This lens is gorgeous, and we’re giving it away! This month, the Phoblographer is giving away a beautiful 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 lens in Leica M-mount to one lucky subscriber. It’s overall in pretty great condition and brings with it the patina and aging that makes its beauty shine through. Now, we’re giving it away to one lucky winner! When the Phoblographer’s Membership program was created, we wanted to find a way to give photographers some of the best benefits. By design, it does way more than just take away banner ads. When you become a member, you get discounts from several companies. Our members are automatically entered into a monthly giveaway, and we’re working on building more benefits. Sign up now, and you can be a part of the program.

If you’ve purchased our subscription through our app, then you’re already entered in the drawing to get some big things. Just make sure you renew your subscription when it’s due to be continually entered into the giveaway for our members.

Here are the details you need to know.

The Phoblographer Subscription Membership Perks Include:

• 10% off Gura Gear products: Ask us for the special code.
• 30% off Duggal Products: Ask for the special code.
• 10% off Capture One products: Ask us for the special code.
• 20% off Venus Optics Laowa products (Currently pending): Ask us for the special code. Based on US retail price available in North America only.
• 15% off Pro Grade Digital products: Inquire with us for the special code.
• 20% off H&Y Filters Products: Contact us for the special promo code.
• 15% off of Wacom Intuos Pro line of tablets (small, medium, or large): Contact us for the special promo code.
• 20% off Skylum Products: Contact us for the special promo code.
• Entry into contests where our members can win various prizes. This month we’re giving away a 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 in Leica M-mount.
• No banner ads in The Phoblographer’s content when using the app after confirming the subscription.
• Membership support inquiries should be sent to admins(at)thephoblographer(dot)com

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to get all this done. And we’re working with other vendors to bring our members even more benefits.

How to Sign Up

Here’s the info on how to use our membership benefits. Please review these instructions very carefully to ensure you get entered.

• Download our app for iOS, iPad, and Android. Then, please review these instructions carefully to ensure you are entered and that all the functions are working.
• Make the purchase for the ad-free membership by going into an article and clicking on the prompt.
• THE FOLLOWING STEPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT; PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THEM CLOSELY.
• When we prompt you to provide your email address, please do so. IF IT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY WORKING, YOU MIGHT NEED TO CLOSE THE APP, RESTART IT, CLICK ON THE PURCHASE BUTTON, AND THEN HIT “RESTORE PURCHASE.”
• When you want to use your member benefits or have any questions, email admins(at)thephoblographer(dot)com and we’ll take care of you.

We hate banner ads too. We know folks complain about them, but we also need to pay our staff a fair living wage. Beyond that, we’re also one of the few outlets making and publishing original content every single day.

Download our app for iOS, iPad, and Android and get no banner ads and sweet perks for $24.99/year.

Rules of the Giveaway for Members

Who: This giveaway for our members is available to everyone worldwide who purchases our membership subscription through our app and for website monthly subscribers.

What (Prize): The winner gets a 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 lens in Leica M-mount

When: The giveaway for our members starts MARCH 1ST, 12AM ET, 2024, and ends MARCH 31ST, 11:59PM ET, 2024. The winner will be announced on or before APRIL 5TH, 2024.

How: Download our app for iOS, iPad, and Android and get no banner ads and sweet perks for $24.99/year. Our system will collect your email address as part of the entry. It will be used for reference in our database.

Alternatively, to purchase a desktop/mobile website subscription, please head to our login page from your desktop or mobile phone. Click on subscribe. If you want to be entered into all of our giveaways for our members and receive our benefits, please purchase an annual subscription. If you just want an ad-free experience, please purchase a monthly subscription. But note that you won’t be entered in to receive the benefits if you purchase a monthly subscription.

Our winner will be picked from the collected addresses at random by the Phoblographer’s staff.

Questions? Email us at admins[at]thephoblographer.com.

BY ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY FOR MEMBERS, YOU AGREE TO PROVIDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND RECEIVE EMAILS PERIODICALLY FROM THE PHOBLOGRAPHER LLC AND ITS PARTNERS. YOU CAN OPT-OUT OF RECEIVING THIS COMMUNICATION AT ANY TIME BY CLICKING THE UNSUBSCRIBE LINK IN THE EMAIL(S).

Eligibility: Giveaway for our members (the “Contest”) is open only to those who purchase our membership within our app. The giveaway is open worldwide, but void where prohibited by law. Employees of The Phoblographer LLC, their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, suppliers and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to participate in the Contest. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.

Agreement to Rules: By participating, you agree to be fully, unconditionally bound by these Rules, and you represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements set forth herein. In addition, you agree to accept the decisions of The Phoblographer LLC as final and binding as it relates to the content.

Contest Period: Entries will be accepted online starting time stated above. All online entries must be received by MARCH 31ST, 11:59PM ET, 2024. All times are (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).

How to Enter: You must purchase the subscription in our app for iOS, Android, or iPad and enter your email address. The entry must fulfill all contest requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are not complete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of The Phoblographer LLC. You may enter only once and you must fill in the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple e-mail addresses, identities or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of The Phoblographer LLC. One (1) potential Winner will be determined from among all eligible entries received by a panel of qualified judges.

Alternatively, to purchase a desktop/mobile website subscription, please head to our login page from your desktop or mobile phone. Click on subscribe. If you want to be entered into all of our giveaways for our members and receive our benefits, please purchase an annual subscription. If you just want an ad-free experience, please purchase a monthly subscription. But note that you won’t be entered in to receive the benefits if you purchase a monthly subscription.

Mail-In Alternate Method: Any entrant may send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: The Phoblographer LLC 6803 41st Ave 3C Woodside, NY 11377, to be entered into the Sweepstakes. Limit: One (1) request per envelope; one (1) Submission per request. All mail-in requests must be handwritten and must be postmarked and received prior to the close of the Sweepstakes Period referenced in the Sweepstakes communication. All requests become the exclusive property of The Phoblographer, and none will be acknowledged or returned except as provided herein. Proof of sending a request will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by The Phoblographer. The Phoblographer is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, damaged, invalid, unintelligible, illegible, misdirected or postage-due requests or Submissions, all of which will be disqualified. 

Prizes: The winner gets a 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 lens in Leica M-mount. You are not guaranteed to win a prize and your chance of winning is dependent on the total number of eligible entries received. Actual/appraised value may differ at time of prize award. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by the Sponsor. No cash or other prize substitution permitted except at Sponsor’s discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and local taxes shall be the sole responsibility of the winner. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by winners is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for The Phoblographer LLC, their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies to use winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

Winner selection and notification: The Winner will be selected on or before APRIL 5TH, 2024. Winner will be notified via e-mail to the e-mail address they entered the Contest with within five (5) days following the winner selection. The Phoblographer LLC shall have no liability for a winner’s failure to receive notices due to winners’ spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for winners’ provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 15 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and releases as required, prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner selected. The receipt by winner of the prize offered in this Contest is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal and state laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY ANY WINNER WILL RESULT IN SUCH WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE CONTEST AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.

Rights: THE PHOBLOGRAPHER LLC WILL NOT USE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN ANY PUBLIC WAY AND ONLY FOR RECORD GATHERING AND INFORMATION DISPERSAL.

Terms: The Phoblographer LLC reserves the right, in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should (in its sole discretion) a virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, The Phoblographer LLC may select the recipients from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by The Phoblographer LLC. The Phoblographer LLC Co reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website or violates these Terms & Conditions.

The Phoblographer LLC has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Contest, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to; multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same device in excess of that allowed by Contest rules; or the use of bots, macros or scripts or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, The Phoblographer LLC reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.

By entering the Contest you agree to provide your email address and receive promotional and educational emails periodically from The Phoblographer LLC and partners. You can opt-out of receiving this communication at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the promotional and educational emails.

