BMW Reveals The P5 iX — Marketed As "The Photographer's Dream Car"
MUNICH, GERMANY — BMW unveiled its new electric SUV, the P5 iX, at an industry preview this week with marketing materials directed at a single demographic: working photographers. Setting the P5ix apart from every other luxury SUV are these massive, modular lens holders. Unlike standard cup holders, these are lined with high-density foam and can be adjusted to fit everything from a 35mm f/1.4 prime to a 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens. Additional holders are available on the rear of the center console, providing four total quick-access "holsters" for glass.
What truly separates this BMW from the rest of the fleet is the cockpit. BMW has included its legendary Live Cockpit Professional dashboard, featuring heated and ventilated Multifunction seats with a massage function for those grueling 12-hour wedding days. A massive BMW Curved Display faces the driver, providing stellar navigation, a heated M Sport carbon fiber steering wheel, and the coup de grâce: integrated lens holders situated between the driver and passenger.
Pre-order interest has already eclipsed BMW's internal projections. The company's Munich preview drew an estimated 400 working professionals, of whom 380 reportedly arrived in vehicles whose front passenger seats were already occupied by gear bags. The Tog Times has noted that the P5ix is set to hit the market in November 2026, just in time for the start of the engagement season. Starting at just above the price of a Hasselblad H6D-400c MS, the car is finally ready for the true, working professional..
Self-Proclaimed Photographer Finds Personal Contentment Providing Unsolicited Photo Critiques On Social Media
SOMEWHERE ON EARTH — An anonymous critic known as "The Egg" has built a following of detractors across Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit by leaving harsh, unsolicited critiques on the work of strangers. Group members are calling for his ban.
Photographer's Wide Angle Shot Of A Couple At The Altar Inundates Church With Requests For Weddings
PORTLAND, OR — A wide-angle altar shot by Phillip Monteview has gone viral over the church's recently installed stained-glass window. The parish, unaware of the online chatter, has booked out its entire wedding calendar for the year.
Photographer Makes Amends With His Ex-Girlfriend To Access Photography Gear He Left In Her House
TAMPA, FL — Aren Gilbert, a high-end IPS photographer known to colleagues as "Agent One," recovered an estimated $400,000 in cameras and lighting from the home of his ex-fiancée by getting her back. The court later sided with him.
David Cassey's roadside cardboard sign generated 2,000 inquiries. Of the 50 follow-ups, 35 ghosted on receipt of his pricing guide. The remainder were almost entirely TFP.
The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute's 2026 directives add the Dutch Tilt alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
A $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
Police arrested a man accused of swapping $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
% of working photographers who currently use cupholders as lens holders: 76
% who have used a cupholder for both a lens and a coffee, simultaneously: 41
Average number of front-seat passengers booted to the back for gear: 3.2 / month
% of photographers' spouses who have ridden in the back seat of their own car: 68
Pelican 1535 cases that fit in the P5 iX trunk: 3
Pelican 1535 cases the average photographer actually owns: 1.4
% who would buy the P5 iX at any price: 54
% who would buy it if BMW threw in a 24-70 f/2.8: 91
% whose current vehicle smells faintly of a lens cloth: 83
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FRONT PAGE
MAY 1, 2026
B&H Announces It Will Open On Saturdays — If Chick-fil-A Opens On Sundays
NEW YORK, NY — Following an online petition that gathered more than 1,000 signatures and a write-up in The New York Times, B&H Photo Video has issued its response to customers demanding the 9th Avenue megastore drop its long-standing Saturday and Jewish-holiday closures. The store will reconsider — on one condition.
"We'll open on Saturdays if Chick-fil-A opens on Sundays," the statement read. The volley has reframed a photography-trade dispute as a national conversation about retail Sabbath, with Chick-fil-A loyalists now caught between defending Sunday closures and signing a petition against the same principle in Manhattan.
Petitioners cite a recurring grievance: arriving in Midtown for a Saturday shoot only to find the store dark, having forgotten a battery, a memory card, or in several admitted cases, an entire camera body. The Tog Times has reached out to Chick-fil-A. Both stores remain closed.
Self-Proclaimed Photographer Finds Personal Contentment Providing Unsolicited Photo Critiques On Social Media
SOMEWHERE ON EARTH — An anonymous critic known as "The Egg" has built a following of detractors across Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit by leaving harsh, unsolicited critiques on the work of strangers. Group members are calling for his ban.
Photographer's Wide Angle Shot Of A Couple At The Altar Inundates Church With Requests For Weddings
PORTLAND, OR — A wide-angle altar shot by Phillip Monteview has gone viral over the church's recently installed stained-glass window. The parish, unaware of the online chatter, has booked out its entire wedding calendar for the year.
