Photographer Says Top TikToker Charli D’Amelio Stole His Photos
The most-followed star on TikTok is being accused by a photographer of using his photos of her without permission or compensation for her new book.
UMG Seems to Think it Copyrighted the Moon
British filmmaker Philip Bloom recently filmed the Moon during sunset Skiathos in Greece. After sharing it on social media, he was surprised when the video was blocked due to a claim by Universal Music Group, which claimed copyright to the generic shots of the Moon.
Sonoma Raceway Under Fire for Rights Grabbing Photo Policy
Sonoma Raceway has sparked a backlash from photographers after issuing new photography guidelines yesterday that many are calling an egregious case of a photography rights grab.
China Furious at Reuters for ‘Ugly’ Pic of Weightlifting Gold Medalist
China is publicly slamming Reuters for publishing an "ugly" photo of female Chinese Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Zhihui Hou.
Citizen App Pays $25/Hr for People to Film and Livestream Crime Scenes
A controversial smartphone app called Citizen is offering to pay people who can rush to crime and emergency scenes to capture the events with their smartphone cameras in hopes of encouraging ordinary people to participate in the app as well.
Woman Upset Photo of Her Mourning Mother Sold on Getty Images
A Canadian woman has raised concern after discovering that a photograph of her mother mourning at a memorial site is now sold and licensed through Getty Images.
Photography Instructor Bans Kit Lenses
It's often said that "the best camera is the one that's with you," but one college photography instructor doesn't seem to agree: she has banned the students in her course from using kit lenses.
Woman Confronts ‘Creep’ Photog in TikTok Video, Draws Backlash
A woman in Seattle, Washington, is facing criticism after sharing a video on TikTok in which she confronts an older man who was photographing her on a public outdoor path.
High School Edits Yearbook Photos to Hide Girls’ Chests
A high school in Florida has sparked outrage after it was discovered that at least 80 female students had their photos digitally edited in the yearbook to hide their chests and shoulders.
The Controversial History of Colorizing Black-and-White Photos
The ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence (AI) image colorization were recently brought to public attention when several historical images were altered using digital algorithms.
Netflix’s ‘Love is Blind’ Wants Unpaid Photographer for Five Weddings
The producers of the Netflix show Love is Blind -- Kinetic Content -- appear to be currently soliciting photographers to shoot five weddings over the course of five consecutive days that are scheduled for the next season of the show. Unfortunately, the role is unpaid.
Colorization Artist Slammed for Adding Smiles to Genocide Victims
Vice and a photo colorization artist are in hot water this week after it was discovered that he had 'Photoshopped' smiles to the faces of Cambodian genocide victims in his colorized photos.
Alabama Fire Chief Pulls Gun on Black Realtor and Photographer
An Alabama fire chief was arrested in Georgia after pulling a gun on a real estate agent and photographer who had booked a viewing at his for-sale home. The realty team claims the incident occurred because of their skin color while the fire chief's attorney called the legal charges "baseless."
Magnum Apologizes For its Past Failings, Promises to Do Better
In August of 2020, concerns were raised about images in Magnum's archives with relation to how they safeguard the identities and lives of vulnerable children. Magnum has published a public apology for its past failures and vows to do better.
David Yarrow Accused of Feeding Fox for Photo, Denies Wrongdoing
Renowned wildlife photographer David Yarrow has found himself at the center of a new controversy this month after another photographer levied claims that she witnessed his crew feeding and enticing wild foxes in a National Park while Yarrow photographed them.
Magnum Photos Has Finally Published Its Code of Conduct
In the latest in the ongoing saga involving Magnum Photos, the company has made good on its promise to publish its previously-private Code of Conduct. In it, the company does not mention specifically child protection.
Magnum Photos Promises More Investigations in Response to Harrowing Exposé
Magnum Photos has continued to come under fire for its response to allegations of the treatment of women by one of its photographers, David Alan Harvey. Today the organization published a letter, promising to reveal its Code of Conduct and perform further investigation into allegations.
Balancing Photojournalism with the Right of Refusal: The Debate Continues
A University of Virginia history teacher published a tweet asking what photojournalism and documentary photography would look like, now and in the past, if the photographer's right to take someone's image were balanced by that person's right to say no.
Photographer Gets Death Threats Over Utah Monolith Photo in NYTimes
Ross Bernards left Vail, Colorado, in June of 2018 to live the #VanLife full time to provide flexibility and more opportunity to "explore the most photogenic and best-kept secrets of North America" and its iconic landscapes. He feels most at home and a tremendous sense of peace with his feet firmly planted under the stars.
The Problem with the Utah Monolith
Just the other day, a tall metal “monolith” was discovered in the Utah desert. From what I have learned, this tower of shiny metal was placed in a very out-of-the-way location sometime in 2016 (based on its sudden appearance in Google Earth images in that time frame.) In the ensuing week, this object has created quite a public stir and generated even more theories about its origin.
Gun-Toting Couple Sues Photographer, Demands Copyright to Viral Photo
The gun-toting couple made who made headlines for waving guns at protesters marching near their home has sued the photojournalist who captured one of the famous photos of them.
Instagram to Update Nudity Policy After Plus-Sized Model Controversy
After coming under fire for its inconsistencies with how it handled photos of plus-sized model Nyome Nicholas-Williams on its platform, Instagram will update its policy on nudity.
