Thomson Reuters building. Photo: Wikipedia.

The Reuters wire service is distancing itself from a freelance photographer after a pro-Israel journalism watchdog organization found an Instagram video of the photographer on October 7 appearing to urge Gazans to cross over into Israel.

The media monitoring group HonestReporting published what it said was a video of the photographer, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, saying in Arabic, “Advice, whoever can go – go. It is a one-time event that will not happen again.”

Asked about the video, a Reuters spokesperson said, “We consider unacceptable the behavior in the video of Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa.” The news organization clarified, “Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa is not a Reuters journalist. He is a photographer from whom we occasionally acquired images in October and November 2023 and we have not used his photos since.”

Reuters said it was “committed to delivering unbiased and reliable news.”

On social media and on its own website, HonestReporting has been critical of Reuters. “Does Reuters have no shame?” the group asked in a February 7 post on X, highlighting the agency’s use of an image by Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa in a photo gallery marking four months since the war began.

The New York Times published an image credited to Reuters and Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa as part of its 2023 “year in pictures” supplement. The image, apparently taken from the Israeli side of the Gaza border, was captioned, “Gazan border, Oct. 7. Palestinians used earth-moving equipment to breach the border fence between Gaza and Israel. Hamas gunmen surged into Israel by land, sea and air in a surprise attack that prompted a full-blown war.”

Media executives have been pushing back hard against any claims that any of their journalists on October 7 were participating in the Hamas attack rather than documenting it.

A New York Times Company senior vice President and deputy general counsel, David McCraw, wrote to the Israeli foreign ministry on November 12 to say that “the accusation that anyone associated with The Times had advance knowledge of the attack or was embedded with Hamas terrorists at any time is simply false.” McCraw’s letter said, “by adopting and perpetuating unsupported accusations of criminal behavior against journalists, you not only endanger them but undermine the journalistic work that the world depends on to understand the realities of the war.”

Reuters also said it was “deeply concerned” about “baseless speculation” and “damaging accusations,” “incendiary insinuations” and “inflammatory claims” with “no evidence” that it said “posed grave risks to journalists in the region, including those working for Reuters.”

“It is the job of journalists to document important news as it unfolds and to provide a first-hand account of events on the ground. This is the essential role of a free press in war zones, and we remain fully committed to providing this coverage both from Israel and Gaza as the conflict continues,” the Reuters statement said.

Ira Stoll was managing editor of The Forward and North American editor of The Jerusalem Post. His media critique, a regular Algemeiner feature, can be found here.

“Highest Mountain in the South of Vietnam” © Tran Tuan Viet, Vietnam, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“With an elevation of 996 meters, Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh is the highest mountain in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. At its summit stands a Bodhisattva statue, which was cast from more than 170 tons of red bronze. At 72 meters tall, it is the tallest bronze Buddha statue in Asia to be located on a mountain peak.”

Over 395,000 images from over 220 countries and territories were submitted to the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards. This year, 59 of those countries participated in the National & Regional Awards, which is set up to spotlight local photography talent. From exceptional landscape photography to charming portraits, the 2024 National & Regional winners certainly prove just how much photographic talent lives in the world.

Pascal Fouquet was named the United States winner for his explosive photo of a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket transiting the moon while carrying the X-37B space plane into orbit. The Orlando-based photographer is always on the lookout for space-related photography opportunities and was rewarded handsomely for his diligence. He balances his passion for his photography hobby with his full-time job in the aviation industry, making his win even more impressive.

“I feel immensely honored and grateful to be the recipient of an international photography award,” he shared. “This past year was devoted to capturing the essence of rocket launches from the perspective of an Orlando resident, framing these awe-inspiring events against the backdrop of local landmarks.”

Other standout images include Tran Tuan Viet‘s stunning aerial view of Vietnam’s Ba Den Mountain. Covered in rolling fog, the lush green mountain shows traces of manmade interventions with its large Bodhisattva statue at the summit. Nepal’s Bibek Kunwar won his country’s award for an image with a decidedly different feel. His charming photo of a girl reveling in a pool of colorful felt balls is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

Scroll down to see more of our favorite winners, who will all receive Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition in London.

Here are some of our favorite national and regional winners from the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards.

“A Colourful Dream” © Bibek Kunwar, Nepal, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“I took this in a felt ball factory while I was shooting a documentary video. This small girl was curious about my camera, so while I was on a break, I took her picture. I saw these felt balls lying on the ground and had the idea to photograph the little girl there, covered with the colorful material, and asking her to close her eyes as if she were asleep.”

“Mookambika Gulikan Theyyam” © Vinaya Mohan, United Arab Emirates, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Gulikan Theyyam (or Guliga Theyyam) is a figure worshipped as Lord Shiva. In the Karnataka region, this deity is worshipped as the Hindu Culture’s Guliga Daiva. This was a challenging low-light photographic situation, as fire was the only light source. The God-Man jumps into the fire and moves all the time, which makes it very difficult to take a clear photograph.”

“To the Moon” © Pascal Fouquet, United States, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket transits the moon carrying the X-37B space plane into orbit. Shockwaves from the rocket cause a ripple effect across the moon.”

“Traffic Circle” © Lim Chien Ting, Malaysia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The design of the Pearl Ring Roundabout in Shanghai, China, harmonizes seamlessly with the detailed patterns of its surroundings.”

“The Fishman’s Life” © Kyaw Htet, Myanmar, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Inle Lake in Myanmar is known for its picturesque scenery. The local fishermen use a unique leg-rowing technique to propel their boats, and this photograph reveals a serene scene as a couple fish beneath the shade of a majestic, sprawling tree. The reflections on the water add an extra touch of beauty to the moment.”

“Elephant Sand Bath” © Ju Shen Lee, Singapore, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A sand bath protects an elephant’s skin against insect bites and keeps it warm in the cooler winter months. The fine sand found along the Narayani River makes a perfect ‘bath’.”

“At the Salon” © Onyekachi Iloh, Nigeria, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“I took this photograph in a salon, and was drawn to the way in which the girl’s green uniform seemed to be in conversation with the green of the wall. When I positioned her, I realized that the hair extensions hanging on the wall behind her, and her own short hair, covered by her beret, seemed to say something about a person shielded from the harrowing world of beauty ‘standards’.”

Untitled © Yasser Alomari, Saudi Arabia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A supermoon sits at the top of the Saudi Public Investment Fund tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.”

Fifty-nine countries participate in these awards, which serve to highlight local photography talent.

“At the Border” © Vladimir Karamazov, Bulgaria, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“To find yourself at a border, having to leave your life and go looking for another one, is something that has become more and more common in recent years.”

“Falling Out of Time” © Ana Skobe, Slovenia, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Bathed in soft evening light, a lighthouse rises into the clear sky, its clean, sleek, geometric design contrasting with the coastal landscape. Positioned at its base is a figure – a contemplative man gazing out at the expanse of the ocean before him. The juxtaposition of the solitary silhouette against the infinite horizon creates a moment of reflection and connection with the vastness of the ocean.”

“Gas Station in Winter Garb” © Tomáš Havrda, Czech Republic, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“I took this photograph on my way home from work.”

“Heading Down” © Abdulla AL-Mushaifri, Qatar, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“One of these riders was about to fall after he tried to stand on his horse’s back, but his colleague supported him and held his hand. This photograph was taken in the Sultanate of Oman, where horse races are still organized in the classic peer-to-peer racing tradition.”

“September” © Viktors Rimarevs, Latvia, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Baltic Sea, Tuja.”

Stay tuned for the announcement of the Open and Professional competitions in April 2024.

“Silence” © Barbara Szydlowska, Poland, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
” I photographed these Japanese-inspired costumes in the hills of the historic center of Krakow.”

“Feathers in Focus” © Mohammad Mirza, Kuwait, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The European shag is a medium-sized seabird belonging to the cormorant family. I took this photograph during a winter trip to Hornoya island in Norway, which gave me the unique opportunity to capture the resilience and beauty of this remarkable bird in its natural habitat.”

“Pabbajja Samanera” © Dhiky Aditya, Indonesia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
” The warm light of the lanterns illuminates the hearts of pabbajja novices in the courtyard of Borobudur temple, Indonesia.”