Limitation of Liability: By entering you agree to release and hold harmless The Phoblographer LLC and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from (i) such entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof, (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of any computer, cable, network, hardware or software; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions or telephone or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

Disputes: THIS CONTEST IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF United States AND New York, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Contest, participant agrees that any and all disputes which cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in New York having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Contest), and participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

Winner List: For the name of the winner, please contact us at editors[at]thephoblographer.com and in the body of the email type ‘Please e-mail me the winner’ list for the Phoblographer’s Membership Perks Contest.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Apple or Google. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Contest and not to Facebook or Instagram.

All eyes are on Kensington Palace, with many confused by Kate Middleton’s whereabouts. The wife of Prince William has not made an official public appearance since Christmas Day. On January 16, the palace stated that she had been admitted to the London Clinic for “planned abdominal surgery.”

©GettyImages

With jokes, conspiracies, and discourse taking over social media surrounding the situation, things got more confusing on March 10th when the Prince and Princess of Wales social media accounts shared a photo of her with their children George, Charlotte, and Louis.

©@princeandprincessofwales

Things quickly went awry when people noticed it was edited. When the Associated Press and other photo agencies issued “kill notices,” because the image appeared to have been manipulated, it added fuel to the fire.

The next day, on March 11, another tweet came from the account, signed off by Kate, admitting it was edited, apologizing. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C” it read.

©@princeandprincessofwales

The apology has sparked even more debate, fueling conspiracy theories, but there is one person who is not concerned, Whoopi Goldberg. For “The View” host, she says she doesn’t see a difference between editing photos and adding a filter, which is a common practice.

“I’m sorry, I know very few people who don’t manipulate their own photos. I mean all you gotta do is swipe. Those editors swipe, God knows people look how those photos look,” Goldberg said on Monday’s episode.

After Sara Haines said there’s a difference between filters and Photoshop, Goldberg argued, “She’s doing the same thing, she’s doing the same thing!” “You know what, I have to tell you, she may be the future queen, she’s still an amateur photographer,” Goldberg said.

Following the apology, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the original unedited photograph. Kate was later photographed sitting next to William in a chauffeured car leaving Windsor Castle. The side of her face was visible.

Zenande, Sinawe, Zinathi and Buhle at Sea Point Pavilion, Cape Town, by the British photographer Michelle Sank. A group of teenagers at the swimming pool depict how the city has changed since the end of apartheid. Sank, who was born in South Africa, said: “My strongest memories are of Sea Point Promenade and the Pavilion swimming pool, although due to apartheid it was only for the privileged white population. Returning in 2023 I was again drawn to these spaces where little seems to have changed in terms of structure and recreation, but they now celebrate cultural and social diversity”

MICHELLE SANK/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

See our selection of the best entries into the Sony World Photography Awards 2024. This year’s Open competition was judged by Daniel Blochwitz, a curator at the Foto Festival in Lenzburg, Switzerland.

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The World Photography Organisation has unveiled the category winners and shortlist for the Open competition of the esteemed Sony World Photography Awards 2024, which showcases the best single images from around the world.

Among them, Ana Skobe from Slovenia presents “Falling Out of Time,” capturing the elegance of a lighthouse against a dusk sky, and Ian Ford of the UK presents “Caiman Crunch,” a gripping moment of a jaguar attacking a caiman crocodile.

A staggering 395,000 images were submitted from more than 220 countries and territories for consideration in the competition. 

Explore our photo galleries featuring the winners in each of the ten categories, ranging from architecture, lifestyle, portraiture, travel, wildlife and the natural world, alongside a selection of our favourite images that made it to the shortlist.

Winner’s gallery

The ultimate winner of the prestigious Open competition will be revealed during the Awards’ grand ceremony in London on 18 April. 

Shortlist favourites

The winning and shortlisted images will be showcased as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House in London from 19 April to 6 May 2024 and will then travel to different locations.

Chuck Liddy, who worked for 26 years for The News & Observer, died Sunday after an illness, the newspaper reported. He was 69.

