Pesala Bandara

Journalist and Writer at PetaPixel

Journalist & Writer

Articles

This App Will Let You Book a Photographer in 30 Minutes 'Like Uber'

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A new app called “Social Agent” will let users book photographers and videographers in as little as 30 minutes — much like ordering an Uber. According to a report by TechCrunch, Social Agent is an upcoming location-based gig app app that is designed for last-minute photo and video requests.
Aerial Images Show Progress of Futuristic Saudi City 'The Line'

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

New aerial images have revealed progress at the construction site for the world’s longest sideways skyscraper “The Line,” a planned city set to accommodate nine million people deep in the desert in Saudi Arabia. The Line is a planned linear city — composed of two parallel, 656-foot-wide mirror-clad skyscrapers, each 170 kilometers long and 1,640 feet high with a width of 660 feet — that will stretch across Neom, Tabuk Province which is the northwest part of Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea.
Tourist Accidentally Films Terrorist Attack While on a Zipline

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A tourist unknowingly captured a deadly terror attack while he was filming himself on a zipline ride with a selfie stick. Warning: The following video contains content that some may find upsetting. On April 22, five gunmen opened fire on a group of local tourists in the popular holiday destination of Pahalgam in Kashmir, India in a terrorist attack that left at least 26 people dead and dozens injured.
Tourist Accidentally Films Terrorist Attack While on a Zipline

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Pesala Bandara

3 hours agoIndia and Pakistan are bracing for a military clashDuring the last big military stand-off between India and Pakistan, in 2019, Mike Pompeo was woken by an urgent call at his hotel in Hanoi. Mr Pompeo, …1 hour agoTSA May Pull You Aside If You Wear These Common ItemsDress smart, fly fast—skip the outfit that sets off alarms.
This High-Angle Photo Booth is the Latest Gen Z Trend in Los Angeles

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

GENIC, a high-angle photo booth company, is drawing lines of Generation Z fans across its Los Angeles locations. Ryan Kim and M.J. Kim are the co-founders behind GENIC, photo booths that take portraits from above rather than the traditional eye-level shot. Since Ryan and M.J. launched GENIC in April 2024, the company’s three photo booth locations in Los Angeles have captured tens of thousands of individual prints.
Meta Launches Stand-Alone AI App to Rival ChatGPT

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Meta launched a stand-alone AI app today — as the company tries to take on ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company announced it is rolling out the new Meta AI app at its LlamaCon event on Tuesday. The app brings together all of Meta’s AI tools in one place, after the company already added Meta AI to WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. Meta AI will allow users to access the company’s machine-learning tech in a single platform — similar to apps like ChatGPT.
California Homeowner Finds Hidden Camera Disguised with Fake Grass in His Yard

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A Southern California homeowner discovered a hidden camera disguised with fake grass on his property — part of a growing trend in which burglars plant covert cameras in yards in the area to monitor homes and track when residents leave. According to a report by ABC News, George Nguyen, who is a homeowner in West Covina, California, was watering the hedges in his front yard after dark on Friday (April 25) when he noticed a light coming from one of the bushes.
YouTube is Testing AI-Generated Video Overviews

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Google is reportedly exploring a new AI-powered feature for YouTube that creates video overviews based on users’ search queries. In an update to Google’s support page, the company reveals it is testing a new tool that uses AI to identify and showcase short video clips relevant to what someone searches for on YouTube. This AI-driven feature aims to give users quick highlights from videos, similar to how Google’s AI Overviews in Search summarize content from across the web.
Photographer’s Lawsuit Could Redefine When Creators Can Sue for Copyright Infringement

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A photographer’s lawsuit is at the center of a Supreme Court petition that could change how long creators have to sue when their work gets stolen. The big question at the heart of the petition is: Does the clock for filing a copyright lawsuit start when the infringement happens — or when the photographer actually finds out about the infringement? In 2017, photographer Michael Grecco took photos of model Amber Rose wearing shoes designed by Ruthie Davis, an award-winning women’s shoe designer.
Photographer Has Camera Bag With $10K of Gear Stolen Overnight

2 weeks ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A wedding and graduation photographer woke up to discover that his camera bag, which contained more than $10,000 worth of gear and thousands of images, had been stolen. Levi Walk, a photographer based in Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania, is reportedly starting from scratch again after he had his entire livelihood stolen from him last week.