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Adobe’s End-Of-Year Updates Are All AI, and Sometimes Not Even Its Own AI

A split-screen shows Photoshop editing a person in a pink coat, Premiere Pro selecting a dancing person, and Illustrator displaying a cartoon key character with arms, legs, and clouds.

Adobe MAX kicks off this week and, historically, that has meant a large drop of updates across the company's portfolio of apps. That is technically true this year too, but everything is revolving around AI -- and sometimes, that doesn't even mean Adobe's own technology.

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Ethical Wildlife Photography: A Field Guide to Photographing Animals with Respect

Two bear cubs stand on hind legs playfully sparring in a grassy field, while a bald eagle perches calmly on a branch against a blurred forest background.

A crew working for an unnamed wildlife photographer fed and used cellophane paper to lure a fox for the 'perfect shot' in Grand Teton National Park. Since the fox was conditioned to human food, park officials euthanized it. The photographer got his shot. The fox paid with its life. Learning about this event became the North Star for Arthur Lefo, an OM SYSTEM Ambassador who has spent almost a decade photographing iconic wildlife. Lefo believes that ethical wildlife photography isn't just about rules, but respect.

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The Best Video Cameras to Take On Long-Distance Backpacking

A hiker with a large backpack walks toward a scenic mountain vista, framed by a tree and a large rock, under a partly cloudy sky.

It was sunset on top of the tallest mountain in the continental United States, and I had two immediate priorities. One was dinner. As a long-distance backpacker on the Pacific Crest Trail, I was burning between 4,000 and 6,000 calories a day, and losing too much weight was a constant concern for myself and my friends. The other priority was 32.4 ounces of metal and glass clipped to the shoulder strap of my backpack: my camera. And as the sun sank towards the horizon, I kept neglecting my dinner in favor of keeping up with the ever-changing lighting.

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How a Ladder Company Turned Louvre Heist Photo Into a Viral Ad Campaign

A Böcker cargo lift is positioned against a historic stone building, reaching an upper window. Two police cars and orange cones block the street. Text overlay promotes the lift’s speed and electric motor.

As the saying attributed to P.T. Barnum goes, "There is no such thing as bad publicity." German company Böcker certainly subscribes to the view after turning a press photo of one of its ladders used in the daring Louvre Museum heist into a viral marketing campaign.

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City Fines Homeowner $300,000 After Using Drone to Spot Illegal Fireworks

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood at night with fireworks shooting up from the street, illuminating houses and trees while city lights glow in the background.

A week after Fourth of July celebrations, PetaPixel reported that multiple California police departments had used drones to surveil and spot people illegally shooting off fireworks. Promised fines have been rolling out since, including a new $300,000 one levied against an Orange County homeowner who claims they were not even home on July 4.

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US Will Soon Begin Photographing All Non-Americans When They Enter and Exit Country

A man stands in front of a biometric scanner at an airport security checkpoint. Several people and staff are visible in the background of the brightly lit terminal.

As part of its expanding crackdown on immigration, the United States government says it will soon begin photographing every non-citizen, including all legal ones with green cards and visas, as they enter and leave the U.S. The government claims that improved facial recognition and more photos will prevent immigration violations and catch criminals.

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Looking Back on Sigma’s Product Launch-Filled 2025 with CEO Kazuto Yamaki | The PetaPixel Podcast

Two men smiling and standing side by side in front of large windows with greenery outside. One wears a gray suit jacket and the other a light-colored casual shirt. The image is framed by a blue border.

2025 was perhaps Sigma's biggest year ever as far as product launches go, with not only a huge number of lenses released but also the announcement and delivery of the BF camera. With the economic climate shifting, PetaPixel sat with CEO Kazuto Yamaki to discuss what the company's future looks like.

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Peakto for Premiere Pro Will Organize All Your Video Clips Using AI

A screenshot shows Peakto software displaying concert photos and Adobe Premiere Pro with a video editing timeline featuring a band performing live on stage.

Cyme, the makers of macOS AI-powered photo management app Peakto, announced today that it is bringing a significant new version of Peakto to Adobe MAX 2025 in Los Angeles next week, including a public beta version of its new Peakto plugin for Adobe's video editor, Adobe Premiere Pro.

