2nd in a series of viral videos produced for Iskon (Croatia) by Red Octopus.

Ad Agency: Red Octopus
Creative Director: Michael Chinnici
Writer: Michael Chinnici
Director: Michael Chinnici
Director of Photography: Alexander Chinnici
Sound and Assistant: Troy Sola

1st in a series of viral videos produced for Iskon (Croatia) by Red Octopus.

Ad Agency: Red Octopus
Creative Director: Michael Chinnici
Writer: David Guglielmo
Director: Michael Chinnici
Director of Photography: Alexander Chinnici
Sound and Assistant: Troy Sola

Northern Lights over Yellowknife, Canada

It's hard to being a blonde

It's hard to be perfect

The life of a model, and all that goes into creating the perfect beauty.

Sorry I have been absent from here

But I promise to be back soon with lots more information on my coverage of the 24 hrs of Spa in Belgium, but trip to Croatia and my upcoming Mediterranean Fashion Photography Workshops starting in April. See you within a few weeks.

CarType.com "A Museum of Automotive Typography"

The New CarType!

A website featuring a comprehensive collection of emblems, car company histories, logos, reviews of typographical & graphical applications, design features and just about anything that is car related.

I urge you checkout one of my favorite design sites  http://www.cartype.com

Announcing the MotoCzysz E1pc (The worlds first Digital Superbike)

My congratulations to Michael Czysz for all his hard work and determination. The MotoCzysz E1pc will make it's debut on June 12th on the Isle of Man, United Kingdom and race in the first ever Zero-Emission Carbon-Free TTXGP Motorcycle Grand Prix.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/motoczysz-e1pc-ttxgp-testing-pir/

http://www.motoczysz.com

Please contact me at Michael@ScuderiaO2.com if you are interested is future sponsorship of the E1pc.

Scuderia O2 is Victorious at the 24 hrs of Nurburgring!!!

Finally, after two second place finishes, the Danish-American team - Scuderia O2 Schubert Motorsports BMW was victorious in the 2009 24 Hrs of Nurburgring. 1st in class and 25th overall out of 180 entries.

Congratulations to American Drivers Michael Auriemma and John Mayes for their great success!! BRAVO!!!!

Doing Spain on a BUDGET!

Spain was truly amazing. What a trip!!! I was there for almost two weeks at the end of April, beginning of May and the weather was perfect (70-75 F days and 55-60 F nights). I was there primarily to photograph the 2009 Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez in the south of Spain for a Spanish magazine. But who could go to Spain for only a weekend, so I decided to stretch it out into a vacation. 

It was a well planned trip focused around photography. I also decided to open my life up to all my friends on Facebook and on this Blog so they could follow me through Spain. With the invention of social networking and the ability to upload images and video on the fly from your phone or camera, it was fun to include everyone. Using cool devices such as the iPhone and the Flip Video often provided real-time posting on Facebook. 

Now what most of you don't know is how inexpensive my trip was. I say this only because I did get a lot of compliments about the trip, claims of jealousy (but with love I hope), and people who wish they could take such a trip. 

The first thing you need to do is make the trip happen. Embrace the opportunity. Be adventurous. Pick a time of year like I did when the weather is still amazing and the rates are low. There are less people around and you will feel less like a tourist. Next, map it out on google maps and plan away. Get everything in place before you push any buttons for reservations. Check your budget, and then go!

Here are the details and costs of my trip. 

(Please note that I do realize that everyone has their own idea of what's expensive or not, and I respect that)

AIRFARE:

Iberia / American Airlines

Departure: NYC to Madrid   Return: Jerez to Madrid - Madrid to NYC

Coach ticket round trip

$520 USD

CAR RENTAL:

Hertz Europe, Opel 5 Door

12 days - Pick-up in Madrid, drop-off in Jerez

$740 USD

HOTELS:

