Tag: Gallery

2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Gallery Update!

A racer pops a wheelie at the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

Hey there! I am absolutely thrilled to share some exciting updates with you. I’ve been working tirelessly behind the scenes on this blog. I couldn’t be more delighted to announce the addition of brand-new galleries and store items! Come see the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Gallery and Photo Collection!

This year, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship for the first time! Let me tell you, it was a truly unforgettable experience. The roaring sound of the engines, the adrenaline-filled atmosphere, and the sheer speed of the superbikes and “baggers” left me in awe. I was captivated by the passion and skill displayed by the riders, and I knew I had to capture these breathtaking moments to share with you all.

That’s why I’ve curated a captivating collection featuring the most exhilarating moments and breathtaking captures from this year’s championship. Each photograph tells a story of dedication, precision, and pure adrenaline. You’ll feel as if you’re right there on the track, witnessing the heart-stopping races and triumphant podium celebrations. It’s an immersive visual journey that will transport you into the center of the action!

But that’s not all! In addition to the new gallery items, I’m offering special, full-sized downloads of select photos from the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship for just $5 each! You can own a piece of racing history captured through my lens at an affordable price. It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss! Come check out the new collection right now!

I’ll be adding more galleries and store items very soon, so stay tuned!

-W

by Categories: Cool Stuff, Event, Gallery AddedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The Corkscrewd Photo Store is Back!

Back in 2020, I decided to transform Corkscrewd.blog by introducing several exciting features. One of the standout additions was the Corkscrewd Photo Store. Built using Sell Media, it allowed me to showcase and sell my best photos. However, in 2021, I discreetly removed the Corkscrewd Photo Store from my site due to several reasons.

One of my primary motives behind this change was to shift the focus of my website beyond automotive photography. I wanted to explore new realms such as news, captivating narratives, and intriguing musings. Regrettably, the store failed to generate any substantial revenue. Since its implementation, I only managed to make a few sales. This fell fell far short of sustaining Corkscrewd as I had envisioned.

To be honest, the lack of attention the store received left me disheartened. Despite my efforts to promote it on Instagram, sales remained abysmally low. However, after careful consideration of both the store and Corkscrewd as a whole, I have decided to bring the Corkscrewd Photo Store back online!

The New Corkscrewd Photo Store

One of the key realizations that led to this decision was the lack of “exclusive” content in the Photo Store. Many of the photos available there were already accessible in the Portfolio Galleries, albeit with watermarks. Unfortunately, individuals with ill intentions could download these watermarked images and remove the watermark. While the gallery photos may have been of slightly lower quality than the Photo Store items, they still maintained a decent resolution.

Therefore, I am enhancing the Corkscrewd Photo Store with more exclusive content. For instance, while most race or event photos will be featured in the Galleries, only the absolute best shots will be added to the Store. This strategy aims to captivate visitors with exclusive photos, increasing the likelihood of them making a purchase.

Additionally, I took the opportunity to reevaluate the pricing model. Previously, I offered different pricing tiers based on photo size and licensing. For example, a full-sized print photo would cost $10 to download, while a smaller 2-Megapixel print was available for just $1. Unfortunately, this pricing structure allowed customers to purchase the $1 print and resize the digital file at will, rendering the $10 license redundant.

To address these issues, I have opted for a simpler pricing scheme for all store items, aligned with the exclusive content approach. While this doesn’t guarantee immediate sales, it presents a more compelling value proposition compared to selling essentially duplicated images without watermarks. As such, the new pricing model for all photos in the store will be $1, with each photo being print-sized.

Exciting changes are on the horizon as I prepare to revamp the Corkscrewd Photo Store in the upcoming weeks! But that’s not all—I am also actively exploring other avenues to further enhance the Corkscrewd.blog experience. Stay tuned for more thrilling updates!

-W

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The Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm F1.9: A pleasant surprise in the world of Nifty-50s

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

In my last post, I talked about my latest collection of vintage lenses and how well they shoot. I’ve also said that I’m still on the lookout for more vintage lenses! Whenever I find myself in an antique store, I always look for old camera equipment. On a recent trip to Jackson, California, I found myself in one of the local antique shops. Inside one of the glass cases was a collection of vintage lenses that all looked interesting. However, there were two that stood out. One of the lenses I ended up buying was a Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm F1.9, for $15. Little did I know what an interesting lens this is!

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

In a world filled with all sorts of “Nifty-50” lenses, this lens is somewhat special. The Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm F1.9 has the interesting distinction of being a very good bokeh lens, while still maintaining sharpness across the board. There’s even some swirling in the Bokeh effect! While not as dramatic as the Helios 44-2, this lens wide open almost creates a “halo” of bokeh around your subject. I took the lens out for a quick test run with my Canon Rebel T5i and a Fotodiox M42-EOS adapter. While I had a short amount of time before sunset, I was pleased with the images this lens was producing.

I shot most of my images wide open at F1.9 in order to test out image sharpness. Usually, shooting wide open with a vintage lens isn’t ideal, as you lose sharpness. However, this lens didn’t lose much sharpness at all wide open. It’s even sharper than my Canon FD 50mm F1.8. Well-let scenes came out sharp with a natural contrast, while still retaining that dreamy Bokeh effect. Comparatively, the Canon FD 50mm F1.8 I own almost becomes washed out where it looks like a dream sequence on a soap opera. I imagine that shooting at F2.8 would not only produce much sharper images, but still keep that distinctive Bokeh effect!

The Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm F1.9 also produces images with a slight yellow tint, which I find helpful. Often when I’m shooting with a vintage lens, the colors tend to be on the cooler side. I usually have to adjust the white balance in order to produce an accurate result. Not so with the Yashica! Although some scenes did come out a little too warm, I was still pleased with the results. This lens also works very well as a Black and White photography lens. Black and White images with this lens have great contrast and detail. In addition, the vignetting in color and black and white images feels natural. This makes for both a nice landscape lens, and a great portait lens!

I did notice a few weaknesses of the lens. The focus throw tends to be long, and sometimes sticks. The stickiness might be from the age of the lens however. Also, the lens doesn’t do too well when shooting close to the sun. Images get washed out and the lens flare is massive. I would suggest getting a polarizer and a lens hood when shooting in direct sunlight. I also noticed that there are no half-steps in between apertures. This is a minor nitpick, however.

Despite these minor flaws, the build quality of this lens is very good! While the lens is smaller than my Nikon Nikkor-SC 50mm F1.4, it still feels hefty. The majority of the construction is metal and glass, with a rubberized focus ring. In other words, this is a high quality piece of kit for a really good price! I got really lucky finding this lens for $15! Normally, you can find the Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm F1.9 on Ebay for between $30-$60. Now compare that with some other well-known lenses, and you’ve got yourself a bargain!

While I only just started messing around with this lens, I plan on taking it with me on a later excursion to really test out how it works at higher apertures. I might even take it with me to the next Folsom Cars and Coffee! The possibilities of this impulse-buy lens is exciting. I also mentioned that there were two lenses I looked at. I’m going to have to order yet another adapter in order to use this other lens. But, it was definitely the stranger of the two I picked, so it might be worth it!

Until next time!

by Categories: Cool Stuff, Opinion, Vintage LensesTags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment