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hellacioushag · 1 year ago

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I need to add more content to my watchlist especially with the writers strike. Can you rec some dizis for newbies?

i'm not in any way a seasoned expert since i've only seen a handful within the last 2 months or so, but i can tell you ones i've enjoyed. i'll only list ones that have a least 1 season completed.

erkenci kus / early bird is available on youtube with ok english subs. it's a typical summer dizi romcom with the rich boss falling for his working class employee. the twist is they accidentally kiss in the dark when he mistakes her for his gf before they officially meet. it's definitely a "he fell first, she fell harder" situation. this was the one i started with and it set the bar high, the chemistry alone was so intense. the mmc can (pronounced like jon) is gorgeous and the fmc sanem is so funny and talented. it was actually a friend of mine who got me into this cause she saw it blowing up on like tiktok or insta and she started watching and loved it. by the time she got me into it it literally became my whole personality and i passed her in episodes and finished the series way before she did lol. it's a commitment like most dizis. we're talking 2+ hr episodes, 51 episodes in total. thankfully youtube cut them into like 45min increments.

sen cal kapimi i used a super sus website to watch called turkish123 idk if there's a better site out there, but i would try to look for one. anyway this was probably my fave dizi cause the story was well structured (same writer as erkenci kus) and great chemistry with the leads as well. it's another typical summer romcom, but with enemies to lovers. starts with a fake engagement to make the mmc's ex jealous and eventually leads to both mmc and fmc falling hard for each other. this has 2 seasons, 52 episodes.

gunesi beklerken is more of a teen drama that was giving me BH90210 / the oc vibes with how ridiculous some of the plots and drama was. overall very fun watch. i absolutely hated the mmc, but also he was the most interesting character so i was rooting for him at the same time wishing for his downfall lol. if you are into fun nonsense then i would rec this one. it starts with the fmc moving to istanbul with her mother and attending a private school where she immediately gets swept up into dumb politics with the school bully (the mmc). definitely enemies to lovers. i'm not really into bully romances and i did not ship the main couple (tho the chem was there), but they both gave as good as they got and it was just a legitimate fun and insane watch. i watched this one on another sus site called serial4u.net it's 54 episodes.

adim farah is the last one i will mention. this show has been remade a few times, including in the US. it's enemies to lovers. the fmc is an immigrant working as a cleaning lady to pay for her son's medical expenses. she accidentally witnesses a mob murder and when caught she manages to convince them to let her live and she will work for them. there's a lot of intrigue and not one episode is filler like a lot of dizis. the chem is good with the leads and they have some surprisingly sweet moments between them. this one is on dailymotion. season 1 is 14 episodes (the finale had me shaken), season 2 will be coming out this fall.

one i haven't tried, but it's on every list of the best dizis is kara sevda/endless love. i don't think i will bother since i know it has a pretty sad ending, but if you are into pain maybe check that one out lol. i ended up paying for a sub to kinemania which has decent translations and a lot of shows in their catalog so now i don't need to navigate thru sus websites or deal with a million ads.

#asks #anon #dizi recs #the ones i hated... that's a whole other list lol

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georgieeebennett · 5 years ago

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Close your eyes 22

Summary: Kurt Hummel is the crown prince of the European country Denmark. He has a bad relationship with his father and when Kurt crossed yet another line his father decides to get his son out of the public eye for a little while and he sends him to America for a year.

Also on: FF/AO3

Previous chapters

When Kurt got off the plane in Copenhagen after his little European trip, press was once again capturing every moment. He quickly got in the car, well that's what he tried to do. Some reporter stopped him and Kurt looked around at all the people.

---

"So, why do you wanna see that crown prince of us? He'll be here for 5 seconds he won't even wave. He'll be in that car off to his castle where he will start clubbing again and he'll be the old same loser in no time" The daughter of Blaine's host family Quinn was not a big fan. Blaine shook his head. "I know Kurt, I know him very well. He's changed." Quinn looked at him confused. "You were on the same school?" She asked. Blaine nodded. "You can say that" he answered. The plane landed and Blaine saw Kurt getting off. Quinn shook her head. "You are so weird." She said. Blaine ignored her and took out his phone. He quickly snapped a picture of Kurt and attached it to a text.

To my boyfriend: you look pretty sweetheart.

---

Kurt had already turned on his phone so when he got himself out of the mass of reporters, his phone buzzed. He looked confused at the picture of himself. Blaine is here! That's not the plan. Why is Blaine here? Kurt looked at the direction that the picture was taken in and he winked before waving and stepping in the car.

To mr bright trousers: you fucker! Why are in in Copenhagen? You are supposed to be in fucking Ohio!

---

Blaine smiled when he saw that Kurt had winked at him. "That was for me. See, he's not coldhearted." Quinn rolled her eyes. "The fact that you know him and have his phone number is just weird."

To my boyfriend: surprise! I'm spending my senior year as an American exchange student in Denmark.

Blaine received a call from Kurt right after that.

"Hi Kurt" Blaine said casually. "Anderson! What are you doing?" Kurt was clearly in shock. Blaine shook his head and made his way through the mass that was till waving at the leaving car. "I'm in Copenhagen" he said. Kurt sighed really loud. "No shit Sherlock. I'm torn between feeling bad and thinking that what you did is cute and good" Kurt tried to explain his feelings to his boyfriend. "Think that it's cute. I had this planned when we weren't even a couple yet." Blaine said trying to follow Quinn. "Are you serious? Anyway. I'll have to leave you in like a second. But. Come to the left end of the gate in the Fredericiagade you can't miss it. The gate is like 1 km long. Just wait there at 8.30 pm." Kurt said. Blaine quickly noted the street name in his phone before answering Kurt. "I promise. I'll be there Kurt." Blaine said. Kurt hummed. "Can't wait to see you again, bye Blaine."

----

It was top 8.30 pm when Blaine was standing there waiting. It had been really hard to get away out of the house of his host family. He to make up some story about some guy from Dalton studying here at university and Quinn didn't believe him at first.

"Anderson" someone said. The voice sounded like Kurt, but Kurt himself was nowhere to be seen. "Look down" Blaine did and he saw Kurt hiding. "A big hundered meters from here there is a hole in the bushes. Just climb over this wall here and stay as close to the hedge as possible. I'll be there too" Kurt whispered. Blaine did what Kurt told him and after 100 meter he heard his name being whispered again. "Blaine. I'm going to remove the plants. You have to do the same at your side." They both did this and a big hole saw the world. Blaine walked through and the plants took their natural form again.

"Blaine. I missed you" Kurt whispered before kissing him. Blaine nodded and hid his face in Kurt's neck hugging him tight. "I missed you to" "Okay, now I'm going to do something that I'm actually not supposed to do. I'm going to sneak you into the castle of the Danish Royal family." It sounded really illegal the way Kurt was saying it. "There are guards everywhere. Whatever you do, stay close to the hedge" Kurt whispered to him. It sounded as if wasn't the first time that Kurt was going trough this plan.

Kurt took Blaine's hand and started running. There were trees at their left side so if they didn't do anything stupid, they are impossible to be seen. After the 3 km run they were both kinda out of breathe. Kurt took a few seconds before saying anything. "At this time all the maids are at home or in the west wing. My father sleeps at the other side of the castle. Only Finn sleeps the floor underneath me. So we can just go up the stairs." Kurt whispered. They did and in no time they were in his room. "I feel so bad that I have to sneak my own boyfriend in. But tomorrow my father is returning and then we'll have a long chat about which sexuality I'll have to the outside. We both know that I'm gay and I'll convince him that's that the way I want to go at in life. You know that it will take some time, but one day I'm going to be able to be with you and I'm going to be the proudest boyfriend ever." Blaine had gone to lay down on Kurt his bed and was admiring how beautiful he was. After the mini speech Kurt lay down next to Blaine

"I knew what I started when we got together. If it takes you 3 weeks to get us official or 3 months or even 3 years. I won't care. As long as you don't give up on me, I won't give up on you." Kurt smiled, he's so lucky with a guy like Blaine. "What do you want to do Blaine?" Kurt changed the subject, he wanted to have a nice time with his boyfriend after all. "Shall we watch a movie?" Kurt nodded. "And make out?" Kurt asked. "Of course, that's obligatory." Blaine said. Kurt smiled and kissed him before taking his laptop. "I have a television room down the hall. But that's right above Finn's room and if he is alone or if they aren't making out and they hear feetstep, Rachel and Finn come and join me." Kurt said going to Netflix. "I was talking to Malia and Sasha Obama on my way to England and they told me to watch a bunch of movies. So I added them to my watchlist" Kurt said scrolling through it. "The fact that you talked to the children of the president and are casually talking about it. Oh. G.B.F. I saw the trailer but never went to cinema to watch it" Blaine said.

They watched it, but had a few moments that they ignored the movie. Till it ended. "I wanted them to be together. But the fact that they aren't together is kind of the whole point of the movie." Blaine said. Kurt nodded. Blaine had his head on Kurt's chest. "The Ellie Goulding song made me fangirl" Blaine chuckled and sat up. "You're so cute" he said before moving his legs from in between Kurt's trying to get up. "Where are you going?" Kurt asked. "I have to be at my host family's house in 20 minutes." Blaine said. Kurt sighed. "Are they nice?" He asked. Blaine nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes. I do have to say that you totally screwed up your reputation by the people. We went to see you today and their daughter went with me and I had to take a lot of things she said about my boyfriend. I played it off but, they don't trust you" Blaine said pulling on his shoes.

Kurt nodded. "Yeah. I know. But, I'll have to prove them that I changed." Kurt said. Blaine nodded. "As long as you don't let those things come to your heart." Blaine said before kissing his boyfriend goodbye. "I'm coming with you, I wanna say goodbye" Kurt said, he was rubbing his eyes. Blaine shook his head. "I'll get out of here myself. Now. You stay here." Blaine said. "when will I see you next?" Kurt asked. Blaine shrugged. "We'll have to be careful. I can't go out twice a week saying that I'm meeting an old friend from Dalton. Quinn knows that I know you. She'll start to suspect things" Blaine said. Kurt nodded. "I understand, we'll keep in touch right." "Of course, goodbye". Blaine pecked Kurt's lips one last time before leaving Kurt's room.

next chapter

#Klaine #Klaine au #klaine fanfic #glee fanfic #glee #kurt hummel #blaine anderson #Prince!Kurt #close your eyes

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azveille · 5 years ago

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Canadians are hopping mad about Trump’s drug importation plan. Some of them are trying to stop it

Canadians are furious about the Trump administration’s plan to import their prescription drugs. And some of them are determined to stop the proposal in its tracks.

Trump’s plan, which was announced late last month, would allow states, wholesalers, and pharmacies to import cheaper drugs from Canada. It’s a long way off from being implemented, but Canadians are baffled that America would look north to lower its own drug prices, and indignant that such a plan could exacerbate an already pressing drug shortage issue plaguing the country.

“You are coming as Americans to poach our drug supply, and I don’t have any polite words for that,” said Amir Attaran, a professor at the University of Ottawa, who calls the plan “deplorable” and “atrociously unethical.” “Our drugs are not for you, period.”

In the face of opposition, Canada’s health minister will meet Monday with pharmacists, patients, and industry officials to discuss a response. The minister, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, has publicly pledged to “ensure there are no adverse effects to the supply or cost of prescription drugs in Canada.”

For the advocates likely to fill the room, that means stopping American businesses from importing Canadian drugs.

“It’s time for it to crash and burn,” said John Adams, the board chair of the Best Medicines Coalition, a coalition of Canadian patient advocacy organizations, who will be joining the meeting by phone. “Canadians may die.”

The meeting will almost certainly be just a first step in a long and complicated process potentially involving obscure trade laws, international treaties, and some cutthroat diplomacy.

In advance of that meeting, STAT spoke with nearly a dozen trade and health policy experts in Canada and the U.S. to determine how, exactly, Canadians could thwart Trump’s plan — and how drug makers might just thwart it for them. Here’s what we learned.

Adding pharmaceuticals to Canada’s export control list

The most expedient way for Canada to stop Trump’s plan would be to put prescription drugs on its “export control list,” a watchlist of sorts that would require exporters get permission from Canada before shipping drugs across borders, multiple experts told STAT.

It’s an odd proposition, to be sure. The list is used primarily to prevent export of deadly weapons. Canada has, however, used the list to protect key products, including certain lumber, and even peanut butter.

The process is relatively simple: Canada’s federal cabinet, known as the Governor in Council, can add goods to the export control list at any time. There are some limits on what goods can go on the list, but the government essentially has carte blanche to protect any good against the possibility of shortages, particularly if it can make the case that doing so is in the interest of national defense. The cabinet is technically required to open any such proposal for public comment, but the government has the power to bypass those rules.

“Putting a particular good on the export control list is relatively quick and easy,” Geoffrey C. Kubrick, a partner at the Canadian law firm McMillan, told STAT.

Passing a new law

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has unilateral power to control exports, Parliament could also pass a law explicitly banning exports of drugs meant for Canadians.

It’s not uncommon for Parliament to do so, even when the cabinet has the power to act unilaterally.

“Sometimes legislative actions are taken for the demonstration effect, just so it’s really, really clear that this is not an activity that Canada is in any way sanctioning,” said Laura Dawson, who heads the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington.

And veteran MPs are already familiar with this issue: Parliament nearly passed a similar law in 2005 after the U.S. Congress passed a law two years earlier giving the secretary of health and human services the power to greenlight drug importation. That bill would have empowered Canada’s health minister to “prohibit, by order, the export of a drug or class of drugs” if the government determined such exports could lead to a drug shortage.

The proposal was eventually tabled because the ruling party lost power and Parliament dissolved.

There’s a major roadblock to passing a similar bill in the coming months, however: Parliament is out of session and the country is in the midst of a federal election. Members of the left-flank New Democratic Party have criticized the ruling Liberal coalition for a lackluster response and called for the legislature to reconvene to address the issue, and the opposition Conservative Party has called for the federal government to act to prevent drug shortages.

Advocates like the Best Medicines Coalition have also called for an emergency session of Parliament, but that option seems unlikely.

Imposing new tariffs or taxes on drugs

Canada could also impose an additional fee — essentially a tariff — on exports of pharmaceuticals from Canada, thus making the drugs prohibitively expensive for Americans.

“It would be easy for other countries to stop this with tariffs,” said Dr. Bob Kocher, a former special assistant to President Obama and a venture capitalist. “The U.S. has certainly broken the glass already on using tariffs to protect local markets.”

But the Wilson Center’s Dawson isn’t so sure that’s a great idea, or even possible. These sorts of taxes, for one, are very unwieldy and nobody uses them, she told STAT.

“Why would you want to use the least efficient instrument to block these sales, when Canada could simply impose an export control?” she asked. “They could put those spike belts across the highway for trucks that have pharmaceuticals in them … but not so efficient.”

Asked if there was a precedent for such a move, the closest example Canada trade experts could point to was Canada’s restrictions on exports of certain lumbers. As part of a long-simmering trade dispute, Canada has at times required exporters to pay a tax when exporting lumber to the U.S. However, even that is an imperfect corollary.

The wait-and-see approach

Steve Morgan, a professor at the University of British Columbia, predicts at least in the short term Canada’s strategy will be “watchful waiting.”

