CT Creative Talent Magazine
Meet our Cover Star Wear Me In Wonderland ???
Think Positive Jewellery Winner
issue 25 APR 15
The Fashion Magazine with Creative Flare
5 2 e
u s Is
Welcome to the MUSIC 15 issue of Creative Talent Magazine Creative Talent, or CT Magazine, is the brain child of North Yorkshire based fashion, advertising and pinup photographer Sean J Connolly.
Welcome to a jam packed and musically themed CT Magazine!
If you would like to have your work featured in a future issue get in touch, we are always looking for photographers, This 25th issue sees the return of models, make up artsts, stylists, designers, writers, bloggers, well you get the idea. So if you want to showcase your work to Israeli photographer Tal Flint bringing us the great band the world, get in touch. Random Dogs as our fantastic cover star. Check them out from page 4. How Do I Get Involved? EASY! There's also excellent features by
1. Like us www.facebook.com/CTFashionMagazine Emma Barrow and Charlotte 2. Follow us www.twitter.com/CT_FashionMag
Brown to name but a few.
Remember our competition with
3. Email us your work getinvolved@CTMagazine.co.uk Think Positive jewellery? Lucky Also don't forget to share our website
www.ctmagazine.co.uk
winner, model Josie Lauren Ellis, has created a stunning photoshoot with her chosen pieces, so make sure to check out her feature. As always, get in touch with your ideas and feedback, and keep sending those creative projects! Sean Connolly
Sean J Connolly, Editor www.seanjconnollyphotography.co.uk www.twitter.com/SeanJC Becky Magson, Copy Editor & Features BeckysBoudoir.com
COVER CREDIT
Photography Tal Flint Model Dael- John Campbell Photographer Ivey Model - Jenna Harfoot
FEATURES
IN THIS ISSUE
4 - COVER STAR
Tal Flint - Fashion Photographer
18 - ISRAELI FASHION DESIGNER Racheli Titan
22 - LONDON FASHION MODEL Ralitsa Kaloyanova
30 - CIRCUS ROMANCE
Feature by Phoenix Storm
36 - WEAR ME IN WONDERLAND
Photo Editorial by Charlotte Grown
46 - THINK POSITIVE JEWELLERY WINNER Josie Lauren Ellis
ON THE COVER
4 Meet our Cover Star
36 Wear Me In Wonderland
46 Think Positive Jewellery Winner
Tal Flint - Photographer - Israel
Gil Meir Dael Campbell
Ben Rayzman
We are honoured to bring you the awesome Israeli photographer Tal Flint and the great Israel based band Random Dogs. You may remember Tal's work from the cover of Issue 16 part 2, so do check it out and find out more about the man behind these shots.
Band Random Dogs
Jonathan Alter
Oren Ronen
www.tal-flint.com
Photography Casca Creative Imagery Model Alex Vasilakis
West Cornwall Women's Aid Charity Single by Emma Pearce As a beauty queen in the pageant industry we are asked to be role models for our community and help charities by raising funds and awareness. I have been working hard to fulfil this duty but wanted a personal purpose for this task. It's all very well helping out charities for a job you've been asked to do but I wanted to do something for a local charity as a personal touch from my heart not because I was asked to do so. Having suffered from domestic violence in my past I really wanted to help women who have been through the same as me. I found a local charity, West Cornwall Women's Aid, and came up with the idea of recording a charity single to raise funds. I love singing as I find it an emotional release for me. I wanted a different way to raise money rather than the usual fund raising events.
The Single
I recorded a cover version of Leona Lewis's song 'Run'. I made 45 copies and have sold them all! I'm still collecting funds but the total raised so far is ÂŁ135 - it may not seem a lot but it will do wonders for the charity. Here is a YouTube link to a short taster clip of my track: http://youtu.be/l7LEdXgffg4
My work doesn't stop there...
I am in the process of putting together a calendar full of local models of all shapes and sizes to support another charity - Tanya's Courage Trust who support young people with cancer. So far I have dyed the tips of my hair pink in aid of Breast Cancer Care and hosted a 'pink pamper night' where girls dressed in pink and got pampered for the evening all paying an entry fee. I have sold items of clothing for other charities and donated to food banks and volunteered in charity shops. I also offer my free time to model on charity catwalk shows for no charge. I really enjoy meeting new people and getting a sense of purpose - it gives me a warm feeling in my tummy knowing I'm helping those in need.