Photographer Makes Amends With His Ex-Girlfriend To Access Photography Gear He Left In Her House
TAMPA, FL — Aren Gilbert, a high-end IPS photographer known to colleagues as "Agent One," recovered an estimated $400,000 in cameras and lighting from the home of his ex-fiancée by getting her back. The court later sided with him.
David Cassey's roadside cardboard sign generated 2,000 inquiries. Of the 50 follow-ups, 35 ghosted on receipt of his pricing guide. The remainder were almost entirely TFP.
The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute's 2026 directives add the Dutch Tilt alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
A $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
Police arrested a man accused of swapping $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
Average new petition signatures per day: 147
% of signatories who self-identify as Chick-fil-A loyalists: 43
% of those who see no contradiction: 97
% of working photographers who've forgotten a battery on a wedding day: 71
% who've forgotten a memory card: 58
% who blamed B&H's hours for it: 62
% who blamed themselves: 4
% who arrived at 420 9th Avenue on a Saturday and were "surprised": 38
% of photographers who own a backup battery they could not locate at home: 83
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FRONT PAGE
APRIL 30, 2026
Self-Proclaimed Photographer Finds Personal Contentment Providing Unsolicited Photo Critiques On Social Media
SOMEWHERE ON EARTH — An anonymous online photographer known to forum members as "The Egg" has built a following of detractors across Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit by leaving harsh, unsolicited critiques on the work of strangers. Group members have begun calling for his ban.
The Egg has no profile, no portfolio, and no visible body of work — except a small archive of consistently back-focused cat photos and a single porch shot with blown highlights and a focus point falling somewhere behind the subject's right eye. When asked to share his own work, his standard reply is that he doesn't need to.
His critiques sharpen when aimed at beginners requesting "soft" or "gentle" feedback. His signature is a singular trashcan icon, deployed as a one-character verdict. When a commenter recently told him no one likes him, he replied that his clients do. None could be located.
Photographer's Wide Angle Shot Of A Couple At The Altar Inundates Church With Requests For Weddings
PORTLAND, OR — A wide-angle altar shot by Phillip Monteview has gone viral over the church's recently installed stained-glass window. The parish, unaware of the online chatter, has booked out its entire wedding calendar for the year.
Photographer Makes Amends With His Ex-Girlfriend To Access Photography Gear He Left In Her House
TAMPA, FL — Aren Gilbert, a high-end IPS photographer known to colleagues as "Agent One," recovered an estimated $400,000 in cameras and lighting from the home of his ex-fiancée by getting her back. The court later sided with him.
Gigless Photographer Takes His Advertising To The Streets, Receives Thousands Of TFP Offers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — David Cassey's roadside cardboard sign generated 2,000 inquiries. Of the 50 follow-ups, 35 ghosted on receipt of his pricing guide. The remainder were almost entirely TFP. One Texas couple offered to cover his gas.
The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute's 2026 directives add the Dutch Tilt alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
A $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
Police arrested a man accused of swapping $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
A Reddit thread alleges the floating "Nutella jar" on the Artemis II livestream was a Sony A1 II, digitally altered by NASA to protect its Nikon Space Act Agreement.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
% of new photographers who quit after a single harsh critique: 31
% of working photographers who'd give harsher critiques if anonymity were guaranteed: 78
% of pros who credit a brutal early critique for making them: 64
% who concede the brutal critique was technically correct: 91
% of online photo critics who can't produce a portfolio when asked: 83
% of photographers who've privately agreed with The Egg: 47
% of beginners who post asking for "gentle" feedback: 89
% of those who get it: 11
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Photographer's Wide Angle Shot Of A Couple At The Altar Makes Church Famous For The Wrong Reasons
PORTLAND, OR — A wide-angle altar shot by photographer Phillip Monteview has gone viral on Instagram, drawing nearly 2 million views and an avalanche of wedding inquiries to a Pearl District parish. The subject of the attention is not the bridal couple, but the church's recently installed stained-glass window.
Monteview, who shot the ceremony on 35mm film between a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm, says he "saw it right away" and briefly considered withholding the frame to protect the couple and what he called "the obviously innocent leadership of the parish." He took it anyway.
Monsignor Thomas Freud, who served on the committee that approved the installation, remains unaware of the online chatter. The parish has booked out its full wedding calendar for the year — proceeds, Freud says, will help cover the cost of the window. The couple in the photograph have opted to leave the wide-angle frame out of their album.
Photographer Makes Amends With His Ex-Girlfriend To Access Photography Gear He Left In Her House
TAMPA, FL — Aren Gilbert, a high-end IPS photographer known to colleagues as "Agent One," recovered an estimated $400,000 in cameras and lighting from the home of his ex-fiancée by getting her back. The court later sided with him.
Gigless Photographer Takes His Advertising To The Streets, Receives Thousands Of TFP Offers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — David Cassey's roadside cardboard sign generated 2,000 inquiries. Of the 50 follow-ups, 35 ghosted on receipt of his pricing guide. The remainder were almost entirely TFP. One Texas couple offered to cover his gas.
Dutch Tilt Added To The Newest "Must Not Try List" From The WPWI
LAS VEGAS, NV — The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute has released its 2026 directives, adding the Dutch Tilt alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
A $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
Police arrested a man accused of swapping $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
The world was captivated by the Orion I images. Now professional photographers from Uzbekistan to Brisbane want to know: can the Artemis II crew handle a bride who's crying for no good reason?
A Reddit thread alleges the floating "Nutella jar" on the Artemis II livestream was a Sony A1 II, digitally altered by NASA to protect its Nikon Space Act Agreement.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
% of photographers who notice an unintentional innuendo on a wedding day: 87
% who say nothing and keep shooting: 82
% who switch to a longer lens specifically to crop it out: 64
% who instead switch wider to make it the centerpiece: 11
% who'd post a compromising frame to grow their following: 38
% who'd post it without asking the couple first: 29
% of parish committees that approved church artwork without zooming in: 100
% of viral wedding photos credited to the second shooter: 0
Average parish-member age at the moment of installation: 64
Number of complaints received before it went viral: 0
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FRONT PAGE, APRIL 29, 2026
FRONT PAGE, APRIL 27, 2026
FRONT PAGE, APRIL 24, 2026
Photographer Makes Amends With His Ex-Girlfriend To Access Photography Gear He Left In Her House
TAMPA, FL — Aren Gilbert, a high-end IPS photographer known to colleagues as "Agent One," recovered an estimated $400,000 in cameras and lighting from the home of his ex-fiancée after she filed a restraining order against him. He did it by getting her back.
Gilbert sold his Leica M11-P "60 Years of Leica M" to fund a $10,000 engagement ring, had girlfriend drop his restraining order, staged a proposal, and quietly relocated his Hasselblad, Profotos, Elinchroms, and the prized 0-Series No. 122 Leica over the following months. Sold one Hasselblad, and his a Mamiya Leaf Credo 80 to pay his attorneys. He outsourced his culling to AI to buy time.
Lauren Giovan eventually sued for theft. The court sided with Gilbert, who had receipts. He kept the smaller dog. He has stated, on the record, that he would sell a kidney before parting with the 0-Series.
Gigless Photographer Takes His Advertising To The Streets, Receives Thousands Of TFP Offers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — Gigless photographer David Cassey's roadside cardboard sign generated 2,000 inquiries. Of the 50 follow-ups he managed, 35 ghosted on receipt of his pricing guide. The remainder were almost entirely TFP. One Texas couple offered to cover his gas.
Dutch Tilt Added To The Newest "Must Not Try List" From The WPWI
LAS VEGAS, NV — The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute has released its 2026 directives, adding the Dutch Tilt alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
The Idaho Potato Commission Sues Sam Newton For His Viral 2021 Video "Shoots On Nikon"
BOISE, ID — The IPC has filed a $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
Police arrested a man accused of swapping $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
The world was captivated by the Orion I images. Now professional photographers from Uzbekistan to Brisbane want to know: can the Artemis II crew handle a bride who's crying for no good reason?
Following reports that NASA astronauts receive 20 hours of photography training, lead photographers are raising the bar for their crews.
A Reddit thread alleges the floating "Nutella jar" on the Artemis II livestream was a Sony A1 II, digitally altered by NASA to protect its Nikon Space Act Agreement.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
% of photographers currently storing gear at a partner's residence: 38
% who keep it there specifically as collateral: 38
% who'd reconcile with an ex to recover their kit: 71
% who'd take it as far as a second engagement: 14
% who'd fund the ring by selling a Leica: 7
% who'd sell a kidney before parting with a 0-Series: 91
% of restraining orders dropped after "a legitimate apology": 4
Average value of gear forgotten at an ex's: $14,200
Days between a breakup and the first "I left my charger there" text: 2
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Gigless Photographer Takes His Advertising To The Streets, Receives Thousands Of TFP Offers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — On Friday morning, gigless photographer David Cassey, 36, put on a shirt and tie and carried a handwritten cardboard sign to a nearby highway median. It read: "GIGLESS. HUNGRY 4 SUCCESS. HIRE ME TO SHOOT YOUR NEXT EVENT."
Of those 2,000 inquiries, 50 actually replied to his follow-up. Thirty-five of those ghosted the moment they received his pricing guide. The vast majority of remaining offers were TFP — trade for photos only. One San Antonio couple offered to cover his gas to Texas.
Cassey did secure one paying client: a July wedding with a $1,200 down payment, which he immediately spent on a used Canon EOS R6 Mark II and a 35mm f/1.4 lens to replace the 5D Mark IV stolen from a park bench last month. His landlord, he noted, will not be paid this month. "Thankfully," he added, "I live in California."