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DJI Osmo 360 Review: Ready for Adventure Against Stiff Competition

A 360-degree camera displays a photo of an ornate building on its screen, with the same building blurred in the background. The image includes the "PetaPixel Reviews" logo at the bottom right.

The Osmo 360 is something of a reverse situation for DJI. Rather than being a category leader in this respect, the device is more of a response to what competitors like Insta360 have been doing. That widens the scope and scrutiny for what a camera like this could and should be, given the versatility DJI claims it has.

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ProMaster’s Air Support Stand Changed How I Light My Photos

Collage with: a professional studio light above green plants, the same light set up in an industrial-style room, and a close-up of a decorated stone. “PetaPixel Showcase” text appears in the lower right corner.

We tested ProMaster’s latest lighting products, including the groundbreaking Air Support Light Stand and the Ultrasoft US1014RGB LED, a great companion to ProMaster's new stand. Together, they comprise a setup that is fast to deploy, easy to control, and capable of producing beautifully soft, color-accurate light -- a combination that feels purpose-built for hybrid creators who move seamlessly between photo and video work.

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European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Winners Capture Nature’s Tragic Beauty

A split image: a sea turtle glows with green bioluminescence underwater; an owl holds a small rodent in its talons in a moody black-and-white scene; two eagles feed on a carcass on snowy ground while a raven watches.

The German Society for Nature Photography (GDT) has announced the winners of its annual European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, one of the world's most prestigious nature photography competitions. This year's winning photos are jaw-dropping, and in some cases, heartbreaking. Nature can be as brutal as it is beautiful.

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‘I Only Shot One Frame’: How a Student Photographer Made an Iconic Portrait of Bruce Springsteen in 1976

Two men laughing together at a bar, one holding a bottle, with a woman and another person in the background; black and white photo, candid and lively atmosphere.

Award-winning photographer Joe Vitti remembers the night he encountered Bruce Springsteen in a small-town campus bar in 1976, ultimately capturing just one single shot. But what a shot it was of the rock star known as "The Boss."

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Innovative Realme GT8 Pro Smartphone Has Ricoh GR DNA

A black compact camera and a white smartphone with triple rear cameras are displayed side by side on a textured gray surface against a minimalist background.

Earlier this month, Chinese smartphone maker Realme (stylized "realme") announced a strategic partnership with Ricoh Imaging, promising the mobile industry's "deepest imaging collaboration in street photography." The fruits of the partnership were revealed this week with the Realme GT8 Pro, which sports a customizable camera island and significant Ricoh GR influence throughout.

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Photographer Sues Realtor.com for Using Her Real Estate Photos of Taylor Swift Engagement Location

A wooden judge’s gavel rests on a sound block in front of a blurred brass balance scale, symbolizing law and justice on a wooden table.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement photos broke Instagram records in August and set into motion new photography trends. A photographer alleges that, capitalizing on the buzz, Realtor.com stole her photos of Kelce's mansion, where he proposed to Swift.

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Leonardo DiCaprio and David Fincher Once Tested a RED Camera Using Just a Single Match

A man in a dimly lit room holds a lit match close to his face while smoking, with smoke partially obscuring his features.

Leonardo DiCaprio and director David Fincher are movie titans of the modern age; therefore it is surprising that the two have never worked together. Unless you count the time the pair tested a RED camera together in 2010 for a clip called The Match.

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Leica M EV1 Review: A Polarizing Shift for M-Mount

A black Leica camera with a lens cap is placed on a light wooden surface. The image features the "PetaPixel Reviews" logo in the bottom right corner.

The "M" in the Leica M series stands for Messucher, which refers to a large and accurate rangefinder incorporated with a viewfinder. For decades, this Leica rangefinder system has been synonymous with its brand and is the basis for the charming shooting experience that Leica M cameras are famous for. But with the Leica M EV1, Leica has forged a new path, and it is sure to polarize its fans.

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Leica M EV1 Gains an EVF and Loses the Rangefinder

Two black Leica digital cameras are shown, one facing forward displaying the lens and the other turned to show the back with its screen and control buttons. Both cameras have a textured grip and classic, minimalist design.

Leica has announced the Leica M EV1, the company's first-ever M-Camera with an integrated electronic viewfinder. Leica calls the M EV1, which includes many of the same features as the M11 series digital rangefinders, a "significant milestone in its history."

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