Darius Dar Khan - Fitness Model & Actor - London UK Darius is a professional accredited actor and fitness model, and we are honoured to show him to the world. He has already graced the stage at London Fashion Week, been on the big screen in a Bollywood film, not to mention starring alongside stars such as Mickey Rourke. He is also one of the House of #iKons leading male models. We know he is going to go a lot further and this is only the start of his story. Check out his website to find out more about Darius.
www.dariusdarkhan.com
Photography Maureen Barrymore
Band Ronny & The Ferns facebook.com/ronnyandtheferns Photography Andrew Cooper coopersphotographic.co.uk
Spring Time Colour
Rebecca Searle - Make Up Artist
I wanted to create a glowing dewy skin for a spring time look so I used Chanel Vitalumiere foundation with a MAC stippling foundation brush to buff the foundation into the models skin for a flawless yet light coverage. I swept a highlighter over her cheekbones to give her extra radiance and complimented this with a creamy blusher to add a flush of colour. I used a mixture of green eyeshadows to really make Lola's eyes pop for the first look. I played down her lips with a neutral lipgloss so her eyes would remain the stand out feature. I created sharp lines around her eyes for this look using an angled eyeliner brush. For the second look we took inspiration from the sunshine using golds on her eyes, orange lips and peachy tones on her cheeks to bring the look together. I used metallic eyeshadows and glossy lipsticks to keep with the theme. My favourite gold eyeshadow is gold pigment by MAC. For the final look I wanted to use sunset colours inspired by summer nights. I blended these together on her eyes to create a smokey finish and I used blush to give her more colour to her skin to imitate a day of sunbathing.
Photography Emma Barrow emma-barrow.com MUA Photography Rebecca Peter Ali Searle rebeccasearlemakeup.co.uk www.facebook.com/PeterAliPhotography Model Model Eden McGlen Lola Webster
Emma Barrow - Photographer The purpose of the shoot was for Rebecca and myself to work on a spring/summer beauty look. I combined images of Lola as shot and also with the graphics layered on her to enhance the make up and her features, so to create something a bit different to the standard beauty image.
Photography Original Art Photography by Joe Lenton Model Tori Lovatt MUAH Jessica Fisher
Kirby Throop - Photographer
Photography Kirby Throop Model Samantha
facebook.com/RacheliTitanfashiondesigner
Racheli Titan - Israeli Fashion Designer
Model Beth Chambers facebook.com/BethChambersModelling Photography Paul J Harrison
Who is Racheli?
Shalom to all of you, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Racheli Titan and I am an avant-garde fashion designer from Israel. My line is all about fun, love, youth, colour & playfulness, it's about feeling good and being comfortable with yourself and who you are. I do my very best to project my own colourful and interesting personality, as well as my unique perspective and way of thinking into each one of my designs. My aim is to make anyone who wears my designs feel special, different and most importantly feel good about themselves. I want to make the wearer feel as though they do not look like any other woman. When they choose to wear my designs, they have something else, something that belongs exclusively to them that they can project into the world. Fashion is all about feeling, so whether you are 15, 25 or 35 years old, you are welcome to wear any of my designs.
Where it all began
My passion for fashion started around the age of 18-19, when I was a soldier in the Israeli army. I remember walking around and searching for hours for some interesting fabrics to work with in different fabric shops in Tel-Aviv. I also derived a great sense of fulfillment and achievement by playing and matching different interesting colours, fabrics and accessories for hours. I believe that because I was born and raised in such a controversial and complex country, it made me look at fashion design from a slightly different angle. I applied for fashion design studies at the age of 25 in an Israeli college and after 2 years of studies I received a certificate in fashion design. I studied the basics of what each fashion designer should know in order to get started and make a stab at the fashion industry. I approach fashion design in a very positive, lively and energetic way. It is also important for me to make use of fashion design as a means to project Israel, my country, in a very positive light, rather than the negative way it is often presented in the world media. Art is an amazing means to unite people from all different religions and areas of the world. Change starts with each one of us and I believe art is the best way to get your message across and make a change in this world and I do enjoy working with amazingly creative and talented people from all over the world!
The Designs
I often use very lively colours in my designs, the colours we choose to wear have a great effect and impact on our state of mind and mood, consequently, if a person dresses themselves up in a certain design with happy colours they will also feel happy and will most definitely project it into the world and people surrounding them. I honestly don't think a woman needs to wear a fancy ball gown in order to feel special. As a designer I let my inner voice direct me, while also staying in tune with world fashion trends. When I see a fabric, feel and sense its texture and colour, I can imagine and see what I can do with it, that's the way my mind works. I need to see the fabric first before being able to design or create anything. My influences include Michael Kors and Alexander Wang. Their work is very innovative and inspiring to me. My aim is to establish myself as an international fashion designer, whose work is accessible to women all over the world. My biggest dream and target is to open up my own boutiques someday.
I took part in the Young Fashion Designer awards in London 2 years ago and it was an amazing experience for me. I had the privilege of getting to know some amazing and powerful people in the UK fashion scene; people like the incredibly talented English photographer Maurice Sparrow. The FDC showcase in London was the first showcase I ever attended and it left an immense impression on me. It gave me a taste for more, making me even more driven and determined to build myself up as a new, unknown designer and make my mark in the world fashion industry.
The Future The good reviews I received for my collection have made me very happy and makes all of my diligence and hard work seem worthwhile. By attending as many fashion shows and events as possible I can only develop and better myself as a designer and of course gain more interest and exposure for my work. Currently i'm collaborating with super talented and gorgeous English model Beth Chambers. We have recently been working with a few very talented and versatile photographers, the shots that are seen in this feature were taken by amazingly talented photographer Paul J Harrison. Beth and I have an excellent working relationship, we enjoy working with each other and we get a lot of amazing and supportive comments for our joint work from all over the world which is exciting for us both!
Lots of love from Israel.
Racheli Titan X
What is your name and where are you based? My name is Ralitsa Kaloyanova. I am originally from Bulgaria but I live in London now. It’s been almost 4 years since I moved to London. How did you get into modelling and how long have you been doing it? I had been modelling in Bulgaria for a year then I moved to London and I decided to continue modelling because I was really enjoying it. I started to work on my portfolio here in London and slowly I managed to find more work and I started to be a professional model. I met new people every time I went to a fashion catwalk or fashion shoot and I made new contacts and I started to find easier jobs. It was really hard at first because when you come to a big city you are nobody, so it was extremely hard to find a proper job. I was very lucky. I managed to meet really good people who helped me a lot with my modelling. I am very thankful! What types of modelling do you do? I do fashion, glamour, casual, different cultures modelling. I took part in Pakistan Fashion week, London Fashion week, Matsuri Fashion Week. I do not do nude. It is not my thing. Do you prefer working on location or in a studio? Both location and studio has its own advantages and disadvantages. Working on location gives you more freedom, but on the other hand, working in a studio gives you the chance to gain exactly your aims in a more fashionable way because it does not get affected from the weather and you are more able to catch the perfect photo quicker. If I have to choose which one I prefer, in a heartbeat I would say location. I prefer difficulties, creativeness and uniqueness. What do your friends and family think of you being a model? My friends and family think that I was born to be a model. They think that I am too perfect to be an ordinary person. However, they also think that people pay attention to me; wherever I show up they cannot ignore me, they are staring at me. What do you think makes a good model? I think that to be a good model firstly you have to appreciate yourself. You have to love yourself just the way you are. You have to realize what you have that others do not have and just find a way to use it. You have to be confident and ambitious. And lastly, whatever you do you have to do it for yourself! What's your favourite shoot you have ever done? My favorite shoot was my first shoot in London. I will never forget how nervous I was and how excited I was at the same time. It was a simple fashion shoot but not for me. For me, it was the beginning of something good… really good! Who is your favorite fashion designer and why? My favorite fashion designer is Valentino Garavani. This Italian designer is amazing. I love everything about Valentino. I have never seen more perfect dresses in my life. They are so elegant and sexy. And when I mean sexy I do not mean vulgar. I mean sexy in a way that women are able to look irresistible. And the perfume… it is such an unforgettable smell. My dream is to one day be a Valentino model.
Ralitsa Kaloyanova - Fashion Model - London
Photography TJ du Plessis (Procapture)) www.procapture.co.uk Model Danielle Wheeler
Photography TJ du Plessis (Procapture)) www.procapture.co.uk Model Danielle Wheeler
Pink Ballerina by Lorna Shepherd
Photography Kayleigh Victoria Photography Hair Charlie Wilkinson, Lorna Shepherd Model Sophie Dedman MUA Lorna Shepherd
Photography Trev Wordley Model Joanne Manchester
The Circus Romance by Phoenix Storm
I've always been a fan of Panic at the Disco, and the weird and wonderful. This has often inspired the shoots that I've done. In September 2014, I was listening to 'Lying is the best fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off' by Panic and I decided I wanted to do a shoot based on the song, telling the story. I mixed the theme of the song with the theme of the film Water For Elephants, and started planning. I knew that I wanted this to be a group shoot, and was under no misunderstanding that this was going to be my most ambitious and biggest shoot yet. After starting to post up castings, I soon had a solid cast for the shoot. The story is based in a circus.
the love
The ringmaster is with the beautiful star of the show. He doesn't know that she has caught the affections of the ringmaster's best friend, who is like his brother. The friend then starts to persue her.
the deceit
During rehearsals when the ringmaster is walking around making sure everyone is working, the pair start to get close, and it's not long before everyone notices and alerts the attention of the Ringmaster. He pulls her away and makes it very clear that she is his, and not to be messed with.
That evening, the ringmaster and his lady are having a drink in the corner, and he is still reeling from the day's antics. He becomes agressive after having too much wine and attacks her. The next day, she is just sitting to one side and is approached by the 'friend'. He notices the marks on her face from the night before, and, very concerned, consoles her.
the regret
The lady and the friend are getting intimate when the ringmaster bursts through the door with all the performers, furious. They try and hold him back but they are as furious as him, and he gets to the pair on the hay bales.
the confrontation
The friend gets up and pushes him away, knowing he had been violent to her. The performers grab the friend and hold him out of the way to watch the ringmaster and his lady interact.
the lies
The Ringmaster walks up to her and leans in; she thinks he is ok and goes to kiss him. He grabs her face and smudges her lipstick, pushes her on to the hay bales and climbs on top of her to attack her. The friend breaks away from the performers' grasp and runs to her aid, grabbing the ringmaster, and the pair start fighting.
MUAs Faye Booth Micaa Guttridge Hannah MeInyk Photographers David Cook Photography Chris Mapey Richard Nicholson (R7 Photography) www.facebook.com/r7photography Model/MUA Evie Horner www.facebook.com/evie.horner.50
the fight
the consequences
As the ringmaster's lady gets up to break it up, the performers grab her while the ringmaster beats the friend into the ground.
When the ringmaster is finished, his lady runs to the friend on the floor, and the ringmaster pulls her away and tells them to get out. They leave, holding each other, while the performers console the ringmaster and watch as the deceitful pair leave.
the departure
The Cast
Nathan Benham - Nathan is an actor and scare actor based in North London. He has an impressive showreel and has wanted to break into modelling for a while. Being a close friend and work colleague to Phoenix, she knew he would be perfect for the role of Ringmaster so got him involved in the shoot. Nathan plans to explore the modelling world a little more now, as well as continuing with his acting. Tom Oliver - Tom is a tattoo collector, sponsored model for Sids Skin Art in Feltwell and occasional model. He has done several shoots with Phoenix in the past, all of which have been published. He is a fun individual, and is currently working on a full bodysuit. He has taken a break from modelling now to focus on building up his tattoos, however will be back in the future. Riah Milne - Riah is a fellow friend and colleague of Phoenix's. She works as a scare actor with Nathan and Phoenix at Apocalypse Events in London. Riah is also an occasional model and burlesque performer. She is beautiful and fun, and will be doing more modelling in the future so keep an eye out for her. Matt Warren - Matt is an actor and boom operator from Norfolk. When asked if he wanted to be part of the shoot, his reply was "Tell me where and when and I'll be there." He is currently in a zombie film that Phoenix is also a lead in, and has a passion for zombies and anything scary. Beth Wilkinson - Beth is an amazing upcoming model. She has a passion for tattoos and pinup and has an impressive collection of tattoos. When she applied for the casting of one of the harlequin ladies, Phoenix knew after 2 photos that she wanted Beth on board. She had the perfect look and rocked it on the day. Cathy Wilson - Cathy is another beautiful model and actress. She has done several shoots, and is extremely versatile and enthusiastic. Cathy works very hard, and is bound to take the modelling world by storm. Keep your eyes peeled for more of her work. Olly Todd - Olly is a body piercer and tattoo collector from Norwich. This was his first ever shoot. Olly wants to get into more modelling and Phoenix has agreed to mentor him and help him into the industry. He is hard working and willing to try new things. David Applegate - David is a photographer from Norwich. For a while he has had the urge to be on the other side of the camera, and when the chance came up for this shoot, he was very keen to be a part of it in a modelling capacity. He made an excellent model, keep an eye out for him in the future. Giselle Nind - Giselle is a touch rugby player and scare actor. This shoot was her first time doing anything like this and she was fantastic. Giselle replaced someone who dropped out at short notice, and turned up with only a day's warning, not knowing what she was going to have to do and what she was needed to wear (all the costumes had already been bought for the models). She did a fantastic job and got really into the character. Very reccomended model.
WEAR ME IN WONDERLAND by Charlotte Brown
The Concept
Creating a mystical and magical scene, using models wearing quirky shoes from the Irregular Choice AW14 collection, showing a hidden agenda, posing as characters from the fairy-tale, Alice In wonderland.
The Images
The shoes are Irregular, different and bazaar by brand and style, which comes across in the clothes, jewellery, and location throughout the shoot. The images appear busy and show lots of detail while also showing a desired lifestyle that wearing the shoes makes you classy, different and beautiful. Similar colours are used within the shoot to keep the main focus on the shoes using clothes designed by fashion designer Victoria Bramwell and clothes from New Look. The main characters explored are The White Rabbit, The Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter. This was a challenging narrative fashion piece. The images were shot in an Alice In Wonderland themed cocktail bar: Browns Bar in Newark. The bar is classy and different. Black and white chequered flooring, quirky arm chairs, rabbits on the ceiling and a fake hedge running through the middle and much more! This location was a perfect place for this themed shoot. During the shoot high quality equipment was used listed below Canon 5d Miii Canon 24足105 Lens F4 Canon 70足200 Lens F2.8 2x 400w strobes The models are dressed to impress, holding their cocktails to represent a modern day madhatters tea party with the cocktails in replacement of tea. This was a very fun shoot and the whole team performed well together.
Credits Photography Charlotte Brown Shoes Irregular Choice Models Amber Tutton Emily Ford Alice Ward Hair Helen Sutcliffe MUA Make Up By Jenni Location Browns Cafe Bar and Bistro Newark Assistants Lucy Barnard, Adam Deakin Photography Hat designer Lucy Barnard Red crown Crowns by Liv
Shoot Diary
Here I have created a photo-shoot advertising my favourite shoe brand, Irregular Choice. The day was very stressful but working with an amazing team we all managed to pull it off very well. The Day started at 7am, I had laid a table out for the hair and MUA to work. They turned up first to set up their things. The models then came half an hour after one another, I asked them to come at these times specifically as to ensure no one was waiting around. When everyone arrived I showed my team my influences from the initial brief. One of the models, Amber, brought the most perfect blonde curly wig with her which the hair stylist molded into bunny rabbit ears. During this time I traveled to the location, Browns Bar in Fernwood to set up the lights with my assistant Adam Deakin and Lucy Barnard. Once we were all ready we then carried all the shoes and accessories over and met the models. Everyone got into position and helped me throughout the shoot. We did lots of direct dress changes. The first style was clothes created by a brilliant designer Victoria Bramwell. We then moved on to New Look clothing, which also worked well with the crowns I used from Liv Free designs. We started the shoot on location at 10am and finished at 12 noon, so we didn't have that long and had to get all the shots very quickly. I am very proud with how I worked and am very happy with the results. This was the first time I have shot with 3 models and it was a completely new experience.