The reasoning: Even if the U.S. moves forward with its plan and Canada doesn’t respond, existing contracts and business practices make it almost impossible to send prescription drugs across the border. Attempts to do so, experts said, could result in drug companies canceling contracts with wholesalers, wholesalers canceling contracts with pharmacies, and pharmacists being called before professional review boards.

While importation is popular with American consumers (a recent poll found that 80% of Americans surveyed liked the idea), the success of the plan will largely depend on the willingness of wholesalers, both in the U.S. and Canada, as well as retailers, to play ball.

Wholesalers, in particular, would have to decide it’s in their best interest to break or renegotiate contracts with pharmaceutical companies that often expressly ban the export of drugs sold for Canadian consumption, and the sales of drugs in the U.S. that weren’t originally packaged for the U.S. market.

“The reason they do this is because there’s a big difference in the wholesale price of a drug outside of the U.S. versus inside of the U.S.,” said Neeraj Sood, a professor at the University of Southern California, who studies the drug supply chain. “It’s written to prevent importation.”

Sood added that such provisions are commonplace.

Wholesalers who have been accused of breaking these contracts have ended up in court, according to Sood, who disclosed he was involved in one such case, although he declined to provide STAT with further details.

And early signs show wholesalers are less than eager to renegotiate these contracts: The Healthcare Distribution Alliance, the U.S. lobby group representing distributors, has called Trump’s plan “simply not worth the risk.”

Then there’s the possibility that the threat of importation will give states, wholesalers, and pharmacists the leverage to negotiate better terms with manufacturers, making it unlikely they’d need to import drugs in the first place.

“My suspicion is in the short term … it gives the retail sector greater leverage in trying to negotiate some kind of better terms of trade with manufacturers,” Morgan said.

There’s already early signs this is occurring.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example, has said drug makers approached his office after it began pushing an importation bill with offers to sell drugs at a cheaper price.

Morgan said: “It’s premature to panic.”

In the meantime, that won’t stop Canadians from grousing over the prospect Americans creeping across the border and taking their cheap drugs.

“There is no Canadian constituency for this,” the Wilson Center’s Dawson said.

Canada’s major newspapers have been peppered in recent weeks with editorials slamming the plan. “Donald Trump, keep your hands off our drugs,” the Globe and Mail wrote.

“Welcome,” the paper added, “to the socialist paradise of Canada, Mr. Trump.”

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foxsoftware934 · 3 years ago

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Best Plex Setup

For the record, I followed Plex's own Live TV and DVR setup support page to get my own media server up and running. That support page is a good resource, but this tutorial will hopefully walk you. Plex offers a sturdy variety of official channels you can install right away. Browse the list or search for one you have in mind, then click the icon to bring up the install dialog. Click the yellow button to begin the process, then wait a few moments for it to complete.

Basically, Plex works out best for the casual users around. But, the same user will definitely take time to understand that how to set up a plex. And also how to add your media to the same. Plex is more used due to it’s simple as well as a stylish interface which makes it very easy to use. It actually has the ability to handle large storage of media, photos, songs, etc.

It is usually used to stream the downloaded content. But, most of you have no clue that it has even more for you in the box than just stream downloaded content. That notice actually comes when you use plex for a while and really wish for some extra features and functionalities. And that’s when the plugins come into play.

Using plex plugins, it’s easy to watch your shows and series on any device like a TV or on your smartphone devices. It makes the interface even more simple. There are many plex plugins which we can consider, but not all are worth trying. If you are here to be that power user by using the third-part plex tools, then you are in the right place.

We can say that plex is important for playing movies and series, but plex plugins are in the form of zip files which are actually designated for each plex channels. There are a lot of best plex plugins which will be discussed sooner.

Why is it important?

Ask yourself a question, don’t you want your favorite web series easily? Or aren’t you expecting an elegant interface? If yes, then you definitely need plex plugins in your life which makes it easy to use on your smartphones as well.

Plex channels are nothing without plex plugins. It is really important to understand that plex channels won’t run if there no installation of plex plugins. Hence, it is really important and in need as well. You will definitely need this to manage your all personal media contents from anywhere. It makes media available on all your apps on your device. We have actually listed for you some of these which are worth your time. List of best plugins for plex is given below keep reading.

1. Tautulli

It has one of the best functionality that provides the notification feature. It helps you in many useful ways and keeps you updates. With the Plex-library Tautulli is an essential feature especially when sharing with others. It helps in monitoring and tracking the activities. This type of software also has the feature to show statistics in terms of tables and graphs. It has one of the very powerful notification tools. It also helps you to alert other people while adding any media or content to the library. It allows you to use custom scripts and expand its functionality in a very simple and easy way. It also includes all the information in a detailed manner about the program you have watched. It can be considered in the best plex plugins category.

2. WebTools

It can be said as a collection of the tools for the plex media. It is one of the most commonly used add-ons in terms of plex. It is basically used by several users like you to maintain and organize your data and media in the most efficient manner. Basically, it gets bit difficult and complicated to under the installing of add-on according to the type of operating system in use. It includes subtitle management, logging tools, unmatched media, etc. Not only that but it also includes the popular Unsupported Appstore. It can definitely be said that it is one of the most important plex plugins which is required for the organization of the server and media.