Visitation is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at Clements Funeral Home in Durham.

Liddy was known for sports photography, and the Duke Blue Devils honored him upon his retirement with an autographed basketball.

Photographer, Dunice Harrell, starts the Gift of a Lifetime program for high school seniors.

DALLAS — When all the hard work is done, you finally get the reward. 

“Just to see that you’re getting closer and closer to graduation, it’s really….really, really, really like…almost there. Just wait,” said Jocelyn Racio, a Garland High School senior.

While waiting can be hard to do, Racio reflected on the sacrifices her parents made to get her to a prized senior moment: graduation photos. 

“They left the family back in Mexico. The story is really touching to me because they want a better life for their children,” Racio said.

It is a desire that pushes Racio even through her most trying times. In September, her dad had surgery to have his toe amputated from diabetes. 

“He lost his job and we really struggled financially,” Racio said. It really touched me because I really wanted to be strong for them and keep going to school and keep reminding myself that they’re the reason why I’m here.”

It is a reason that also touched photographer, Dunice Harrell, founder of Dunice Harrell Photography. Last year, she started the program, G.O.A.L. It stands for “The Gift of a Lifetime.”

“I found out that the mainstream photography companies were charging anywhere from $500 to $2,000 for senior portraits,” said Harrell. “I realized that there were people out there who really could not afford photography sessions.”

Through her program, Harrell provides free senior photos to Dallas/Fort Worth students facing financial challenges such as Racio. 

“Everybody, I felt like regardless of their financial circumstances, they deserve a senior portrait. It’s their first major milestone in their life that they’re achieving on their own, and that should be celebrated,” said Harrell. “This photograph, I want it to represent that you are great. There is a light in you, so when you look at this photograph regardless of what you go through, you will see that.”

It is a memory Harrell provides to students that is more than just a photo. 

“It’s a gift of a lifetime,” said Racio.

She said her new success is also a gift to her mother who came to her senior photoshoot. 

“She never really tags along because she’s always with my dad,” said Racio who is the youngest of her siblings to graduate.

“I think we all have accomplished that for them,” said Racio. “It’s just. I’m sorry…I like telling them that I made it.” 

It is a true gift given with absolute gratefulness and filled with pride.

Harrell is looking for support for funding, studio space and more photographers. If you are interested, click here.

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Young shutterbugs of San Antonio have a shot at glory as the Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas rolls out its annual Picture Your World Nature Photography Exhibition. According to a recent announcement, the event beckons kids and teens, 8 to 18, to submit a trio of nature-inspired snaps for a chance to make it big in a juried showcase of talent.

The Witte Museum is gearing up to serve as a canvas for fresh photographic finesse this spring, and none other than local camera wizard Michael Nye is on board to judge, sifting through entries to pick out 30 stellar shots that’ll make the cut. Participants are split into two brackets – the youngins from 8 to 12 and the older bunch 13 to18, each category spotlighting three top dogs alongside a dozen honorable mentions, kids these days with their keen eyes for snapping anything from untamed wildlife, people basking in nature, artistic outdoorsy shots, to architectonic wonders amidst Mother Earth’s creations.

Come May 15, Trinity University will be buzzing with talent from 6 in the evening to 7:30, when winners will bask in the limelight during an exclusive ceremony flaunting their finest work. What’s more, each top-tier photo pro in the making will pocket some cash – we’re talking $300 for first place, $200 for second, and a cool hundred for the third spot in both age groups.

Aspiring photographers keen on putting their lenses to the test must hustle, with the April 10 deadline creeping close, 5 p.m. sharp to be precise. Interested youths can toss their hats in the ring by hitting up greensatx.org/exhibition and filling out the requisite form, this according to FOX San Antonio. So, time’s ticking, and the chase for the perfect shot in San Antonio’s lush landscapes is on – may the best young photographer win.

How two renowned photographers are defying African stereotypes

Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh is inspiring the next generation of visual storytellers, while South African Trevor Stuurman hopes to uplift young creative minds by curating their work through physical and digital platforms.