Top 10 tips when shooting on Location by Charlotte Brown
1. Always look for location A B C and D as you most likely will have problems with time management and things going wrong. That person you contacted about the perfect location may turn round last minute and change their mind - always be prepared for disasters and you will be on schedule for your final shoot date. 2. Try and pick a practice location/use the studio to act out your lighting so on the day you feel comfortable with it all as there is nothing more nerve-racking than trying to sort your lighting in a new location. 3. Always get help - get your friends to assist you carrying lights and set up etc. It makes things run a lot more smoothly on the day. 4. PLAN PLAN PLAN! I can't say this one enough. Have a note book with ideas, print off your influences/ poses etc. Keep referring back to your brief to make sure you hit all the points you need to get across in the image. Plan dates and times and stick to those. 5. CHECK LIST - write a check list of all the equipment props that you may need on the day. 6. Check out the location before you get there without equipment. Take some test shots so you can refer back to them the day before the shoot. Also remember to look where the power source is for your lights/ if there isn't one how can you get power. 7. ALWAYS SHOOT RAW - Make sure this is the first thing you check when switching on the camera. Also check focusing points as when you get home you may find that some are out of focus which would be a disaster! 8. Hire professionals (if possible). They will be easy to work with and you will achieve great results! Also it's great for networking to get to know people in the industry. 9. Be polite. It will get you a long way. Also during the shoot remember the details: tights, hair accessories. All this added detail will show in the final images. 10. AFTER THE SHOOT – Review all the images and be proud! Even if you did not photograph as well as you thought you still have achieved a large photo-shoot. This was the first time I have worked with 3 models and it was very challenging. I went into the shoot with a positive attitude of being happy with whatever the outcome.
Photography Danny Green Model Heather Kingston MUA Hayleigh Kingston Hair Michael Gray
Molly of Many Talents
Photography Alex De Luca Model / MUA Molly Hurst
Molly Hurst is a 20 year old professional actress who trained at LAMDA. Since graduating she has been in numerous productions both amateur and professional and will soon be playing Hermia in a Midsummer Night's Dream. Since graduating from LAMDA she has also developed her skills as a makeup artist, training with and currently working for Smashbox cosmetics. Another favourite artistic outlet of Molly's is music. She has been playing both electric and acoustic guitar for 7 years but her passion lies with the electric guitar. She enjoys writing her own music and lyrics and is working towards live performances.
Josie Lauren Ellis - Model Winner of our Think Positive Jewellery Competition
Photography David Greensmith davidgreensmith.co.uk
Winning the Think Positive Jewellery competition was such a wonderful surprise. I had a tough time choosing my favourite item after looking through all the beautiful, delicate pieces, but once I saw the pearls my heart was set on them! They arrived so quickly and the gift box they came in made me feel like I was opening something so special. The pearl bracelet I chose is stunning and the pearls themselves are such good quality. They sit perfectly against my skin and were a dream to shoot!
The Shoot: I immediately decided that I needed to do a shoot with my winning piece and asked my friend, the photographer David Greensmith, if he would shoot it for me. I love the rapport Dave and I have, as we've worked together a few times, and we were on completely the same wavelength about this shoot creatively. We wanted to create something minimalist, classy and effortless to showcase the pearls whilst still allowing my personality to shine through. We had a fab time on the shoot and are so pleased with the results!
About Me I've been modelling freelance for about a year and a half now and love everything about it. I am a performer, with a degree in Theatre and a HNC in Dance, and I love the performance side to modelling. I could be anyone, anywhere, doing anything when I'm modelling and am able to bring my acting and dancing skills into each shoot. I also love the collaborations that modelling brings and the variety of people I get to meet. Not every freelance creative gets to work in their chosen field full time, so I get to meet some really interesting people from all walks of life. I've just landed myself a job as a holiday entertainer for TUI as of April, so modelling will have to take a back seat for a while. However, I'd love to do some shoots in the beautiful sunshine of the country where I'll be based! I am passionate about modelling and see it being a permanent part of my performing future.
facebook.com/josielaurenmodel
Think Positive Jewellery A huge thank you again to Antonio Marsocci of Think Positive Jewellery for the awesome prize. We are so happy that Josie loved her prize so much she wanted to do a shoot with it and was kind enough to let us show them to you all. If you would like to find out more about Think Positive check out our website: www.ctmagazine.co.uk/think-positive-jewellery-for-men-and-women.htm
Paul Castlet
Photography Paul Castleton facebook.com/CastletonPhotographic Model Pandora Poison purpleport.com/portfolio/pandorapoison
ton (Castleton Photographic) - Fashion Photographer
Photography Gary Clutterbuck Model Ophelia Overdose Outfit Westward Bound Retouching Irina Istratova