.<br /><br />It totally misses the point of photography as an expression -and I am presuming you are on my side of the discussion on whether photography is art-. If you reduce photography to its simple, snapshot-taking, everyday-event-documenting simplicity, the article might be somewhat on target on predicting the future.<br /><br />If we are going to be so evolved by 2060, Why not think about a world that is constantly surveyed by hi res cameras and every inch of our existence is documented by automatic picture-takers? We could then get any possible picture just by downloading the image from a giant "world-stock" database, making any gadget absolutely pointless.<br /><br />With all due respect to the never-to-be-released-cool-factor-technology-creating (remember the 3-D manipulator? or the Human-face-shaped CRTs for video conferencing?) guys at the Media Lab at MIT, having a photograph that can be modified by the viewer depending on the mood he is in, well...that is so 1960s...I used to do it in pre-K....with crayola. While it can be fun, it is also insulting for someone who is intending to express a message and a mood and somebody is "interpreting it" differently. I know a lot of people who would be upset if I did this just with one of their phrases, let alone admiring the "guernica" and "interpreting it" as a bachelor's party.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-51832148140820151822009-11-22T22:09:00.002-05:002009-11-22T22:10:20.080-05:00Claudio lovo melts SoBe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn9Fnq47eI/AAAAAAAAACo/JxFS6QGlwmU/s1600/melt_gaudi_vsmall.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn9Fnq47eI/AAAAAAAAACo/JxFS6QGlwmU/s200/melt_gaudi_vsmall.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407131100625038818" /></a><br />How do you define yourself as a Photographer?<br />As I capturer of dimensional light & space<br /><br />Was it that way ever? When did you first pickup a camera?<br />Yes, since my early years living in Michigan, I had a darkroom in the basement of my house and experimented with distortions and dodging prints and negatives. I loved the magic of the darkroom, as much as I did capturing.<br /><br />What made you move to South Florida? What makes it special for the photography business in general?<br />I’m originally from Nicaragua, studied in Paris and have lived in Louisiana, Michigan and Washington D.C where I came from 21 years ago from, where I was a media consultant/producer for government and private companies.<br />I arrived January 1st of 1988 and worked for PBS as an independent Director-Producer of a documentary series “Consuming Passions, origins & adaptation of food in America*. That took me 4 years of production and editing.<br />I was here when the photographers and models from Europe discovered SoBe and it was wonderful, no traffic, just a quiet location with beautiful morning light and vibrant colors.<br /><br />You do commercial photography, and then there is your work with Photoshop, giving images fluidity. How do you reconcile these? Which one is the real Claudio?<br />I say that the “real” Claudio is both, since I enjoy them equally. I love the process of shooting the pictures but then I love sitting in my computer with A/C and begin the workflow. Sometimes I see a photo that I feel connected and instead of being commercial it becomes art.<br /><br />For your fine-art pieces, what is the process that you follow and where do you get your inspiration?<br />The process involves 10 to 20 layers in Photoshop with a myriad of filters. Many are home made (custom filters). I think that “filters” gives you the “signature”, like in the case of music, when you hear the sound of Carlos Santana playing, the sound of his guitar its unmistakable. Edison said once that his work was “10% inspiration and 90% perspiration” and he’s absolutely right I think of the possibilities and have a concept of my final intention but to get there it might take me 20 hours of work, that’s where you need the inspiration: work. I wish I had that “Muse” all the time!<br /><br />What is Claudio’s "Secret Sauce”? Can you tell us about your lighting style?<br />My “secret sauce” has to be my wife, Lisa Mae; she’s my muse and inspiration. She let’s me create and be myself. I think that’s the most important part, to have the freedom to do your thing, like working until 7:00 am and waking up a 5:00 pm to continue working… She takes care of the management/financial affairs and that gives me the freedom that I need to create.<br />My lighting style hmm? Well I’m obsessed with light as much as I am with shadows. I feel the light, and feed from it too. I spend considerable time playing with it, be it with flashes, bouncers and natural light.<br /><br />With ubiquitous access to digital cameras and editing software, where do you see professional photography going?<br />I think that now they’re so many digital photographers that its tough to compete for the younger generation in certain fields, like adventure, extreme sports, etc.<br />The cameras are getting better and more affordable, this makes it harder to succeed, I have a name and most of my work is from word of mouth and referrals and thank God, keeps me busy.<br />I think that the key is to find a “niche” in the marketplace and do whatever but do it good and with passion. <br /><br /><br />Check out Claudio's website, http://www.mysurrealestate.com and more of his selected work.<br /><br />For more info: Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at http://www.rostonics.com, you can also follow Huba on twitter @ http://www.twitter.com/rostonics.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-11079288685370775082009-11-22T22:07:00.001-05:002009-11-22T22:08:49.508-05:00Where I set my sight I place the bullet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn8uTNHXTI/AAAAAAAAACg/P8Zj61EMHx4/s1600/DSC_2322_kiko.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 187px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/Swn8uTNHXTI/AAAAAAAAACg/P8Zj61EMHx4/s200/DSC_2322_kiko.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407130699994455346" /></a><br />This week we sat down with Kiko Ricote, a renowned Commercial Photographer based in Miami, with their studios in Miami . Kiko has made commercial work for such brands as Corona, American Airlines, ATT, Cocacola, Ritz Carlton, etc.<br /><br />How do you define yourself as a Photographer?<br /><br />I am a Commercial Photographer and with this I mean that is irrelevant for me what I shoot, my goal is to sell. I can very comfortably do fashion, architecture, children, people, products, etc. What I am looking for is that the picture appeals and that the subject on the photo looks good, with no distractions, it should be the first thing that catches your eye, always looking for angles, lights or something, so that when people see the photograph it will catch their attention. In summary, always trying to sell.<br /><br />Was it that way ever? When did you first pickup a camera?<br /><br />No, I started out working as a model, one day I bought a camera for fun, never thinking in becoming a photographer. I didn't realize at that moment that the years I have been in front of the camera and the numerous hours I have spent looking at photography books, magazines,etc. in different studios while I was in between shots, have taught me so much about photography. Then I took some pictures of a model and the model agency I used to work for in Munich liked them. They started sending me models to make tests of them for their composites. After the third model I started charging, that was 30 years ago.<br /><br />What made you move to South Florida? What makes it special for the photography business in general?<br /><br />I am Latino, and I love to live in a Latin city with the rules of the first world. Work is good here, since you keep getting jobs from many cities in Latin America. Besides that, the light, the weather, locations and the variety of models available at hand make for an ideal place.<br /><br />You do a lot of architectural photography, What is Kiko's "Secret Sauce"? Can you tell us about your lighting style?<br /><br />I love to mix lights, natural with the ones I place, without being evident. That gives photographs a special taste that resembles reality. If you do something real, natural, photographs are always pleasing.<br /><br />Kiko is a diminutive of Francisco, But You are called "Quicko" by some. Can you tell us about that?<br /><br />Well, after so many years doing photography, there is nothing I haven't done or tried -several times-. So, "Where I set my sight I place the bullet". I am very quick, sometimes too quick, which makes things seem easy. If you know what you are doing, illuminating and composing are made in minutes. Because of that, people started to say how quick I was and Quick and Kiko, they started calling me Quicko.<br /><br />With ubiquitous access to digital cameras and editing software, where do you see professional photography going?<br /><br />Honestly, I don't think it is going to change a whole lot in the next few years. Digital Photography is quite developed already. What I am seeing more and more is a merging of full-motion video with still photography. Cameras such as the Canon 5D Mark II do amazing HD video. I see video very much related to photography, covering movement between one initial shot and a final one. What you have to know is how to start and how to finish and then light up the transition.<br /><br />Kiko has 30 years of experience in photography, the last 14 of those based in Miami. His company, Kikor, Inc. owns a full-fledged production and post-production studio with all the necessary equipment to realize any shot. Kiko also travels extensively throughout Latin America and the US for his clients.<br /><br />You can check Kiko's work at http://www.kikor.com<br /><br />Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at http://www.rostonics.com, you can also follow Huba on twitter @ http://www.twitter.com/rostonics.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-30824694509345950042009-11-22T22:06:00.000-05:002009-11-22T22:07:11.055-05:00Virgin for the lightEvery once in a while, a friend and I get caught up in a conversation where we debate where the technology will take us. One of the current topics is the Shutter+Mirror mechanism in modern DSLRs.<br /><br />The shutter mechanism, with its sliding-curtain and flipping-up mirror is very well known to any photographer who has been around for some years, as it is an exact adaptation of the mechanism used in regular film SLR cameras. Its main advantage is that it allows for composing and metering the subject through the very same lens that will take the picture and then, expose the sensor in a controlled fashion. The mechanical shutter also allows for having a completely clean sensor, "virgin" for the light.<br /><br />The drawbacks are obvious, being a mechanical device, to achieve the speed needed can be a complicated fate. The mirror mechanism is also somewhat complicated and it accounts for the so discussed "photographus interruptus" where the mirror ocludes from the photographer the actual image being taken. Moving parts are delicate and noisy.<br /><br />Point and shoot cameras use a less expensive and simpler solution, having a constant opening that allows for the light to hit the sensor and hence view, meter and continuously compose on the LCD screen. This alternative is superior in the sense that it allows for high above and under-the-hip composing as well as being able to judge the noise level on the sensor. When the picture is taken, the CCD device is cleared electronically and the exposure process begins. After the exposure time has elapsed, each pixel is transferred, "stopping" the process.<br /><br />In contrast with the Diafragm, which is optically needed, there is no doubdt in my mind that with time, this "electronic shutter" will be perfected and will eventually replace the mechanical shutter even on the most expensive cameras.<br /><br />As it happened with the electro-mechanical sequencers on our washing machines that were continued to be widely used until just recently when replaced by Microprocessors, mechanical shutters are so mature that we will continue to use them for years and they will make for good background noise. It always make me smile when some "sound effects" genius uses an outdated shutter noise and you can hear the whirr of the motor-drive advancing the film.<br /><br />For more info: Huba Rostonics is a Florida-based Photographer. He is constantly looking for new things to put a frame around. You can check his work at http://www.rostonics.com, you can also follow Huba on twitter @ http://www.twitter.com/rostonics.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-74562299235399185422009-11-22T22:04:00.001-05:002009-11-22T22:05:38.986-05:00Miami, Photo friendly city? Not even close!I knew it was bad, but not THIS bad. I probably was trying to convince myself that everywhere else was the same, and that this was normal. Being Miami such an Image-Driven City, with iconic South Beach and Little Havanna, and the many model agencies operating in the area, you would think that Photography is everywhere, but -besides a handful of oasis- it can be really dissapointing to try to get photographic equipment or related services locally and many times I end up getting them online.<br /><br />Also and during almost every single one of my photographic excursions in Miami, I have always sensed some type of hostility in the air. It is like the paparazzi have paved the road to doom for all shooters in this area. I was just taking innocent shots last week of some fuel tanks that I thought might be useful for stock when a guy came asking me for my "Press Pass". When I replied to him that I did not need one to take editorial material, he shifted his argument to "you have to leave". I was still surprised when this week Popphoto published on their online edition a"Photo-Friendly cities" survey. 30 cities, ranked on several factors such as number of parks and zoos, number of camera stores and photo finishers, museums and galleries with photographs, and number of private security companies operating in the city. Miami is not even on the list!<br /><br />Maybe we were not even considerd, but hey, Isn't that bad already?<br /><br />Here is an idea for stimulating the economy: Make Miami a Photo-Friendly city and promote its many premium locations for photoshoots. We have already many ammenities, access to our city is easy from anywhere in the US and many South American countries, we have plenty of sunshine and sometimes dramatic weather du jour. <br /><br />(This is a reprint of an earlier article on The Examiner)Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-2276748445476468942009-11-22T22:02:00.002-05:002009-11-22T22:04:18.719-05:00Blowing RocksThis is a reprint of an earlier article on The Examiner. The photograph can be seen at http://www.rostonics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25<br /><br />This January, I had the opportunity to photograph at one of the most interesting locations in South Florida.<br /><br />Blowing Rocks is a nature preserve located at Jupiter Island. The coast of Blowing Rocks is composed out of Anastasia limestone. The sea has eroded holes through the stone and in situations where the tide is high and there is on-shore wind, the breaking waves impacting the shore are channeled through these holes and plumes of water shoot as high as 50 feet.<br /><br /> <br /><br />The spectacle is remarkable even on a calm day. To see a larger version of this image go to my website, Rostonics.com.<br /><br />Now, for those that live in South Florida, we know that -being on the east- any view of the sea on this shore is better at dawn. This is the case for Blowing Rocks and I highly recommend it, but don't go packing yet to be there tomorrow at 5 AM and catch the Sunrise. The park is open from 9:00 AM on, so there might be some permits you want to clear first.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-44170765758004657562009-05-06T20:24:00.000-04:002009-05-06T20:34:55.951-04:00Miami Show SceneMiami has many interesting attractions to be photographed. Staple scenes that can be immediately identified with the area. South Beach, Little Havana, the beaches.<br /><br />Almost any photographer can capitalize on these.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsURRip6I/AAAAAAAAABs/Q0tKWTMdcdY/s1600-h/6DSC_1248.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 140px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsURRip6I/AAAAAAAAABs/Q0tKWTMdcdY/s200/6DSC_1248.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332873635506071458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsUCMa-HI/AAAAAAAAABk/9QP6lMkc8H8/s1600-h/5DSC_1167.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsUCMa-HI/AAAAAAAAABk/9QP6lMkc8H8/s200/5DSC_1167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332873631458064498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT7mKv2I/AAAAAAAAABc/uI6kSlKnvAw/s1600-h/3DSC_0900.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT7mKv2I/AAAAAAAAABc/uI6kSlKnvAw/s200/3DSC_0900.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332873629687005026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT6w3JEI/AAAAAAAAABU/f9zUKH9wvsA/s1600-h/2DSC_0896.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT6w3JEI/AAAAAAAAABU/f9zUKH9wvsA/s200/2DSC_0896.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332873629463422018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT7Z5quI/AAAAAAAAABM/zNel7oMJJr0/s1600-h/1DSC_0905.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zsneJpy-qHQ/SgIsT7Z5quI/AAAAAAAAABM/zNel7oMJJr0/s200/1DSC_0905.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332873629635554018" /></a><br /><br /><br />There are also plenty of events being conducted outdoors. Some of them feature great music-industry personalities. Most of these events are open to be photographed by anybody who is toting a camera and they feature some "ammenities" for the photographer:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Interesting topics</span><br />Many times these events feature celebrities. Musicians, Singers, Dancers, and other performers that are well known locally and on the media. Celebrities are almost a guarantee that your shots will be worth looking at. The atmosphere around the events is also worth featuring and characters appear spontaneusly, don't be afraid of shooting the crowd, they are in a public space.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">"Studio" Lighting</span><br />The lighting provided for the event is usually bright enough for photographing, even with a f3.5 lens. The traditional technique for shooting a well-illuminated stage would entail measuring the incident light and sticking to it as it does not deviate that much during the performance. Proper adjustment for light fall-off due to distance is necessary though. With Digital, you can pretty much just experiment.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">You'll blend in the crowd</span><br />With the Motley Crew out there and a handful of photographers also doing their thing, you won't stand out of the crowd that much and will let you concentrate on your work.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-24578506601935528872009-05-06T20:23:00.000-04:002009-05-06T20:24:31.582-04:00My own rebuttalSome months ago I wrote about the differences of the APS-C sensor format and full-frame. Despite the fundamentals of all the arguments I presented in favor of the smaller format (smaller lens sizes and weight, same expected resolution and the benefit of Moore's law), I found one sustainable argument in favor of the full-frame sensor supremacy.<br /><br />The arguments deals with the fact that for all things equivalent (same resolution, etc.) each individual pixel on the sensor is of a smaller size on the smaller sensor. In other words, each pixel on a 12-Megapixel APS-C sensor is smaller than each pixel on a 12-Megapixel Full-Frame sensor.<br /><br />The first issue -which I addressed on my previous entry- is the amount of light that falls on the sensor. A bigger pixel gathers more light than a smaller one, so if Signal-to-Noise ratio is an issue the full frame sensor performs better, but in the case of a better technology where noise is reduced significantly and the material in itself is more sensitive, this becomes a non-issue. <br /><br />One another effect is related to the imperfections on the lens surface that determine the sharpness of the lens. A smaller sensor captures images created by a smaller section of glass on the lens. It is presumable then that acceptable sharpness calls for more precisely crafted lenses when utilizing very small sensors. This is a purely optical issue.<br /><br />At this time, I have not seen a good calculation of when this effect becomes noticeable, but initially it seems to be that a full frame sensor would be more tolerant to less-than-perfect lenses and would be capable of rendering sharper images.<br /><br />My problem with this is that it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy since the leading camera and lens manufacturers make more high-quality lenses for full-frame (or legacy 35mm) cameras. In other words, better lenses are only made in the format that does not require them that much!Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-26475003543595801672009-05-06T20:22:00.000-04:002009-05-06T20:23:31.405-04:00DX vs. Full FrameIf you have not figured it by this time, is because you have not searched on me on the Web. I am a photographer, and I take it quite seriously, but still, I have reptilian remnants of a techno-geek inside me, so sometimes I get caught in the "shop" discussion.<br /><br />I have heard many times that the DX format that Nikon got into when they started with their D70 (and other manufacturers like Canon with their REBEL), is never going to replace the full-frame technology. My opinion is that this might be possible, but not because the full-frame is better, but because professional photographers were lead to believe this.<br /><br />Here is my argument on why DX HAS TO eventually replace the full frame.<br /><br />The main reason why you want a full frame sensor is because:<br /><br /><ul><li>You can fit more pixels into the area of a full frame sensor. This would have a resolution advantage.</li><li>You can fit BIGGER pixels with the SAME resolution. This would have a illumination advantage, as each pixel captures more light and because of this the camera is capable of performing under low-light conditions.</li></ul><br />The two reasons why you want to use a smaller sensor (such as the APS):<br /><br /><ul><li>It is cheaper, making the camera body smaller, lighter and less expensive.</li><li>Because the area that has to be illuminated is smaller, lenses don't have to be as big (this is the real reason why point-and-shoots are so small!)</li></ul><br />Now, let's take a look at the two alternatives. First of all and these days the investment that a Pro Photographer has, is much more in the lenses than in the camera body, so cheaper lenses lower the whole investment. This is also true for weight and handling. Heavier and bigger lenses will add much more weight and clumsiness to the gear than a bigger body.<br />So whenever we can reduce weight and size of all lenses, we should go for that. There are two ways of doing this. One is to come up with more refractive materials and the second is to illuminate a smaller area at the sensor. So let me ask you, When was the last time you heard about a radically new type of glass?<br /><br />The D70 was released in 2004 with 6MP of resolution. Just recently, less than 5 years after, the D90 is on the market with twice as much resolution, and I-don't-know-how-much-better high-ISO performance.<br /><br />The truth is the camera sensors and their Signal-to-Noise performance pretty much follow Moore's law, optics just cannot. Smaller sensors is the way to go...Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2501708613335807949.post-31074245981463326872008-03-26T14:42:00.000-04:002008-03-26T14:47:14.748-04:00YesterdayI can still feel the discomfort in my spine. I had been holding these back for a while and yesterday I took the big step. 8 new images from a new camera. Product of more than 5,000 shutter actuations. I hope you like them. <a href="http://www.rostonics.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=64&catid=6">Here </a>are they.Huba Rostonicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01631312973651244925noreply@blogger.com0