As someone that does media for various branches, it’s happens painfully often.

When I was with a library system, the head of the comms team downloaded a persons cooking video from youtube, edited out every instance of the channels logo on the bottom and clips of the persons face then uploaded it like “To celebrate this event, here’s our recipe for this dish”. They didn’t see anything wrong with what they did. For Behavioral Health, they sent me a watermarked photo they liked and asked if I could just remove the watermark and use it for fliers.

Only person that ever double checked if we had a license for an image was up in admin. Everyone else had this surreal idea that if something was online, it was free to use.

But you still mentioned Peter McKinnon, not as as a good photographer, but as a good Youtube photographer which contradicts your point.

Also, there’s YouTube is the way people learn a skill for free. Not everyone can take a classes. I started photography seriously seven years ago and learn the basics through youtube. When I wanted to take portraits outside, I went to youtube; when I wanted to understand time lapse, youtube. Yes, there will always be beginners that fall into the traps of “Gotta get that sweet bokeh *kiss* goodness” but they’re still learning the basics.

You think YouTube is ruining new photographers, good for you, but your experience isn’t universal and the fact you say that while also praising Peter McKinnon, the BIGGEST and most overhyped photographer on the platform just shows it’s your opinion. If someone wants to learn photography, I’ll be quick to point out a few youtube videos that illustrate lighting and composition.

I think what works for you isn’t universal and vice versa.

You say that there are settings pros don’t know about, but how would someone know about it unless they hear it from someone? I’ve learned about new settings from various youtubers and people on this sub. Similiarly, when I go out and photograph, I’ll come back and think “How could I have done better”, then go to youtube or fellow photographers for improvements on what I want to work on.

It’s weird that you say that YouTubers are ruining photography and then specifically mention Peter McKinnon, a youtuber that’s practically a joke in this and the videography sub for creating a unique but generic style that a lot of beginners try to copy before finding their own style.

There’s a question you need to ask yourself, why would someone pay to fly you to their theme park and photograph their park when they can hire someone in their area?

A theme park, even a small one, would need regular photos for different seasons, special events, new attractions, and everyday candids for promotion. A marketing manager has a limited budget to work with and I can’t see them paying for a relative unknowns flight and hotel plus the usual fees when they could hire a local that’s a short drive without the added fees.

I wouldn’t say it’s “highly unlikely” that some companies stop storage. