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Travel Agencies Gain Global Video and Photography with Virtuoso and ICE Portal Partnership

by Portál the Penguin on March 1, 2012

Leading luxury travel agency network, Virtuoso®, and ICE Portal have entered into an exclusive arrangement allowing photo and video content as well as 360-degree virtual tours to be added to Virtuoso’s industry-leading technology platform, Virtuoso Composer®. Virtuoso’s membership will now have access to a library of rich visual content provided by the network’s more than 1,250 preferred suppliers, providing a robust visual reference for client materials and proposals. This latest Composer enhancement comes at no additional cost to the network’s members or preferred suppliers.

ICE Portal, which specializes in the distribution of rich content to more than 30,000 Internet travel websites and more than 11 million global consumers monthly, will power these visual brochures for Virtuoso’s preferred suppliers and its membership. ICE Portal currently maintains brochures for approximately one-quarter of Virtuoso’s preferred supplier portfolio. Both existing suppliers as well as those new to working with ICE will have the opportunity to upload content that can be tagged for the exclusive use of Virtuoso’s membership.

23TouchPoints, the innovative, solution-based technology firm behind Virtuoso Composer, was tasked with finding a company that could meet Virtuoso’s requirement for searchable visual content to accommodate its membership in 20 countries and a supplier network that spans 98 countries.

“ICE Portal has a stellar reputation within the industry based on its innovation, flexibility and commitment to high service levels,” says Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, CEO and Chairman of Virtuoso. “We received strong endorsements from our preferred suppliers that work with ICE, and we’re gratified with the immediate support from our suppliers who are eager to share their visual content with our membership. Through Composer our members have one unified source for supplier content from contact details to the best offers, promotions and add-ons through one standardized search. This search now includes stunning visuals to share with their clients. Every quarter Virtuoso Composer announces enhancements integrated into this platform. It is this integration that makes Composer unlike any other system. Stay tuned for our next break-through.”

“ICE technology was designed to allow suppliers to manage and deliver all types of visual content to a network of travel sites with varying needs, and we are honored and pleased to be working with Virtuoso to help each supplier get relevant and richer content to the Virtuoso network of travel advisors,” said Henry Woodman, president of ICE Portal.

Virtuoso will begin rolling out supplier brochures on Composer in mid-March. For more information on Virtuoso Membership, contact Susan Spain, Director of Business Development, at sspain@virtuoso.com.
 
ICE Portal and Virtuoso Rich Media Brochure
Sample hotel brochure from ICE Portal on Virtuoso Composer

About Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the industry’s leading luxury travel network.  This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 330 agencies with more than 7,200 elite travel specialists in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,250 of the world’s best travel providers and premier destinations.  The network’s member agencies generate over $9.6 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment.  Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com. To view Virtuoso’s latest videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/VirtuosoTraveler.

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Portál Visits Riviera Maya

by Portál the Penguin on February 29, 2012

Portál recently visited the most spectacular inlet of the Mexican Caribbean, Riviera Maya. Fresh spring waters and underground river currents will take you to an open river where you can encounter more than 400 species of plants and animals that live naturally in this 207 acre protected ecosystem. Enjoy an unforgettable experience and commune with nature!

Portál pretends he’s the skipper as he makes his way to the mainland across the emerald-blue coastal waters surrounding Xel-Há.

The always intrepid penguin, Portál surveys the coastal playground as hundreds of travelers enjoy the natural beauty of Xel-Ha’s protected ecology

Portál finds that great minds think alike as he encounters one of the locals, an iguana who can’t pass up a day in the sun.

The path of an adventurer is not always easy – or graceful. Putting caution to the wind, Portál treks up the scenic cliff side in search of the ancient ruins of Tulum.

Portál finally discovers the historical site, providing splendid views to the Caribbean Sea. The sacred architecture admired at the Tulum temple ruins of this ancient Mayan city, treasure the secrets of one of the world’s greatest civilizations.
 
We hoped you enjoyed following us on another awe inspiring shoot, tune in next time for another chronicle of Portál’s Travels – and to learn more about having ICE Portal produce rich media and photography at your resort just give us a call at 954-893-6778 or send over an email, we’d love to hear from you!

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For Great 360 Images, Bracket and Blend

by Portál the Penguin on February 22, 2012

Post originally featured on Black Star Photography Agency, written by Tatianne Lugo, Director of Photography – ICE Portal

For some industries, 360-degree panoramic images have gone from novelty to virtual necessity. Travel websites can increase hotel bookings, and real estate listings can increase traffic, just by featuring 360 tours.

But beyond hotels and houses, panoramic photos can be used in a wide range of applications — from online editorial features to highlighting corporate facilities. Local healthcare facilities, sports fields and parks can promote their sites with virtual tours. Even wedding photographers are starting to offer 360 photos of the ceremony and reception venues.

There are several ways to create 360s, from simple right-out-of-the-box, one-shot solutions to more laborious and higher-quality production and post-production techniques. For those serious about 360 imaging, let’s explore some of the practices that create higher-quality results.

A 360-degree image essentially is a full-circle view of a location that allows the viewer to virtually turn left and right as well as “look” all around (in a cylindrical image) and even up and down (in spherical image). A realistic 360-degree image gives users a more encompassing and immersive view of a location. And the production process can be completed in 10 minutes.

Let’s start with the hardware. What do you need?
• A wide-angle lens (preferably 17mm or wider)
• A rotating head. I recommend the Nodal Ninja, as it’s lightweight and easy to maintain.
• A sturdy tripod
• A leveling head/hot shoe camera level
• A shutter remote. This will help avoid camera movement when the shutter is released.

Shooting a High-Quality 360

Now to the production: First, place your camera in an interesting spot, and remember that it does not have to be in the center. You are not framing a still shot; you have to think three dimensionally. Stand in a position and rotate in place to give yourself an idea of every angle. Frame every angle as if it were a still. It is good to have some foreground elements to help the show depth.

Make sure your camera is leveled. This is where your leveling head comes in handy. If you don’t level your tripod and camera correctly, you will end up with a crooked horizon and may also have issues stitching images together.

I highly recommend bracketing. Since it would be time consuming and challenging to properly light all 360 degrees around, shoot multiple exposures to capture the varying light levels. One bracket of three with a plus-2 exposure value and a minus-2 exposure value should give you good color and light values in an indoor/outdoor space with even lighting. If you have multiple light sources, such as a window in a room, remember to bracket for each light source.

Overlap your images. For a successful stitching, you need to overlap at least 20 percent to 30 percent on each image depending on your lens focal length. If you don’t have enough overlap, you may see seams or even missing fragments in the image when in post-production. I shoot with an overlap of 30 percent on each side with a Nikon 10.5 mm lens, which allows me to take six angles at 60 degrees each for a full 360-degree turn.

How 360s Are Put Together

Part of creating a good-quality image is bracketing. But to acquire all the ranges of light and shadow, you need software that helps blend the images together. Photomatix Pro has done it for me for years; their interface is easy to understand and helps manage all the options. There is also “Merge to HDR” in Photoshop. Use the software you have available. The result you are looking for is an image that is evenly exposed all around.

Once you have all images blended, it’s time to stitch them together. There are several types of software that allow stitching of images. The one I have used for the past eight years, PTGui, has a great interface, produces the best results as far as seams and such, and a batch stitcher that makes life a little easier on big jobs. Find the option that fits your budget and needs. It’s better to have your images stitch to an equirectangular image as a TIF or PSD. This way you can Photoshop your image to perfection and then deliver it to the client as is.

Presenting a 360-Degree Image

If your client doesn’t have a player (and most do not), it’s up to you to deliver. There are several options, such as those from Java, Flash and QuickTime, as well as HTML5.

The Java player is still used by many sites and is usually the only format they will display. Flash Player allows you to do some interesting things implementing some flash interactivity, but sadly, it does not play on the iOS devices that are growing in popularity. The QuickTime player is used less than in the early days, and at ICE Portal, we have never had a client request we display in QuickTime. HTML5 offers a solution if you want to a broader reach (i.e. mobile devices including iOS and Android and most desktop browsers). I suspect this will become more of ubiquitous in the future as more developers create “Flash-like” features and functionality.

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Romantic Getaway

January 28, 2011

Imagine yourself driving down Costalegre, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico and you’re in between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo and if your co-pilot happens to be your lover then you might just want to check out this romantic retreat. While working for Resort Las Alamandas, a luxury boutique hotel,  Portál enjoyed delicious food, good wine [...]

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Faces of Maldives

December 29, 2010

The islands of Maldives lie between the trading  route of the Indian Ocean. Like Portál and other visitors from around the world they come to experience the  people and their cultures. Everyone who visits leaves changed by the Maldivian  people, the language, beliefs, arts, and attitudes. The effects of the modern world are now embraced, while [...]

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