Photographer Called Out for Consent Form that Includes ‘Sexual Arousal’ Clause
A Melbourne-based photographer is being called out online after a photo of his model consent form was shared on social media. The form includes several unsavory clauses, including a "sexual arousal" clause and an agreement to "participate in sexual activity" if the model feels "comfortable."
Controversial OpEd Calls Candid Street Photography a Form of ‘Gender-Based Violence’
An opinion piece in the NY Daily News has sparked outrage among street photographers after the author called photography "a vehicle of gender-based violence in public places." The author believes that all candid—or "unconsentual"—photography of women should be outlawed, and is taking steps to encourage such a law in New York City.
How Yelp Scams Photographers (and Other Business Owners)
If you’re a local business owner, you know that your number-one priority, day-in and day-out, is marketing your services and finding new customers. And in this digital age, the available options for marketing are surprisingly limited.
Photographer ‘Devastated’ After Her Unsplash Photo Was Used in ‘Crass’ UK Ad Campaign
Atlanta photographer Krys Alex is speaking out after a portrait she took and posted to Unsplash was used in a controversial UK ad campaign. The government campaign has been widely criticized for discouraging and devaluing artists, and Alex says she's "devastated" that her photo was at its core.
Did President Trump Stage Photos While Being Treated for COVID-19?
On Saturday, while President Donald Trump was being treated for COVID-19 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the AP distributed two handout photos taken by White House photographer Joyce Boghosian.
Twitter’s Photo Cropping Algorithm Draws Heat for Possible Racial Bias
Back in January of 2018, Twitter introduced an auto-cropping AI that detects the most interesting part of your image and crops the 'preview' photo to match. This works with everything from airplane wings to people, but as one engineer showed this weekend, it may suffer from some inherent bias.
Social Media Injustice?
Social media is always an uproar, there's no way around it. Photography social media is much the same, and mostly it's mostly harmless fun. I want to draw attention to two recent episodes that were not harmless fun, and which I worry point toward a larger trend.
Audi Apologizes for Ad Photo Showing Little Girl Holding Banana
Audi recently stirred up controversy after launching a new ad campaign that included a photo of a little girl leaning against the front of the car while holding a banana. The photo was met with sharp criticism on social media, and Audi responded by quickly pulling the image and issuing an apology.
Artist Invites Skaters to Destroy Photos of Women, Sparks Outrage
Dutch photo artist Erik Kessels has sparked outrage with his latest art installation, titled "Destroy My Face." Kessels covered the ground of a skate park with portraits of women who have had plastic surgery and then invited skateboarders to shred them up by riding over them.
Folded Map Project’s Tonika Johnson Confronts Alec Soth and the NY Times
On September 5, 2020, The New York Times published “The Great Divide” – the latest entry in their “The America We Need” Times Opinion series – which examined neighborhoods on Chicago’s North Side and South Side and the enormous disparities in wealth and health that have emerged between them as a result of racist policies like redlining that began in the early 20th century.
Whitney Slammed for Buying Black Photographers’ Art Indirectly for Exhibition
The famous Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan is being accused of "predatory" and "exploitative" behavior after it purchased artwork by Black photographers indirectly (and at a steep discount) through a fundraiser to exhibit the photos without the artists' permission.
Simple Hack ‘Proves’ Canon EOS R5 Overheating Limit is Artificial
After a DPReview forum user suggested that the controversial overheating and recovery time limits on the new Canon EOS R5 may not be based on temperature at all, several people have tried various "hacks" that seem to prove him right. Based on these tests there is an artificial timer built into the camera's firmware, which can be reset.
NBA Strips Photographer’s Credentials Over Offensive Kamala Harris Post
A freelance photographer who has been working with the NBA for several years has been kicked out of the league's Orlando "bubble" after he was called out for re-sharing an offensive meme about Joe Biden's running mate Kamala Harris on his Facebook page.
Magnum Will Review Its Entire Archive in Response to Child Exploitation Controversy
Earlier today, Magnum Photos announced that it would be conducting a thorough internal review of its entire archive. The decision comes one week after a series of photos from 1989 depicting teenage sex workers were unearthed in the archive, raising concerns about how they were captured and the legality of licensing such imagery.
Magnum Under Fire for Selling Photos of ‘Teenage’ Sex Workers from 1989
Magnum Photos and prominent photojournalist David Alan Harvey are under scrutiny online today after some of Harvey's photographs labeled as 'Teenage' 'Thai Prostitutes' from 1989 surfaced in the Magnum archives, where users could purchase the images or share them online.
Nikon South Africa Slammed for Nearly All-White List of New Influencers
Nikon South Africa is promising changes after sparking controversy with its latest roster of influencers. In a country in which over 75% of the population is Black and less than 9% is white, the group of new South Africans representing the brand featured just one Black photographer.
Seattle Judge Orders Media to Share Unpublished Protest Photos with Police
In a controversial ruling that has sparked criticism from photojournalists across the US, a judge in Seattle has ruled that the local news media must hand over unpublished protest photos to the police, who will use them in an ongoing investigation into the destruction of several police vehicles on May 30th.
Vogue Slammed for Hiring Annie Leibovitz for Simone Biles Cover Instead of Black Photographer
Fashion magazine Vogue has come under fire over the cover of its August issue. The magazine featured world-renowned gymnast Simone Biles, and critics are upset at both the style of the images and the fact that Biles was photographed by Annie Leibovitz and not a Black photographer.