A day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.

Here in Palma de Mallorca, we had a great event right by the waterfront, and it was a blast to meet and connect with so many different people while enjoying the views from the terrace of the BLD Restaurant.

I wanted to mark the occasion with a video timelapse of the event and here’s the final result.

Filmed in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Music “Shout” by Lulu and the Luvvers.

Special thanks to BLD Restaurant, the organizers of Social Media Day Palma, Mashable and everyone who joined in the fun!

Here you can see all the Mashable Meetups Worldwide.

Here’s the video we recorded of the event:

Thanks to the organizers for putting together this event and for the next one we’ll jump in the pool!!

-Franklin

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.  Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.  ~Ernest Hemingway

Most people that know me personally have heard me speak about cycling in some way or another.  Whether it was about some grueling hills ride I discovered during the weekend, or in relation to my other business venture Orange Velo, at some point or another always end up boring my friends with what cycling means to me and what I’ve learned from it.

Every year I pick a couple of cycling races to cover as a sports photographer for either printed or online publishing companies, and ever since I’ve lived in Mallorca, I’ve done the Mallorca Challenge, a 5-day tour over the entire island that marks the start of the European professional cycling season.  This year was no different, and I’d like to share some of the images taken during the race, while covering the event for CyclingNews.com.

Why I these races?  I found myself asking the very same question at the beginning of the year when I was asked to do it by the media.  Besides the obvious reason that it helps me to add content to my business in OrangeVelo.com, I believe the real reasons have more to do with how cleansing, clarifying and sharpening the whole experience can be.  Imagine going down a mountain descent at 90km/h and from the back of a motorcycle photographing the action that the cycling peloton plays out as it nears the finish line.  Seeing up close the palette of colors streaking by some of the most beautiful and historic towns in Europe.

No matter how busy things get, I hope to continue adding a couple of these experiences every year.  And if you haven’t had a chance to see a cycling race up close, I strongly suggest you give it a go.  It will surprise you how entertaining the chess match played by the cyclists and their teams can be.  Here are some of the photos from all 5 stages from the Mallorca Challenge this year:

This year I brought along my camera to try to catch a glimpse into the emotion and excitement found in these Fiestas de San Sebastian.  I hope you enjoy it.

Watch it in HD in YouTube and in Vimeo.

Special thanks to the people of Palma de Mallorca who organize and participate in these fiestas.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

-Franklin

My first experience with one of the traditional Christmas Markets of Europe was in Stuttgart. It was a cold december night, but between all the people walking by looking at the hand made toys and decorations, and the Glühwein (mulled wine), it was impossible to feel anything but warm.

This Christmas I had the chance to visit Munich and Nuremberg during a business trip to Germany, and it was the perfect time to go out at night and catch some of the action that goes on in their Christmas Markets. I hope you like this film.

Filmed with a Canon DSLR 7D, a 50mm lens, and a LCD ViewFinder. Edit in Final Cut Pro.

Music by Holly Cole, “Christmas time is here.”

Special thanks to the warm people of Munich and Nuremberg, and to the people who make Christmas Markets around the world possible every year.

-Franklin

I first felt in love with it when I watched the films “Baraka” and “Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance“, where it is used heavily to show everyday life from a different perspective.

For some time I wanted to create a Timelapse of Palma de Mallorca’s Bay, in Spain.  There’s magic in this Bay and after 24 hours and 4320 photographs, (and a little help from the weather gods!) here’s what came out.

Filmed with a Canon DSLR 7D, and a 17-40mm lens. One photo taken every 20 seconds remotely with a intervalometer. Put together in Quicktime Pro, and final edit in Final Cut Pro.

Music is Hymn by Moby.

Special thanks to Andreu Llabrés for letting us film from the balcony of his Hotel Horizonte overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

-Franklin

On my last day I had the opportunity to be in a special place called Chichen Itza, which is one of the 7 wonders of the world, in the state of Yucatan. Here I recorded this message of support and encouragement for those who still haven’t taken the step forward into this exciting and wonderful world of the Web. Note: video is in Spanish.

-Franklin