How NOT to Photograph the Ocean
This is the wave that nearly cost me a lot of money. It also taught me a few very valuable lessons that I'd like to share with everyone now, more than ten years after I took this photo. [Read More]
This is the wave that nearly cost me a lot of money. It also taught me a few very valuable lessons that I'd like to share with everyone now, more than ten years after I took this photo. [Read More]
An American tourist has been rescued after falling into the crater of an active volcano trying to take a selfie. The tourist had taken a closed-off path up the face of Mount Vesuvius, in Italy, and had climbed down into the crater in a bid to recover his mobile phone which he had dropped. [Read More]
My friend Bill just returned from a family vacation in Costa Rica and shot lots of photos and videos on his iPhone, including some killer shots of breakfasts with local monkeys. [Read More]
Nikon's new $14,000 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens for mirrorless cameras has been getting terrific reviews, but there is another more unusual reason the lens stands out in Nikon's lineup: Nikon warns that you should not use it if you have a pacemaker or any other kind of medical device. [Read More]
Enric Sala is a former university professor who quit academia to become a National Geographic photographer and Explorer in Residence to help save Earth’s oceans. His name is strangely also at the center of a scam targeting photographers.
In an effort to protect the experiences of young people, Instagram has announced that starting in the next couple of weeks, all users will be required to provide the company with a birthdate in order to continue using the app.
People always have a love/hate relationship with Godox. For many, they are a cheap entry point to off-camera flash, offering massive bang for the buck. Others see them as cheap imitations of more expensive brands.
A newly discovered vulnerability in the 4. x Bluetooth wireless standard has been shown to affect cameras that implement full remote control functionality. Demonstrated as viable in proof-of-concept laboratory testing, researchers believe that the exploit has the potential to either physically damage cameras or render them inoperable.
I’m photographer Jay P. Morgan from The Slanted Lens. In this video and article, I’ll share with you an actual photoshoot fraud case and what to look for so that you don’t get taken by a fraudulent scam like it.
The #silhouettechallenge is a trend that has been going viral on TikTok as of late that involves dancing provocatively as a silhouette while the details of your body are mostly obscured by a red filter.
In big tech’s continuing battle against the scourge of so-called “fake news” and manipulated imagery used to trick people online, Google has just added a major update to Google Image search: fact checking.
A Russian Instagram influencer’s birthday party left three attendees dead and seven in intensive care last Friday after the party’s host tried to create “an impressive steam show” by dumping 55lbs (25kg) of dry ice into an indoor swimming pool.
An ill-advised family photo shoot on a set of active train tracks in Greencastle, Pennsylvania nearly ended in tragedy when a freight train came barreling through, narrowly missing the photographer, parents, and five children.
I am an amateur photographer, and I’ve sold cameras non-professionally on Amazon for over eight years as I’ve upgraded. That trend comes to an end with my most recent transaction. In December, I sold a mint-in-box Sony a7R 4, and the buyer used a combination of social engineering and ambiguity to not only end up […]
Ouch. A video posted by the Instagram account @cinematogr shows what can happen when you risk yourself (and your camera) to capture intense action sports shots. Sometimes, you get run over. The video’s caption doesn’t mention much other than naming mountain biking pro Dillon Lemarr, who may have been the one who hit the unidentified […]
A California man is learning the hard way that you ignore the FAA’s drone regulations at your own risk. He is facing nearly $20,000 in fines from the federal government after his runaway drone flew over the Las Vegas strip and landed next to an active runway at Las Vegas’ main airport. According to local […]
An onlooker at the Grand Canyon in Arizona captured the harrowing instant when a visitor almost fell into the canyon while taking a photo of her mom. The video of the incident has since gone viral: a perfect example of what not to do.
Two months ago, popular photographer and digital artist John Wilhelm‘s Facebook was hacked. Below, he shares the step-by-step story of how the hack happened, and how the hacker used his very popular Facebook page to scam hundreds of his followers out of their hard-earned money. The Hack August 5th I received a message through my […]
A cosplay photo shoot on a California beach has prompted a public warning from the local Sheriff’s Office after worried beachgoers informed authorities that someone was carrying around a large rifle.
A couple of weeks ago, Apple announced a recall of “a limited number” of Mid-2015 15-inch Retina MacBook Pros because “the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk.” But if you thought that yours is probably fine and haven’t taken the time to check your serial yet, think again. As designer Steven Gagne […]
Photographer, videographer, and YouTube star Peter McKinnon brainstormed with his photographer and filmmaker friends and came up with 6 common bad habits in photography that photographers should try to avoid having.
The Auschwitz Museum is reminding the public to be respectful when taking photos at the infamous former Nazi concentration camp. It seems that in recent days there has been an increase of people using the railway tracks leading into the camp as a balance beam for social media.
You probably know that the lasers in concerts and even on self-driving cars can damage your camera’s sensor in a direct hit, but did you know that light reflected off skin during laser tattoo removal can also destroy your sensor? Watch this 37-second video to see for yourself. The video was recorded by Andy Boyd, […]
After being acquired by SmugMug from Yahoo, Flickr announced in November 2018 that it would be limiting free accounts to 1,000 photos and videos total. The major change takes effect tomorrow, and if you’re over the limit, your extra photos will be permanently deleted.
It all started with an email from Wendi Murdoch. She claimed that she had found us through a personal recommendation from a senior editor at Conde Naste Traveler. We had just finished talking with Conde Nast Traveler about doing some Instagram featured work on both my and Zory’s accounts, so the timing made sense. Flattered, […]
After releasing firmware v2. 0 for the a7 III and a7R III in October, Sony abruptly took down the update earlier this month citing a bug that would cause photographers to lose RAW photos they’ve captured.
Homeland Security is running a campaign to teach Americans how to “recognize the signs of terrorism-related suspicious activity,” and one of the signs to look out for is photography. Here’s the alert the Department of Homeland Security Tweeted on Monday: Know the signs! Did you know photography and surveillance could be a sign of terrorism-related […]
Here’s a pro tip: if you’re looking for somewhere to place your camera for a while when outdoors, don’t leave it under the tires of a vehicle. This 12-second video shows the pain that can result if you do.
Notable American photographer Kalliope Amorphous has published a warning to other photographers who are considering protecting their copyright using ImageRights International. She accuses the company of an “egregious grab” that forces photographers to use the company’s legal services.
Who would’ve guessed it? Holding a camera up to your face during a car crash can be quite hazardous to your health. New research by the University of Southern California and the International Cinematographer Guild has shed new light on the dangers posed by cameras in “free driving” situations.
This past Sunday, I photographed the “Rally against Hate” protests in Berkeley, California, which was organized to oppose a “Say No To Marxism” rally that had been planned. There was very little representation of the so-called alt-right at the park on Sunday.
Planning to photograph the upcoming solar eclipse? You’d better make sure you have the right solar filter to protect your camera. Here’s a 2-minute video that shows how shooting the sun without protection can completely melt your DSLR’s guts.
If you’re flying with camera equipment, bring the gear onto the plane in a carry-on bag with you if at all possible. This $11,000 Leica lens shows what can happen if you entrust your pricey equipment to the hold inside checked baggage.
I’ve been ordering used lenses for years and have never had a problem with any purchases. That is, until now. I recently ordered a $1,500 used camera lens from Amazon. The lens never showed up, and Amazon is refusing to return my money because they claim the tracking number shows that it was delivered to […]
If you’re a photojournalist who covers stories in dangerous places, here’s something you should know: don’t try to bring bulletproof vests or gas masks through airports in Thailand, as they’re considered “war weapons.
On the second day of an amazing photography expo and convention, I was sharing lunch with a new friend and chatting about our upcoming photo shoot. Suddenly, we were interrupted with an onslaught of “oh baby”, “that’s it”, “you got it, baby girl”, “give me that pout”, and the most awesome of them all: “I […]
At least once per month, we hear about someone else—a photographer, photo shoot subject, sometimes just kids messing around—who was struck and killed while taking pictures on train tracks. And this weekend, the TODAY show demonstrated how these massive machines are able to “sneak up” on people. We published our latest story of a train […]
Russian model Viktoria Odintsova is being harshly criticized online for a photo shoot she did that involved handling by one arm from the edge of a 1,000-foot-tall skyscraper in Dubai… with apparently no permission and no safety equipment.
It’s not just memory cards that are widely counterfeited in the photo industry: there are plenty of fake cameras and lenses floating around as well. Now Canon wants you to know about a quick and easy way to see if your 50mm f/1.
Dear photography community, I am writing this blog post to warn you from an experience I had in getting my camera stolen from a car, and then finding that my insurance refused to cover it. We live in a modern age with crazy technology — our cameras are proof of that. And so is the […]
As if photographers needed another reason to avoid SanDisk, the company's memory cards may record corrupted or unreadable still photo files when paired with the Canon R5 Mark II.
The sky is a key element in landscape photography, as it can create mood and depth in your images. However, many beginners tend to overprocess the sky, making it look unnatural and fake. [Read More]
We’ve all heard the horror stories of wedding photographers having their cameras stolen only to lose all of their couples’ photos, the photographer whose car was broken into after leaving their camera gear inside, only to lose important photos in the case, etc.
