Photokina (http://www.photokina-cologne.com/) is a photography fair which takes place in Cologne, Germany since 1950. Today it's often rewarded the title most-of-phtography-fair. In the past two Photokinas - 2006 and this year's the amount of exhibitors and visitors has grown significantly, giving those who manage to get there that "heaven" feel.

The latest and greatest of the image processing and storage world is often announced just before or during the show. This year the largest photo equipment manufacturers have not surprised us much. Majorly improved cameras were announced days before the fair which inevitably led to large cues around their stands.

In case you're interested in reading ...

Photographers have good days and bad days. Good are these that are full of inspiration, glorious ideas, self-sacrificial models and weather that makes the cute lady from the news drop her jaw to the floor.

On the other hand, bad are the days when you feel that the same cute lady is only laughing at you on the screen, your model's hair is harder to contain than your neighbor's kids... and the inspiration - you don't even remember what that was anymore.

Yet, one can also find themselves in the situation of a good day with no time for shooting. That's for those of us who dare not call themselves full-time photographers because the wife/husband might hear it from the kitchen/living room.

As this summer unfolds I'm facing quite a few of these days. In a matter of days ...

No, this brief article is not about the first sales altogether and how they make you jump up to the ceiling and blow the windows out with screaming... ;) My goal is to point your attention to one of the statistic numbers which, as it seems, is often being neglected.

The Number. The number I'm talking about you can find on the Earnings page (http://www.dreamstime.com/earnings) right above the table with downloaded images - at the right corner. It's the one which states how many of your on-line images actually make up for the number of sales you've had.

Why is it important? Well, when I think of this number I am always reminded of the Pareto Principle ([link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle]click here for Wikipedia ...

Portraits... I'm confident that as long as there is a shutter button it will be clicked for the sake of recording the moment of a person's life and yet another new portrait will be born. People simply love looking at people. :)

It comes to no surprise that the majority of best seller stock images are also of people. Yet, what do you do if people just aren't your thing, but you'd love to learn how to photograph them in a way which they will love, you will like, and others will remember for a long time...? Well, call me old-minded, but I'd go to the bookstore. I've written blogs on two landscape books, which have been very helpful (and still are - even after the n-th reading). This time it's about a portrait book, which is called The Portrait Photographer's Guide to Posing,...

Okay, folks, as the last batches of Christmas baubles and trees are being cleared up from the pending line, there come the loads of colored eggs and bunnies in all kinds of places and positions...

As for me - ever since the Christmas kidding I've not stopped thinking about the meaning of "meaning" and twisting thereof. So here it is me again, reflecting upon the issue.

First, the meaning of Easter, or the day in which Christ was risen. Bunnies (whatever their position) and eggs (in spite of their color) are by no means a representation of that. Neither are frogs, ducks or any other animals you've got in the vicinity... so is it also with colorful blooming flowers ...

Are you planning on uploading Christmas shots? Maybe this brief article will be of some help in deciding what to actually shoot, so that it will stand out and be a somewhat special Christmas shot. Read on, and please - do comment and share your thoughts.

First I want to clarify - this will not be a guide to making Christmas stars backgrounds, nor setting the correct lighting for a nice Christmas tree shot with gifts. I actually want to challenge your perception of the event of Christmas itself and offer some thoughts on how this relates to photography.

When I was a little kid I remember Christmas to be a special time because of the warm and loving atmosphere at home. Everyone slowed down in the everyday activities, took time to sit down with the others and enjoy being ...

Yes, there is such a place. And, yes - there are people out there... not... zombies, beasts, or some other sort of freaky creatures. :) But you knew that already, right? :P

Ok, now, why am I writing this? Or maybe you are bored of the whole patience talk? Lemme guess - you want your images reviewed, and you want it now... So why am I now reviewing, but waisting time writing articles? Hm... well, because I think it will help you. :) Take this brief article as a piece of advice coming out of experience... and a lot of reflection upon that experience.

It didn't take long before I figured that people like getting to know about the editors... what their days are like, what they like shooting, what they ate for lunch on Tuesday last week... :D And the blogs are a perfect ...

Yes, I'm also getting into the habit of article series... But don't worry, this is the last one of this series. So, push the attention button and read on!

Books are inspirational! Even when they're on photography... Or better said - especially when they're on photography! :)

In first grade I had a very loving and caring old man as my class teacher. One of the few things I still remember from his lessons is his phrase "Read books - they are like a window through which you can see the whole world!" Now I know that you can see even further! Yes, you can find a lot of info on the Net, it's free and all that... But to me it still can't come even close to a book. So, this is why I'm writing to you that if you really want to invest in improving your photography skills and ...

People talk, people sing.

People dream, people try.

People smile, but people also lie.

Ask a teenager - What is love?

- Butterflies in the belly?, they'll immediately say.

Youngsters!, you reply. They don't know... But you do:

People are hurt, people are torn.

People fail, people never return.

People are left behind, but then again - many are not.

That's confusing! What is love?

Love lasts long, and love also forgives. Parents will say love requires nothing, their kids will say love is... a hug. The hurting ones from above might call love nasty, but then the many who are not declare it amazing.

I'm not a poet. I'm in love... But then again - what is love?

* love: never ends,...

I've been meaning to write on that for a while already, but now that the current month's assignment is communication I decided to not be lazy anymore. :)

It's already a given that a large city will have a significant number of foreigners. It's also a given that once you meet with the Internet face to face you'll also stumble across people from cultures and places you would not have met otherwise. Naturally, sooner or later you'll start exchanging information with these - whether orally, in writing, face to face (even that phrase has more meaning, but I don't refer to web-cams now :)) or on-line (here come the web-cams!)... Often you might not even notice you've communicated with someone, yet they received a "message" from you.

The fact is: a culture ...