“Approaching Danger” © Okan Yilmaz, Turkey, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A lone tree stands, in the vast expanse, A sentinel of resilience, in the dry dance. Beside, a puddle, a tiny oasis so dear, Mirroring the threat of drought drawing near.”

“Light of a New Day” © Thanayu Jongwattanasilkul, Thailand, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“A man walking along the beach towards Vestrahorn mountain in Iceland.”

World Photography Organisation: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Sony World Photography Awards.

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A teen photographer shot a stunning series of stunning portraits of her friends on a 100-year-old camera.

19-year-old photographer and student Aila Cason, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia, usually uses a Nikon D7500 to shoot professionally.

However, in a viral TikTok video, Cason revealed how she used a Kodak Folding Autographic Brownie No.2 — manufactured between 1915 and 1926 — to take photos of her friends.

“The type of camera I typically use varies,” Cason, who has the username @fairyonfilm on TikTok, tells PetaPixel.

“For professional shoots, I usually use my DSLR, which is a Nikon D7500, but I am a huge fan of analog photography and like to use an assortment of older cameras for those types of photography.

“Digital photography has made taking photographs easier and more accessible, but I think that film and historical photographic processes are under-appreciated.

“I collect old cameras and love historical photographic processes, so that’s what inspired me to use the 100-year-old camera. ”

Cason shot the beautiful black-and-white portraits of her friends with a Kodak Folding Autographic Brownie No. 2 camera that was acquired from a flea market. She used an expired Arista EDU Ultra 100 ISO 120 size film for the photos.

‘Historical Photography is Somewhat of a Forgotten Art’

Cason says that the Kodak Folding Autographic Brownie No. 2 was relatively easy to use — considering that the device was a century-old.

“I’ve been shooting film since I was 15, so I’ve learned to navigate older cameras pretty well, and using the brownie camera was pretty easy in my opinion,” Cason explains.

“I love how film and older photographic processes capture nostalgia and the essence of their subjects, thought it would be cool to capture my lovely friends with this medium.

“I set up the camera on a tripod outside in the street in front of my best friend’s house and took their portraits. This only took around 20 minutes.

“Then I developed and scanned the film myself at home, which usually takes me around two hours.”

Cason explains that she shot the portraits on the century-old camera as a test exercise to see if the device actually worked. But the photographer was pleasantly surprised by how popular her images were on social media.

“The shoot was really just to test to see if the camera even worked, I wasn’t expecting so many people to love the images!” Cason says.

“Even though film photography has had a recent resurgence, historical photography is somewhat of a forgotten art, and it makes me happy to see so many people appreciating it.”

More of Cason’s work can be seen on Instagram and TikTok.

Image credits: All photos by TikTok/Aila Cason/@fairybyfilm.

Two lucky photographers will be paid $5,000 each and fly in a private helicopter to capture the total solar eclipse when it takes place in April.

The hotel brand Days Inn by Wyndham is offering “2024’s hottest gig” by flying two lucky photographers to a vantage spot of 10,000 feet to witness the much-anticipated celestial event.

However, it seems that the hotel chain may not necessarily be looking for grisled veteran photographers as the winners will receive some camera tuition before the flight that will take place in San Antonio, Texas.

“Days Inn invites all photo-obsessed BFFs to apply for the role. In addition to scoring $5,000 each for their work, the Sun-terns will receive a professional photography class, hotel accommodation, travel stipend, Wyndham Rewards® Diamond membership and of course, plenty of Days Inn swag,” the company says in a press release.

Days Inn by Wyndham’s logo has a recognizable rising Sun logo hence them referring to the role as being a “Sun-tern.”

“Since 2018, our Sun-ternship program has helped travel-obsessed photographers Seize the Days® with once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities. This year, we’re elevating the job to new heights, giving not just one but two Sun-terns a front-row seat to capture and share the magic of the eclipse,” says Days Inn by Wyndham’s president John Henderson.

The two photographers will be expected to “document their experience with photo and video content for Days Inn social channels” while also filling their own social media pages with imagery from the trip.

Taking off in the helicopters means that applicants will need to be comfortable working at heights and they will also need to be a resident of the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec).