Dutch Tilt Added To The Newest "Must Not Try List" From The WPWI
LAS VEGAS, NV — The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute has released its 2026 directives, adding the Dutch Tilt to its "Must Not Try List" alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlays, and the manual heart gesture.
The Idaho Potato Commission Sues Sam Newton For His Viral 2021 Video "Shoots On Nikon"
BOISE, ID — The IPC has filed a $18.5M Trade Libel suit alleging that equating Russet Burbanks with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes defamation of a root vegetable.
California Man Accused Of Using Plastic Toy Camera To Replace Stolen Sony
IRVINE, CA — Police arrested a man accused of stealing $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies and replacing them with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
The world was captivated by the Orion I images. Now professional photographers from Uzbekistan to Brisbane want to know: can the Artemis II crew handle a bride who's crying for no good reason?
Following reports that NASA astronauts receive 20 hours of photography training, lead photographers are raising the bar for their crews.
A Reddit thread alleges the floating "Nutella jar" on the Artemis II livestream was a Sony A1 II, digitally altered by NASA to protect its Nikon Space Act Agreement.
The iPhone 2P puts professional results in everyone's hands. A supplemental class is available for $1,300.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the "voice of Judas."
% of photographers who'd stand on a corner with a "Hire Me" sign: 64
% who specified the corner had to be in a "good neighborhood": 64
% who'd shoot a TFP session to possibly find a date: 41
% of those who got the date but never the booking: 1
% of inquiries that ghost the moment the pricing guide arrives: 78
% who replied "we'll think about it" first: 18
% who just didn't reply back: 60
% currently running "off-season pricing" in May: 89
% whose "off-season" started in 2023: 47
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FRONT PAGE, APRIL 23, 2026
FRONT PAGE, APRIL 22, 2026
Dutch Tilt Added To The Newest "Must Not Try List" From The WPWI
LAS VEGAS, NV — The Wedding Photographers Worldwide Institute has released its 2026 Standards and Operational Directives, adding the Dutch Tilt to its "Must Not Try List" alongside orange-and-teal grading, blown-out bright-and-airy edits, floral flatlay detail shots, and the manual heart gesture.
"We are in 2026, people," the directive reads. "Any persons captured at an angle between 1° and 89° relative to the horizon must be stricken from being tried." The WPWI, founded by Oriel Winerburg in 2004, convened this year at the Mirage for its annual conference of working professionals.
The Tog Times received a copy of the full SOAD document. Non-compliance will result in the immediate forfeiture of the WPWI Seal of Excellence. The list is otherwise available only to members.
The Idaho Potato Commission Sues Sam Newton For His Viral 2021 Video "Shoots On Nikon"
BOISE, ID — The IPC has filed a $18.5M Product Disparagement suit alleging that equating Russet Burbank potatoes with Nikon's legacy sensor technology constitutes actionable Trade Libel. The IPC’s legal brief indicates they are seeking more than just financial restitution, though; they are litigating for their dignity. "Frankly," the filing reads, "being compared to a Nikon Z6’s original firmware is an insult to any self-respecting tuber."
California Man Accused Of Using Plastic Toy Camera To Replace Stolen Sony
IRVINE, CA — Police arrested a man accused of stealing $34,000 in Sony Alpha bodies and replacing them with Fisher-Price toy cameras before returning sealed boxes to Best Buy locations across three states.
They Shot The Dark Side Of The Moon, But Can They Shoot The Dark Side Of A Wedding?
HOUSTON, TX — The world was captivated by the images from Orion I. Now professional photographers from Uzbekistan to Brisbane want to know: can the Artemis II crew handle a bride who's crying for no good reason?
Following reports that NASA astronauts receive 20 hours of photography training, lead photographers are raising the bar for their crews.
A Reddit thread alleges the floating "Nutella jar" on the Artemis II livestream was a Sony A1 II, digitally altered by NASA to protect its Nikon Space Act Agreement.
The iPhone 2P puts professional results in everyone's hands. A supplemental class is available for $1,300.
Gerald Finch, 43, of Cleveland, Ohio, was discovered by his wife the night before a wedding shoot. He had been looking for a card he could reformat. The shelving had other plans.
Husband Files For Divorce After Overhearing Wife Offer "Discount" For His Photography To A Friend
The husband, a professional wedding and event photographer who was merrily chatting with the men gathered for their weekly church small group, was in the next room when he heard what he later described as the “voice of Judas.”
% of wedding photographers who do one or more items on the MNTL: 91
% of those who do it "ironically": 91
% of photographers who are WPWI members: 4
% of those who have read the SOAD cover to cover: 4
% of second shooters who have taken a photo on the MNTL: 100
% of second shooters who will do it again: 100
Dutch Tilts submitted to WPWI this year before the ban: thousands
Dutch Tilts submitted after: thousands
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