What would you do for this check? I'm photographer Dave Koch, and this is the story of how my real estate photography business was recently targeted by a fake check scammer. [Read More]
A Fort Worth special events venue has become the center of a classic fake check scam, this time aimed at local North Texas photographers. Unsuspecting photographers are told they have been hired to shoot an event at Fort Worth Country Memories when no such event has been booked. Lynae Vosberg, the owner of Fort Worth […]
It seems that there’s a new dangerous email making the rounds that is masquerading as a copyright infringement takedown request sent by an angry photographer. Fall for it, and your computer could become infected with some kind of malware.
A well-known photography scam is making the rounds again, attempting to prey on desperate photographers who have been out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you receive a suspicious request from a potential “client,” followed by “overpayment” of your fee, don’t fall for it! The scam was brought to light in a Reddit post […]
If you’re the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, you may want to start being extra careful with the smartphone — some users are reporting that the glass covering the large 108MP module is unexpectedly shattering on them for no apparent reason.
Wacom tablets are popular among photographers who prefer using a pen to a mouse when retouching photos, and Wacom even bundles Photoshop and Lightroom with some of its models to sweeten the package. But if you use a Wacom tablet for your editing work, there’s something you should know: your tablet may be quietly tracking […]
In an attempt to fight misinformation spread through photos and video, Instagram is adding a “False Information” warning to the platform. Using a combination of user reporting and automation, suspected content will be sent to independent fact-checkers for review and flagged as “false” if it turns out to be fake. According to Instagram, content will […]
A video released by local authorities in Carland, Michigan captured the scary moment when a photographer was nearly hit by a passing train she was photographing. Fortunately, the train “only” tore a piece off of her coat, leaving her unscathed… if shaken and (hopefully) wiser.
If you’re a Mac user who regularly uses Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom Classic CC, we don’t recommend updating your computer to macOS Catalina just yet. Even though the new operating system has been in beta for months, updating your Mac today will lead to a few annoying issues that you might want to wait for […]
Here’s one last PSA for any photographer using a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro made between September 2015 and February 2017: if you haven’t checked your serial number to see if your battery has been recalled, do so ASAP.
Adobe announced last week that older versions before the latest two major releases of its subscription apps would no longer be available for download through Creative Cloud. But that’s not all: Adobe is also warning customers that using older “unauthorized” versions could get you sued.
If you fly a DJI Matrice 200 drone, beware: there are reports of the drone losing power and falling out of the sky. DJI says it’s currently investigating. BBC News reports that UK police have grounded the drone after a police drone “experienced an in-flight issue” and landed onto the roof of a commercial building. […]
Unfortunately, if you use the internet for work, you probably already know that new scams and scammers pop up every day. Recently, I’ve seen the rise in popularity of a new scam targeting photographers.
Fujifilm has announced that it will no longer accept new domestic orders for a range of color negative 35mm film as well as reversal film in both 35mm and 120 formats due to a shortage of raw materials. [Read More]
If you’re in the market for a new digital camera, make sure you do your research, and it’s generally recommended that you go with a reputable brand. There are cameras out there that look absolutely fantastic on paper but are almost certainly not what you’re looking for. Case in point: browse the digital camera category […]
If you ride a motorcycle, your bike’s engine could be damaging your iPhone cameras. Apple is warning customers that exposing its smartphones to certain types of vibrations can lead to permanent harm to the imaging system.
A “vintage” bag company is being accused of scamming would-be product photographers. Vintage Bags Global apparently offered one photographer $1,250 to take five photos of a bag and the only requirement was that he pay $14 in shipping, something he points to as a “red flag.
If you ever receive a direct message on Instagram informing you that copyright infringement has been detected in your photos, beware: it may actually be a cleverly-disguised phishing scam. This particular scam was first reported by Fstoppers writer Andy Day, who received a copyright infringement message that was purportedly from The North Face Chile (@thenorthfacechile). […]
In big tech’s continuing battle against the scourge of so-called “fake news” and manipulated imagery used to trick people online, Google has just added a major update to Google Image search: fact checking.
The Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) has released a statement asking that people stop doing ‘porch portrait’ sessions—a kind of social distancing photography that has become very popular as families isolate and photographers find themselves without work.
Wacom tablets are popular among photographers who prefer using a pen to a mouse when retouching photos, and Wacom even bundles Photoshop and Lightroom with some of its models to sweeten the package. But if you use a Wacom tablet for your editing work, there’s something you should know: your tablet may be quietly tracking […]
Photographers, beware: if you’re ever contacted by a big brand on Instagram or any other social network with a request to “share your photo,” make sure you read the fine print of any terms you’re shown.