The total solar eclipse will take place on April 8 and will be the last in the U.S. for 20 years. It will be visible across large swathes of the United States and a map created by The Planetary Society and The Eclipse Company will help photographers select the best location from which to see it.

To apply for the gig, head to Days Inn by Wyndham’s Sun-ternship page.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

A gigantic plume of plasma recently exploded from the sun’s south pole, where solar eruptions almost never occur. The explosion, which a photographer captured in stunning detail, is another telltale sign that the sun is about to enter its most active phase — the solar maximum. 

The rare phenomenon occurred on Feb. 17, when a solar flare exploded from a sunspot near the sun’s south pole, releasing a gigantic column of ionized gas, or plasma, that towered around 124,300 miles (200,000 kilometers) above the solar surface — around 15 times taller than Earth, Spaceweather.com reported. The plasma eventually snapped away from the sun and hurtled into space as a gigantic cloud, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME).  

Astrophotographer Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau captured a highly detailed composite image of the plume before it broke away from the solar surface. “The plasma column was so large, I had to rotate the camera to fit it into the frame,” Poupeau told Spaceweather.com. “It was truly a wonderful spectacle.” 

This stellar blast was extremely unusual because it erupted from the sun’s south pole: Most solar flares erupt from sunspots on or around the sun’s equator and almost never from near the magnetic poles, because the poles are where the sun’s magnetic field is strongest, which normally suppresses sunspot formation. 

Due to the orientation of the flare, the CME was directed away from Earth and the rest of the planets, which all orbit the sun on the same plane.

Related: 15 signs the sun is gearing up for its explosive peak — the solar maximum

The unusual eruption was likely triggered by what scientists call a polar crown filament (PCF) — a loop of magnetism that circles the sun’s magnetic poles, according to Spaceweather.com. The plasma plume that was spat out by the flare is known as a polar crown prominence (PCP).

PCPs become more common during the solar maximum — the most active phase of the sun’s roughly 11-year solar cycle. During this phase, PCFs shrink in size, “like a tightening noose around their respective poles,” Spaceweather.com reported. As these magnetic crowns constrict, they “strangle” the nearby magnetic fields, making them more likely to explode.

Experts believe the solar maximum will arrive at some point in the next few months — earlier than originally predicted. 

As we approach solar maximum, more and more weird phenomena are occurring at the sun’s poles: In February 2023, a PCP broke off from the sun and got caught in a PCF, creating a swirling plasma vortex that raged around the sun’s north pole for eight hours. And in March last year, a PCP collapsed in on itself, creating a gigantic plasma waterfall near the sun’s south pole, which was shortly followed by an enormous plume of rotating plasma, known as a “solar tornado,” near the solar north pole that lasted for three days.

Despite significant progress in developing AI systems that can understand the physical world like humans do, researchers have struggled with modeling a certain aspect of our visual system: the perception of light.

“Determining the influence of light in a given photograph is a bit like trying to separate the ingredients out of an already baked cake,” explains Chris Careaga, a Ph.D. student in the Computational Photography Lab at SFU. The task requires undoing the complicated interactions between light and surfaces in a scene. This problem is referred to as intrinsic decomposition, and has been studied for nearly half a century.

In a new paper published in the journal ACM Transactions on Graphics, researchers in the Computational Photography Lab, at Simon Fraser University, develop an AI approach to intrinsic decomposition that works on a wide range of images. Their method automatically separates an image into two layers: one with only lighting effects and one with the true colors of objects in the scene.

“The main innovation behind our work is to create a system of neural networks that are individually tasked with easier problems. They work together to understand the illumination in a photograph,” Careaga adds.

Although intrinsic decomposition has been studied for decades, SFU’s new invention is the first in the field to accomplish this task for any HD image that a person might take with their camera.

“By editing the lighting and colors separately, a whole range of applications that are reserved for CGI and VFX become possible for regular image editing,” says Dr. Yağız Aksoy, who leads the Computational Photography Lab at SFU.

“This physical understanding of light makes it an invaluable and accessible tool for content creators, photo editors, and post-production artists, as well as for new technologies such as augmented reality and spatial computing.”

The group has since extended their intrinsic decomposition approach, applying it to the problem of image compositing. “When you insert an object or person from one image into another, it’s usually obvious that it’s edited since the lighting and colors don’t match” explains Careaga.

“Using our intrinsic decomposition technique, we can alter the lighting of the inserted object to make it appear more realistic in the new scene.” In addition to publishing a paper on this, presented at SIGGRAPH Asia last December, the group has also developed a computer interface that allows users to interactively edit the lighting of these “composited” images. S. Mahdi H. Miangoleh, a Ph.D. student in Aksoy’s lab, also contributed to this work.

Aksoy and his team plan to extend their methods to video for use in film post-production, and further develop AI capabilities in terms of interactive illumination editing. They emphasize a creativity-driven approach to AI in film production, aiming to empower independent and low-budget productions.

To better understand the challenges in these production settings, the group has developed a computational photography studio at the Simon Fraser University campus where they conduct research in an active production environment.

The above publications represent some of the group’s initial steps towards providing AI-driven editing capabilities to the rich filmmaking industry in British Columbia.

Their focus on intrinsic decomposition enables even low-budget productions to adjust lighting easily, without requiring costly reshoots. These innovations support local filmmakers, maintaining BC’s position as a global filmmaking hub, and will serve as the foundation of many more AI-enabled applications to come from the Computational Photography Lab at SFU.

When whispers of a new lens from OM Digital Solutions began to circulate, many photography enthusiasts and professionals alike braced for the expected – a 50-200mm f/2.8 lens that would neatly fill a gap in the company’s roadmap. However, the announcement of the OM System M.Zuiko 150-600mm F5.0-6.3 IS lens took the photography world by surprise, not just for its unexpected introduction but for the remarkable features it promised. This lens isn’t just a new piece of equipment; it’s a game-changer for outdoor and wildlife photographers, offering unparalleled reach and image quality in the Micro Four Thirds system.

A Lens Like No Other

The M.Zuiko 150-600mm lens stands out for its unique combination of reach, image stabilization, and adaptability. Designed for the Micro Four Thirds system, this lens inherits the legacy of Olympus’ renowned product line with a modern twist. It’s not just the equivalent of a 300-1200mm lens on a 35mm sensor camera that catches the eye; it’s the addition of Sync IS technology offering up to 7 steps of image stabilization at 150mm that truly sets it apart. This feature, in conjunction with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, extends its reach up to an astonishing 2,400mm, opening up new possibilities for wildlife photography where distance from the subject is often a critical factor.

Performance in the Field

Tested in the challenging conditions of Finland’s cold weather, the lens proved itself to be a formidable tool for outdoor photography. Its weather-sealing ensures reliability in various environments, while the fast focusing capability allows photographers to capture fleeting moments with precision. Despite its heft – a characteristic noted as being heavier than typical MFT lenses – it balances well on compatible cameras, making it manageable for extended shoots. Critics and users have lauded the lens for its sharp image quality and minimal chromatic aberrations, characteristics vital for wildlife photography where detail and color fidelity matter most.

Considering the Trade-offs

Though the lens has been met with widespread acclaim, it’s not without its areas for improvement. Suggestions for a stronger composite body and an indexed tripod collar highlight the ongoing demand for durability and usability in professional-grade equipment. Additionally, the lens’s slower f-stop, while beneficial for creating a greater depth of field and shooting at higher ISOs with less noise, may limit its use in lower light conditions without supplementary lighting or adjustments in camera settings. However, these trade-offs are mitigated by the lens’s overall value, particularly when compared to the more expensive 150-400mm f/4.5 pro lens, making it a compelling option for both professionals and serious enthusiasts.

As the OM System M.Zuiko 150-600mm F5.0-6.3 IS lens makes its way into the hands of photographers around the world, its impact on wildlife photography is already becoming apparent. Offering an unmatched combination of reach, image quality, and versatility, this lens challenges the conventions of outdoor photography, allowing photographers to explore and capture the natural world in ways previously thought impossible. With this lens, OM Digital Solutions not only surprised the photography community but also set a new standard for what’s possible with the Micro Four Thirds system.