What's abuzz in the photography world this week?
1. Forbes
Midjourney is discontinuing its free trials due to overwhelming demand and abuse of the system. The decision had nothing to do with the recent viral fake images of Trump and Pope Francis, as many news outlets misinterpreted. CEO David Holz clarified that the abuse referred to the massive number of new users from China creating multiple throwaway accounts to obtain free images which led to an overload of the platform.
2. DIY Photography
The World Press Photo has announced the 2023 regional winners of its photo contest, with images captured from all corners of the globe that highlight some of the world's most pressing issues. The jury selected 24 winners and six honorable mentions out of over 60,000 entries from 127 countries, covering stories ranging from conflict and migration to culture and identity. The global winners will be announced on April 20, 2023.
3. Peta Pexel
After DPReview announced its closure, a group of users from the DPReview community launched Digicam Finder. The website aims to preserve a historical record of every digital camera released since the early 1990s and has ported over a vast amount of information from DPReview. The site intends to become the most comprehensive and accurate source of digital camera data on the Internet.
4. ARTnews
Kwame Brathwaite, an activist photographer who redefined Black beauty, died at age 85. His elegant images challenged traditional representation and inspired generations of artists. His photos have been featured in various publications and on album covers, and are renowned for introducing innovative forms of representation, particularly for Black women.
5. The Guardian
Apo Whang-Od, an Indigenous tattooist from the Philippines, has become the oldest Vogue cover star at 106 years old. Whang-Od is known for keeping the traditional art form of batok art alive. According to Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief Bea Valdez, the magazine chose Wang Od because she represents the beauty of Filipino culture and the magazine's ideals of diversity and inclusivity.
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That's all for now. See you next time! 🖖