publicserviceannouncement

Don’t Update to macOS Catalina Yet if You Use Photoshop or Lightroom

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 Adobe to iron out.

PSA: Buy a Gray Market Sigma Lens, Pay an Extra $250 for Servicing

So-called "gray market" products are popular in the world of photography, but buying your Sigma gear through an unauthorized reseller will cost you in the long run. Not only will Sigma not honor the warranty on gray market products, they'll actually charge you extra to fix them.

PSA: Fotodiox’s Nikon to Sony Adapter Could Kill Your Camera

Fotodiox sells a wide range of adapters for using lenses and cameras of different mounts, but one particular adapter is causing a major headache for both photographers and the company. At least two photographers are claiming that their Sony mirrorless camera was ruined by the Fotodiox Fusion SmartAF Nikon to Sony adapter.

Kentucky Man Allegedly Hid Bombs in Trail Cameras, ATF Says Beware

The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a public service announcement this week warning Kentucky residents to stay away from any trail cameras they find in Harlan County. Not because they'll ruin a photo... because these cameras might have bombs inside them rigged to explode.

PSA: This is Why You Need to Dress Up When You Shoot Weddings

I recently shot a wedding with a buddy of mine where there were other hired professionals doing what they do: videographer, musicians, coordinators... you get the idea. My friend and I do our best to stay out of each other's shots, but just in case it's unavoidable we both wear formalwear so we can easily blend in as guests.

Rant: Stop Overvaluing Your Gear and Lowballing Mine

This is a public service announcement.

I've been selling a lot of camera gear lately, changing systems, testing new lenses/bodies, etc. I've met up with a lot of different types of people, pro and amateurs, veterans and newbies, and guess what? We're all into photography. We all love gear, so why not treat the community as such?

Russia Unveils ‘Safe Selfies’ Campaign as Death Count Grows

This headline may sound like a piece of satire, but unfortunately it's not: Russia has just launched a new public safety campaign called "Safe Selfies" to warn citizens of the dangers of taking careless and risky self portraits. Apparently there have been a large number of deaths and injuries in recent days that have been directly caused by selfie-taking.

PSA: Why You Need to Be Careful When Placing a ‘Preorder’ with PayPal

There are a lot of reasons people use PayPal to pay for things online. It's convenient, it's (or at least it should be) secure, and the option is available on pretty much any site where you can buy things. But there are also cons, not the least of which being that pre-ordering things with PayPal can be a risky and dangerous game to play.

Musician Takes on the Dreaded Vertical Video Syndrome in Song

"Please film in landscape mode, turn your phone please turn your phone..." sings musician Jonathan Mann in his most recent video extolling the virtues of shooting videos in landscape. It's a humorous short PSA music video in which Mann takes on the dreaded problem of Vertical Video Syndrome (or VVS) by taking to the streets.

Snapping Pictures While You Vote Could Get You In Trouble with the Law

As you make your way to polling places today to cast your votes, you might want to look into your state's laws before pulling out your camera and snapping photographs inside your voting booth. Certain states have pretty strict laws with regard to snapping and sharing photographs of ballots. Earlier this year, Wisconsin election officials specifically warned voters that sharing photos of ballots on Facebook or Twitter is a Class I felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $10K fine.

How to Shift the EXIF Timestamps for a Large Batch of Photos

Here's a friendly public service announcement: remember to time on your camera before and after Daylight Savings Time (which just ended yesterday in the United States) -- unlike cell phones, digital cameras generally don't adjust their own time. If you accidentally forgot and now have a bunch of photos with timestamps that are off by an hour, there are some programs out there that can help you set things right.

Overhead Bin Full? Pull Out Your Camera Prior to Checking In Your Bag

When overhead bins on airplanes fill up, flight attendants will often ask passengers to gate-check their carry-on bags. If this happens to you, be sure you take out your camera gear out of your bag prior to handing it over to the attendant. It's not just for peace of mind in knowing that your gear isn't being thrown around and abused: major airlines generally have provisions in their contracts that keep them from being held responsible for electronics in checked bags. If the camera is damaged or stolen, you might be out of luck.

Beware Craigslist Scammers Hunting for Gullible Wedding Photographers

If you're a photographer looking for a gig on Craigslist, be careful. As with virtually all the types of "help wanted" listings found on the site, requests for photography services are often used by scammers as a way of luring the naive. Scammers also regularly send out emails to photographers advertising their services.