3. Sub Zero

Usually, it is used to manage the environment of the plex media server. It has the feature of handling the subtitles in a very native manner but definitely with some warnings. It allows searching up to 10 individual subtitle provider sites and then the best matching, which is done by seeing the filename and the information of the media of the subtitle file choosing from all. And then downloads it. There is a specific process for the choosing of the file through the matching algorithm. Also, the downloaded thing gets stored externally, and after that, you can surely change the location of the downloaded file according to your means and needs.

4. Plex2Netflix

Best Plex Setup For 4k

Modo yoga prices. This software allows us to check in a very simple way that how much of your media is available from plex to be able to watch on Netflix, but unfortunately, it doesn’t allow to watch Netflix within the plex app. It actually allows an easy way to get detailed information of your existing library with a clear percentage of media that is available. It is really helpful when you want to delete some content due to the shortage of space which actually happened when we try to download many programs on Netflix. Hence, it plays an important part while downloading the media. And every time it will provide you with the percentage of the program is available. It actually contains a database through which the search is going on of the availability of the data.

Tesonet nordvpn. NordVPN announced that it had experienced adata hack on one of it’s rented servers from a data center in Finland in March 2018. But NordVPN isn’t the only provider to be affected. Both Avast and TorGuardhave also been impacted by the breach. Avast addressed a breach that occurred between May and October 2019, where users of its CCleaner application were targeted. Like NordVPN, TorGuard’s encryption keys wer.

5. Plex Export

Plex Export can be considered as one of the best plex plugins which can be used for producing an HTML page which can be searched by anyone and very easily. This software also has the feature of filtering through genre, rating, etc. This is definitely the software you need if you want others to see your content on the server without giving them the access to it. This can also be shared publicly and not even giving access to anyone. Even the HTML which is produced contains live filters so the viewers can easily establish what all is available on the page immediately.

6. Plex Sync

Plex sync actually allows to sync watch status between different servers. This is that kind of plugin which automatically and easily syncs to the other servers available at the different locations. It is really helpful for those who have separate servers which are running at different locations. And one of the best features is that your content can be easily synced via both ports and HTTPS efficiently. Also, this has the facility of syncing with different users by easily logging to the same page. If you are looking for a tool which can in simple steps sync between different users then, Plex Sync is one of the best plex plugins for that.

7. TheaterTrailers

Basically, you will need a software like TheaterTrailers especially for the automatic downloading of the YouTube trailers and which helps to actually feature all the upcoming trailers and hence it adds a movie theatre style to a plex setup. Even when you want to replicate your server as the movie-going experience then also such software is really useful. Also, one of the great features is that when the movie is publicly available to the audience, then it automatically deletes the trailer. Basically, it includes trailers of those films whose films have yet not been there on the theatre screens.

Best Plex Setup 2020

8. Transmogrify

Transmogrify is a browser extension, especially Chrome which usually adds a link for viewing the movie trailers, IMDb, etc. It has an amazing feature of server statistics report and also contains the filter for movies and different kinds of shows and series. The extension is also useful in adding the several new links to the interface, examples like a Rotten Tomatoes link. This software is an actual representation of the introduction of various useful and new features when accessed through the web browser rather than through desktop client.

9. IPTV

IPTV can be considered as one of the best plex plugins. It is also free software as well. It actually works as watching IPTV in the plex. There are many TV networks that show programs via IPTV channel, and so that you can access those feeds easily. This kind of software supports the on-screen program guides, custom channel logos and much more. To actually add content to it, you will definitely need to get the streaming URL. Makes sure before using IPTV and check for all the details beforehand.

10. Trakt Scrobbler

Trakt Scrobbler is such a type of plugin which actually serves as an automatic machine log to an online profile. Not only it ends here, but it also features functionalities like watchlist and a TV calendar. It automatically logs everything you’ve been watching on your profile. It has to be online. It is like the Last.fm as for the considerations. It is one of the best plex plugins and that the essential ones for keeping the record for what you’ve been watching on your online profile. It also has customizable watchlist and recommends viewing habits. It even gives the suggestion for a similar type of the services and shows as you watch according to that. It will sync your history between the two apps. TV calendar is one of the most useful features in today’s world.

Wrapping Up!!

Though there was a list of plex plugins, it depends on you, the user that you want it or not. Or which the correct one. Also, studying more about it will only help you to become a better power user and use it in a most efficient way you can. Also, it doesn’t stop here; if you study about plex in detail, you will understand how it helps in virtual reality as well.

Best Plex Setup 2021

Best Plex Server Setup

So, it is really important to learn about the tricks and tips of the plex and understand and use it in the best way possible. Only, after understanding it in the most proper way you can decide that if you need a plex plugin or not. So, what are you waiting for? Go and check out for more and use your brain in the most efficient way.

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olivereliott · 7 years ago

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Watchlist: The Best Motorcycle Photographers, Part II

We’re often asked what the ‘EXIF’ in Bike EXIF means. If you don’t know, it stands for ‘Exchangeable Image File format,’ referring to the data a digital camera saves when it takes a snap.

Basically we care as much about photos as we do about motorcycles. Without good photos, Bike EXIF wouldn’t be half the site it is.

So for the second time, we’re profiling three motorcycle photographers to watch. Last time we featured Aaron Brimhall, Jun Song and David Marvier; today we’re chatting to Anthony Scott (USA), Devin Paisley (SA) and Mihail Jershov (UK)—guys who all excel in natural light environments.

ANTHONY SCOTT

Where are you based? Portland, Oregon. I’m originally from Birmingham, Alabama but moved to Portland in 2013 after getting out of the military.

What bike do you ride? I have a few, but my daily is my Harley-Davidson Springer. On special occasions I like to take out my race-inspired Honda CB550 (below) that I call #27—it’s part of a 27 bike series. Or #26, an RD400. I’ll be adding more to my special occasion list, as I’m currently working on #25 and #24.

Where do you get your inspiration? Truthfully I find inspiration in a lot of different things. The bikes that I’m building are a homage to the Moto GP legends and the vintage racing era, so I gather a lot of inspiration there. I just love the style of bikes back then and how they really captured the imagination of future generations. I feel like they gave us dreamers something really good to dream about.

All you have to do is look around you and there is inspiration everywhere. For me, it always evolves and changes, so I let whatever I’m daydreaming about at the moment influence me the most. I just have to make sure I don’t stay stagnant. I’m always playing around with new business ideas, and ways to incorporate all of my loves and interests into one community hangout spot: everything from vintage cars, motorcycles, surfboards, and good faded denim. My search is still ongoing for a space to do all of this, but I’m excited to see what the future holds.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I stumbled upon photography a few years ago during a period in my life when I was really struggling with PTSD. My camera became an escape; something else that I could focus on that later helped me work through that time. I still remember like it was yesterday, seeing a feature on a Seaweed & Gravel build. The photos were so beautifully shot, and it was those photos that pushed me to want to learn more about motorcycle photography—any and all types.

My first camera was a Canon T2i that I purchased from a nice elderly couple on Craigslist. I quickly realized it was a lot harder than it looks to capture the type of images I’d seen many times before. But this just fueled me to get better and try harder. I’m still not sure how much better I’ve gotten, but the process brings me a lot of joy!

Are you a full-time photographer? I wish I could be a full time photographer, but I just do it as a hobby. 100% of my photography is done for free. I’m really just having fun, and I like helping others fulfill their dreams through photography.

So many people dream about having their bike featured on Bike EXIF and in print publications, something I can totally relate to. People have helped me out along the way, and I’m just trying to return the favor. I also feel that keeping it as a ‘just for fun’ hobby takes some of the pressure off (until it’s the first of the month and rent is due, then sometimes I re-think my strategy, ha!)

What equipment do you use? Canon EOS 5D Mark II body, Canon EOS 7D Mark II body, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens and Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L lens. I also play around a little with a drone and a GoPro Hero 5.

Your favorite shooting location? This is a tough one, and totally depends on the purpose of the shoot and the bike itself. Some bikes call for a super gritty industrial spot, and others call for a wide-open field or nature-filled spot. You can also go somewhere more than once, and each time can be different depending on the weather, time of day, etc. If I really had to pick a favorite, it would be a good moody or foggy backdrop somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

Your favorite subject matter? I recently started doing more portrait work and it has been my most fulfilling adventure yet. It’s challenging to capture a person just right, something natural and in the moment. Some of my other favorites are vintage custom bikes and vintage cars, hands down. I’m getting better at mixing all my interests together and that brings me a lot of joy.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? Ah, the question we all fear. A lot of people have firm opinions on the use of filters. The camera will always capture my subject, but programs like Photoshop and Lightroom help me fine-tune my work as an artist. As an artist, we really have the freedom to take our photo wherever we want them to go.

I often find raw photos just as appealing as something that has been re-worked. It will always depend on each individual situation and shoot. Not all situations can be ideal (difficult lighting, distracting background), and that’s when postproduction comes handy. There can always be things that need cleaning up or enhancing, but I also want to make sure my photos feel realistic and not over-processed. Overall, my feelings are just to do what feels and looks best to you.

What about Instagram? I think Instagram is a great avenue to connect with others and share your passions, but you just can’t take it too seriously. Not everyone will be your biggest fan, and some of them will freely voice that. You just have to do what you love, and take it all with a grain of salt.

One day I might post a photo that I’m really proud of, and it will get zero love. The next I might throw up a photo that I casually snapped running around Portland, and it will blow up. It’s totally unpredictable. I’ve met some pretty incredible people through Instagram that I may not have met otherwise, and those opportunities and friendships are really cool.

Tell us about shooting Dirt Quake For the last few years I have had the opportunity to attend and photograph Dirt Quake USA. This past year I was asked by See See Motorcycles and Sideburn Magazine to be the official photographer. It blew my mind to have the chance to photograph, race, party, repeat with these two wonderful companies. They literally kill it every year. For months I was stoked, but the closer the date came I started to notice a pit at the bottom of my stomach. The pressure was on. Help was on the way, my younger sister flew in for moral support, which I think was just a guise to get a University Summer Break at her big brother’s expense (but I love her). My partner Melissa Bryan tried to assure me it would be fine and she would be there as well, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.