Madrid

5 Star - Westin Palace Hotel

3 Nights - Used Starwood Points (transferred from American Express)

$0 USD

Alicante

4-Star - La Datcha

1 Night - My friend Danny's resort

$0 USD

Granada

5-Star AC Palacio De Santa Paula

1 Night

$220 USD

Marbella

5-Star Hotel Villa Padierna

1 Night

$300 USD

Seville

5-Star Westin Hotel Alfonso XIII

2 Nights - Used Starwood Points (transferred from American Express)

$0 USD

Jerez

4-Star Guadalete Hotel

2 Nights - Premium paid because of the Grand Prix of Spain

$630 USD

Jerez

5-Star Barcelo Montecastillo Resort

1 Night

$110 USD

JEREZ CIRCUIT:

2009 Grand Prix of Spain - No costs  with Photo Press Credentials

$0 USD

FUEL:

2000 Km driven

$180 USD

PARKING:

Various Hotels

$130 USD

INTERNET:

Most hotels were free

$70 USD

CELL PHONES:

iPhone USA and a Spanish Cell phone - Data and voice

$230 USD

FOOD:

I never include food costs because you must eat whether you are home or away. Also, the food in Spain in much less expensive than NY and Long Island.

$0 USD

MISC:

Various items

$100 USD

TOTAL:  $3,230 USD

So you see... it can be done for much less than most people think. If you would like to know more details about the trip, feel free to email me at Michael@ScuderiaO2.com

Shooting the MotoGP at Jerez

Shooting the MotoGP Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez as a professional photographer with photo/press credentials was a dream come true. It all started with my friend Maria who works for a motorcycle magazine in Madrid connected DUCATI Madrid. She was instrumental in guiding me to the right sources in Europe. That was the easy part, the rest was a lot of hard work to finally get the credentials. Was it worth it? You bet. I don't think I can ever go to another race without having a Photo/Press pass. Thank you Dorna for the opportunity. Now I'm spoiled ; )

The the complete collection on my Spain website.

Click here to see photos

DINING IN SPAIN : )

NOTE: PLEASE EXCUSE THE HORRIBLE IPHONE PHOTOS :(

The food in Spain was amazing. It's not Italy (sorry my Spanish friends), but it is a close second. 

The top photo was breakfast at the Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella, Spain. I wonderful assortment of scrambled eggs, sausage, cheeses, iberian hams and prosciutto (Italian version), apricots, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries and fresh orange juice.

The second photo was lunch at the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville. Iberian ham, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds and aged cheese. Wine and beer. 

The next is a photo of home made Risotto with Langostino's at the Barcelo Montecastillo Resort in Jerez. It was hundred times better it looks. And it looks amazing!!! : )

The last photo was taken in Madrid at Tapas bar. Sliders made of beef, veal and pork topped with Spanish cheese, herbs, and a special sauce that was too good to even describe. Little potato's stuffed with a spicy tomato sauce and a touch of cream and string potato crisps. Followed by an ice cold glass of Spanish beer on tap. To dye for!!!!

SAVING ENERGY: Hotel Keys Operate Lights

Every hotel I stayed at in Spain had a room key card holder just to the right of the entry door so that when you entered the room, you had a place to put your key, and when you existed the room the card was right there for you to grab on your way out. Very convenient!

But its real purpose is not for convenience, but rather for conserving energy. You see, it controls the lights in the room. So when you enter the room and insert the card, all the lights you left on when you departed, come back on. The same for when you leave the room and take the key. You can't leave without all the lights shutting off. Just don't make the mistake I made one night in Madrid when I left my computer plugging into an outlet controlled by the card switch. My computer was dead when I got back ; (

This is not the first time I have seen this in Europe, but it was the first time I saw it in every hotel. I wonder if it's a requirement in Spain, who is a very energy conscious country.

The Spanish are CRAZY for Motorcycle Racing!!!

I flew to Madrid on Iberia Airlines, the official airline of Spain. How perfect was it that the man sitting next to me was reading a MotoGP Superbike magazine. I mean, here I was, on my way to shoot the Grand Prix of Spain, and my first encounter involved MotoGP. So I felt the need to snap this classic image with my iPhone.

All of Europe is crazy about motorcycles and motorcycles racing. Especially the Spanish. That's one of the reason why I chose the Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez for my first ever MotoGP or Superbike shoot.

Soon I'll be posting much more on Jerez and my experiences on and off the track.

Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville, Spain

Seville is known for its beautiful architecture.  Historic Roman and Greek influences are evident, but the more obvious influence is from the Moorish rule of 700 AD. The arabic designs are breathtaking. Many of the interior photos are of the Hotel Alfonso XIII where I stayed (compliments of Starwood points). King Alfonso XIII commissioned  the hotel be built in 1929 as the grandest of all hotels in Europe. It is truly a masterpiece to behold and grand is an understatement!

Click Here to see photos!

Arriving in Seville, Spain

Arriving in Seville, Spain to horses and people dressed in traditional costumes for a week-long annual festival.

Coca Cola in Spain

Coca-Cola was everywhere in Spain. Coke is the #1 recognized brand the world. In 1885, Frank Mason Robinson designed the logo and named the world famous soft drink. The red and white Spenserian script Cola-Cola trademark has been distributed worldwide and has become the soft drink of choice in many countries. Below are 3 images I took while touring Spain.

Marbella, Spain - Hotel Villa Padierna

Marbella is paradise. Pure paradise.

Marbella was the “resort day” of my trip. I stayed at the magnificent  Hotel Villa Padierna (Golf & Spa) Resort for the night. Once again, it really wasn’t enough time to enjoy Marbella and the surrounding cities like Malaga and Estepona, but the hotel was to die for. It sounds like another trip back to Marbella is a must!

Videos: Alicante and on my way to Granada

Drinking Guinness in Alicante with my friend Danny.

Driving from Alicante to Granada (one of several videos on the drive)

Snow covered peaks in the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain.

Granada, Spain

Photos from my travels to Granada and my stay at the amazing 5-star AC Hotel, Placio de Santa Paula. I wish I could have spent more time in Granada. Next time ; ))

Photos - Click Here.

A photo shoot at Alicante Marina

Nikitta-Liana contacted me in New York back in 2007 when she was barely 15 years old. She was looking for advice on NYC modeling agencies. I stayed in touch with Nikitta and her mum Lorraine so when I knew I was going to be in Alicante, it only made sense to try and arrange a photo shoot. Her sister Stacie also joined the shoot.

Nikitta's mum brought the girls to Alicante from the United Kingdom about 4 years ago. They enjoy life on a farm outside the city. Nikitta just turned 17 and is aspiring to be a model in Milan, Paris or New York. She's 5' 11" and really loves the camera.

You can see the entire shoot here.

Visiting Alicante with my British friend Danny.

I was fortunate enough to meet my British friend Danny Crowe back when he was involved in advertised. We've stayed friends and Danny continues to contribute as a member of the Scuderia O2 Advisory Board.

Back in 2005, Danny purchased a small resort called "La Datcha" located in the hills overlooking Alicante. No trip to the east coast of Spain would be complete without a visit to Danny's place and an evening in Alicante drinking a pints of Guinness. I was only in Alicante for the evening so sorry for the limited number of photos. Enjoy....

The City of Arts and Sciences - Valencia, Spain

See photos of Valencia, Spain.

I was only able to spend a few hours in Valencia before making my way down to Alicante, which was always the plan. So I decided to focus on the most recent and most modern structure in Valencia, the City of Arts and Sciences or in Spanish, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Designed and started in 1996 by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava in collaboration with Félix Candela, the City of Arts and Sciences is an ensemble of five areas in the dry riverbed in Valencia, Spain. It contains the Opera house and performing arts centre, Imax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium, a Walkway / Garden, Science museum, and Open-air oceanographic park. 

On the back roads to Valencia, Spain - Alarcon Castle

Click here for Alarcon Castle Photos.

I used google map to find places along my main route from Madrid to Valencia and Alicante and it worked really well. One such place was Alarcon Castle, which was perched on top of the mountain in La Mancha. Today it's a restaurant, hotel and conference center. You can check it out at www.icastelli.net 

Monasterio de Ucles Photo Collection

A collection of images from Monasterio de Ucles. Photographed with a Canon EOS 5D MkII DSLR using 80-200mm 2.8 and 16-35mm 2.8 lenses. Click on the photo to view the collection or go to http://www.ScuderiaO2.com/spain

The monastery is set within the fortress of Uclés (12th century), which was of a grand scale: one square kilometre of surface area surrounded by walls, bastions, buttresses and crenellated towers. 

Arriving at the Monastery - Monasterio de Ucles

My drive up to the Monastery through a small town and past farms.

NOTE: This video is 8 min long.

The monastery is set within the fortress of Uclés (12th century), which was of a grand scale: one square kilometre of surface area surrounded by walls, bastions, buttresses and crenellated towers. The new building was built in the 16th century in the Renaissance style, although the southern façade, the most well-known of the monastery, is Baroque. It was done by Pedro de Ribera. There are two large doorways decorated with scallop shells on the crosses of St. James. The façade is decorated with suits of armour, helmets, flags and a half-body sculpture of the Apostle. Through the hallway is the courtyard of the double cloister. There is a Baroque stone curbed well with the shield of the Order of St. James. The refectory has handcrafted pine woodwork with 36 caissons representing the knights of the Order, presided over by the emperor Carlos V. The sacristy consists of two naves at right angles. There are two large windows decorated with sculptures. In the church, built by Francisco de Mora, there is a single nave with a cross-vault and several lateral chapels from the 16th century, connected by small semicircular doors. Of note is the Main Reredos, which has a painting by Francisco Ricci, and the remains of the Grand Master D. Rodrigo and his son Jorge Manrique, author of 'Stanzas for the death of my father'. The main staircase, which leads from the courtyard to the second floor, is regal and elegant. http://www.monasteriodeucles.com

Just outside Madrid

Leaving Madrid on Monday morning

Madrid Photography Collection

A collection of images from Old Madrid. Photographed with a Canon EOS 5D MkII DSLR using 80-200mm 2.8 and 16-35mm 2.8 lenses. Click on the photo to view the collection or go to http://www.ScuderiaO2.com/spain

On Saturday I ventured out into Old Madrid from my Hotel, the Palace Hotel, which is in a perfectly located in Madrid. There is so much to see in Madrid, and unfortunately for me, 2 or 3 days was not enough. Next time I will visit for maybe a week. The weather was beautiful, the people amazing (really amazing), the architecture a delight and the food... perfect. The Spanish really know how to live and enjoy life.

An evening out in old Madrid

It should really be titled, "My head hurts so good". JaJaJa! So after a wonderful dinner with my friends Sergio, Enrique and Marta, we met Paul at the ME club overlooking all of old Madrid. From there we just went to different clubs and bars meeting up Paul's girlfriend Pricsila and others. Thanks to all for a memorable evening and showing me the Madrid nightlife ; ))

Waiting to meet Paul at the ME Club in old Madrid with Sergio, Enrique and Marta. Thank you guys for an amazing dinner and red wine.

The famous Scuderia O2 card loves to get around. Especially since it loves to be in front of any kind of bright light. 

On the Streets of old Madrid at 2 AM. It was just as crowded at 3:30 AM!!!

Mojito's at Paul's friends bar. Thanks Paul!

Driving through Madrid at night

Just a little sample of Madrid at night. I'm returning from Ducati to my hotel, the Palace Hotel.

DUCATI Madrid

My friend Maria Alonso was kind enough to invite me to one of their 3 Ducati showrooms in the Madrid area. 

This flagship showroom is only 3 months old and beautifully done. Maria's father also runs a Ducati race team where Maria is Director of Communications and Competition. Thanks Maria for the Ducati shirt ; ) I'll be sure to wear it one day at Jerez! Please excuse the poor quality of the mobile images.

My Itinerary in Spain

Here is my itinerary for Spain:

MADRID:  April 24 - 26

VALENCIA:  April 27

ALICANTE:  April 27 - 28

GRANADA:  April 28

MARBELLA:  April 29 - 30

SEVILLE:  April 30 - May 2

JEREZ:  May 1 - 5

My Photographer Credentials for the MotoGP race in Jerez

So it's final, my credentials finally came through today. Several people who are well connected, both as motorsports photographers and in the world of motorcycle racing, have asked me how I was able to secure credentials to a MotoGP considering it will be the first ever MotoGP race I have ever covered. I do realize that F1 and MotoGP are the hardest to get, and some say impossible. I'd like to say it was a little bit of luck, but more hard work and determination. And a nice relationship established with all those involved.

I want to first thank Maria Alonso from Motorrad Centro for her early support and getting me the 2008 Valencia Application. She is the best!!! To Ena Escallier who worked hard sending emails to more than 30 motorcycle pubs around the world, and finally to Dorna for issuing the creds.

This will mean I will be in the pits and out on the track. It's nice to know that the 120 lbs of gear I lugged to Spain will be put to good use. Look for photos from Jerez in the coming weeks.

PlaneCam - Iberia Airlines

I must admit I've never been in a plane before that was equipped with a tail mounted camera. When we took off from JFK at night is was dark to see, but very cool watching the runway light. This video clip is shot from quite a distance on digital zoom so it's ok, but interesting. I wish I had taken it sooner because you would have seen the plane turning and lining up with the runway. You'll notice the camera joint when we finally touch down. Beautiful....

Landing in Madrid

The countryside surrounding Madrid is very beautiful, as seen from this video clip. I look forward to possibly venturing outside Madrid on Sunday to see more. And Madrid-Barajas International Airport, which is only 2 years old, is spectacular. If you get a chance, check it out the architectural wesbite at... http://www.rsh-p.com/work/buildings/madrid_barajas_airport/design 

Essential Communications for Spain

While traveling through Spain I need three types of communication. A local mobile phone, my US iPhone and 2-Way radio for communications at the Jerez Circuit. 

The Duet 888 International Cellular phone carries 2 SIM cards. One for Spain so I have a local number and the other for calls in 50 other countries. That actually carries a UK number. So I'll be all set for low-cost local calls throughout my travels. It's also a really cool phone to play with.

The 3-G iPhone will allow me to communicate for less back to the states as well as access my emails, SMS text's, google maps, weather, etc. I'll have an international plan for thrip and a 200MB data package. I usually use a little more than 150MB per month. 200 should work out great for 13 days.

Motorola 2-Way Radios. I'll bring 3 just in case. They will work out great for communications with any assistants at the Circuit de Jerez for the race weekend. They will also come in handy for any other shoots I might do that require me to be too far away from the subject. Yelling doesn't really work very well.

Preparing my iPhone for Spain

As I embark on my journey through Spain, I prepare my iPhone for the adventure.

The last time I was in Spain, I was in Barcelona in the summer of 2007 and the iPhone was about to be released. In fact, my children thought I was sure to have one shipped to the hotel during our stay. How crazy that would have been to have the iPhone in Europe only days after it's release. Wow, now things have really changed with the introduction of the 3G iPhone and a gazillion apps. And the iPhone is now in over 80 countries.

Besides all the essential apps such as phone, browser, SMS text and email, there are many more apps to help guide me through Spain and communicate back to the family and friends. 

Social Networking... I'll be armed with Facebook, Blog Press and two Twitter apps since I have two accounts, one for me and the other for SO2. I find TwitterFon better than Twitterrific, although I do love the name and icon better. I'll also have Linkedin and Living Social although I doubt I'll use them.

Phone... I have Skpe and fring to make calls over the internet or anywhere else I'll have WIFI, 

Travel... A copy MetroMadrid will help me get around the Madrid by subway. And Maps which is Google Maps with a GPS so I'll always know where I am ; )

Weather... The Weather Channel (TWC) with all my destinations pre-programmed in. TWC app is great because it gives me current, hour by hour for the next 12 hours, a 36 hour forecast and a 10 day forecast. All with lots of detail.

Translation... iTranslate is a great app that allows me to translate anything I type in. And not just Spanish, but many languages. And my Spanish Guide app gives me all the necessary phrases and key words I'll need to communicate.

Currency... for the most accurate real-time exchange rates.

And finally Encamp to stay in touch with all the projects we have going on back at basecamp in New York. Oh wait! Scratch that!!! I'll be forgetting about work for the next few weeks ; ))))

ESPANA

ESPANA... Spanish for Spain. 

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008.