The first day was a blistering 100+ degrees, no shade, fast track and fast times. It was a whirlwind. My body was sore in places I didn’t know existed. Unfortunately the pit in my stomach was still there. It was not until the next day when Hooligan Rider Jimmy Hill sent his Indian Scout and I caught him full frontal that it hit me. This is supposed to be fun dude, just enjoy yourself!

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll learn as you go. Everyone is going to have a different style, and that’s what makes each photographer and shoot so unique. My best advice, as clichéd as it may sound, is just have fun and spread good vibes. Oh, and Stay Enthused.

Enginethusiast Web | Instagram

DEVIN PAISLEY

Where are you based? The best motorcycling city in the world—Cape Town, South Africa.

What bike do you ride? I ride all the bikes. Jokes! I enjoy 250cc dual-sport bikes: I have a Yamaha TTR250 and a Honda XR250 Tornado that I ‘bought for my fiancé.’ I also have a Honda CX500 café and a Montesa Cota 349 project on the go.

Where do you get your inspiration? From the effect that motorcycles have on people. Motorcycling is contagious and once it’s in your bones… well, you know the rest. All sorts of bikes inspire me, but I love bikes with a story. In my eyes, a beat-up old thumper that has seen its fair share of action has as much character as a beautifully built custom bike.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I started riding in 2004 and I picked up my first decent camera in 2007 when traveling overseas. I guess as the two passions grew they found one another, helped along by my first attempt at a motorcycle business—Rebellian Custom Bikes. I was on the creative side and had to make our very average bikes look much better in photos.

Are you a full-time photographer? I also own and run a community motorcycle garage called the Woodstock Moto Co. in Cape Town. I started it three years ago as a place to store and work on my motorcycles, but it has evolved into a DIY motorcycle garage, café and general hangout that brings together people who are passionate about bikes. (Cue hipster comments on coffee and motorcycles).

Prior to this I had a brief stint trying to build bikes for money, and before that I worked as a model, which took me all over the world and exposed me to both photography and different motorcycle cultures.

What equipment do you use? I shoot on Nikon. My father was a photographer in the 70s and had a lot of old lenses lying around which fit straight on the new DSLRs. I keep it simple with primes—50mm, 85mm and 135mm. I also have a FujiFilm X100T as a pocket camera—what a great little snapper!

Your favorite shooting location? I’m spoiled in Cape Town. We have everything here—the ocean and mountains meet to create moto-heaven. Urban concrete jungle, perfect asphalt passes, dirt for days and everything in between. I try not to use the same location twice for a shoot—it gets tricky, but it forces me to keep exploring and keep finding gems.

Your favorite subject matter? Motorcycles, obviously! I enjoy telling stories through images. Whether that’s an off-road weekend adventure, or a motorcycle hoarder’s jam-packed garage, it’s the human emotions that I’m after. If I’m just shooting a bike the images need to make the viewer feel the emotions too.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? I shoot in a way that keeps post to a minimum. I use Lightroom for editing and cataloging and only if I need to remove elements that are distracting to the viewer’s eye, I’ll use Photoshop. On set I only shoot natural light as it keeps equipment to a minimum and allows maximum flexibility.

Filters… hmm… I don’t really feel much about them other than cringe when some one goes way overboard. I guess I try to create my own style, which I then use as filters in my postproduction process.

What about Instagram? Hi my name is Devin, and I’m an addict. It’s an interesting topic and something I’ve been thinking of for quite a while. I am guilty of spending too much time on it and it is having a serious effect on my productivity. On the one hand the content being generated is inspirational and motivational—but on the dark side is it secretly makes you feel inadequate. I think that the next decade will be very interesting, looking at the psychological effects that social media has had on humans.

From a photography perspective it makes images so disposable, and it’s such a waste on such a small screen (I rock an iPhone 5). Images flash by in less than a second and people don’t have any concept of the amount work that goes into creating these visual feasts.

There’s another side of Instagram that is highly annoying—the stealing of images and the numerous accounts that re-post photographer’s work with out permission or credit. I’ve had some unbelievable conversations online with people who have no concept of image rights or respecting photographers. Don’t get me started on corporate brands sharing images without permission or compensation. Actually, never mind, apparently it’s good ‘exposure.’

Tell us about shooting the BMW R nineT Racer Wes from Bike EXIF is lucky enough to live in Cape Town too—so he’s always roping me in to do shoots. When he mentioned the R nineT rac… I interrupted him and said I was game. I like to be on set before the sun gets up to get that soft beautiful light and then shoot as it transitions to daylight. The morning of the R nineT Racer shoot I met Wes in the city and we were greeted by foggy and gloomy weather. Luckily, as we headed up to Table Mountain (Google it) we emerged from the fog onto the twisties.

I wanted to capture the bike in motion, as the shape of the bike just oozes speed, so we spent a lot of time on the panning shots (I always shoot real motion and don’t add blur in post). I also shoot from the hip while riding—but this can be dangerous and I’ve had a few close calls. The shoot took around two hours, but as photographers know, selection and editing takes much longer. This was shot on my old tank, a Nikon D700 with the following lenses: 18-35mm, 50mm f1.8, 85mm f1.8 and 135mm f2.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Learn the rule of thirds, composition is critical, move around to find the sweet spot. Nail that and you’ll get banger shots, even with your phone.

Devin Paisley Web | Instagram

MIHAIL JERSHOV

Where are you based? London, UK, but I’m originally from Riga, Latvia.

What bike do you ride? I used to own a really cute, but gutless, 1979 Honda CG125, but I sold it and am currently working on getting my full license.

Where do you get your inspiration? I’m really inspired by work of some great photographers like Aaron Brimhall and Laurent Nivalle. I love the way they manage to capture the excitement of riding and make you want to be that person from the photograph.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? Back in 2014 when I shot my first motorcycle event—DGR London—I got approached by people from Triumph, who wanted to use some of my images for their social media. This was a great incentive to get into more exciting events within the emerging custom motorcycle culture. The guys at The Bike Shed have also been a great inspiration and showed strong support.

Are you a full-time photographer? I work as a jewelry photographer for a company in London when I’m not shooting bikes.

What equipment do you use? Canon 6D DSLR.

Your favorite shooting location? I really love the combination of beautiful landscapes and pretty motorcycles, but to be honest, I don’t have one particular favorite location, I’m trying to make the most of what’s available. Good weather usually helps a lot.

Your favorite subject matter to shoot? It’s always inspiring to shoot someone doing what they genuinely love. So, motorcycles being ridden in their natural habitat must be it.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? I use Adobe Camera Raw with some custom presets. I’m really picky about my colors.

What about Instagram? Love it to bits! Give me a follow at @mjstudio_uk.

Tell us about shooting Wheels and Waves This year’s Wheels and Waves was my third one so far, and it just never disappoints. If there is a perfect working holiday, for me it’s Wheels and Waves. You get the amazing landscape and architecture of the Basque country combined with thousands of amazing custom bikes rolling in from all over Europe, and sometimes much further. It’s always a real treat for me to shoot there.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Find the imagery that inspires you, then get out there and shoot! You’ll get better if you’re persistent.

Mihail Jershov Web | Facebook | Instagram

Header image: Enduro Fun In Latvia, 2016, by Mihail Jershov.

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jamieclawhorn · 7 years ago

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Two smoking small-cap stocks I’ve added to my watchlist

The share prices of small caps Tristel (LSE: TSTL) and Marlowe (LSE: MRL) have seen stellar rises of late — up 21% and 33% respectively over the last three months. Here’s why I’ve added both to my watchlist.

Overseas growth

£91m cap Tristel is a manufacturer of infection control, contamination control and hygiene products. Based on today’s encouraging trading update, I’m confident it won’t remain a market minnow for much longer.

For the year to the end of June, the company expects to book turnover “in excess of” £20m, at least 17% more than the £17.1m achieved in 2016. At £4m, pre-tax profits are predicted to be just over 21% higher than those achieved 12 months earlier.

Aside from the fact that these numbers are ahead of market expectations, the most encouraging snippet from today’s update was surely confirmation of the company’s growing presence outside of the UK. In H2, revenue from overseas operations contributed 50% of that achieved by the company as a whole — a 16% improvement on the numbers from H1. This huge amount of growth over such a short period means that overseas revenue is now expected to contribute 47% of that achieved for the full year — a record for the company.

Tristel attributes much of the aforementioned rise in overseas revenue to last July’s £950,000 purchase of its Australian distributor. Elsewhere, the company has entered the North American Market and also invested $750,000 in Mobile ODT — a business focused on “combining smartphone technology with hand-held medical devices for point-of-care diagnostics“.

Its finances remain in good order. While cash balances — at £5.1m — were slightly reduced from 2016 ‘s level (£5.7m), the company has no debt on its books.

With excellent growth credentials, defensive attributes and rising returns on capital employed, this is surely one company worth keeping an eye on.

Acquisition-friendly

Recent full-year results from £124m cap support services group Marlowe showed a company with serious growth ambitions.

To recap, the company achieved just under £47m in revenue over the year to the end of March and adjusted EBITDA of £4m. Like Tristel, Marlowe was able to boast a net cash position (£3m).

Perhaps more importantly, it completed and integrated eight acquisitions over those 12 months, demonstrating how keen it is to become a major player in the fragmented Fire & Security and Water Treatment markets.

Since the end of the reporting period, Marlowe has added Advance Environmental Limited and Ductclean UK to its list of purchases. In keeping with CEO Alex Dacre’s earlier proclamation that the company had a “well-developed pipeline of attractive opportunities“, the latter allows Marlowe to enter the air hygiene market — one its believes offers “significant scope for consolidation“.

I can see the shares climbing higher for some time to come, particularly as the recent tragedy at Grenfell Tower is likely to generate huge interest in the fire protection services offered by the company.

Only wishlist?

You might wonder why I’ve added the above companies to my watchlist/wishlist and not purchased them. For me, it’s all down to their current valuations. Right now, both shares trade on 28 times forecast earnings, suggesting a lot of good news is already priced in.

While there’s no guarantee that Trisetl and Marlowe will ever be cheaper, I believe it might be prudent to wait in the hope of a general market dip before buying into either.

A better opportunity?

Of course, there are lots of other opportunities available for eagle-eyed investors lower down the market spectrum. One top small-cap that's caught the attention of the Motley Fool's Head of UK Investing appears to be off many investors' radars.

To find out more, just click here. Mark Rogers' special report is available completely FREE of charge and without obligation.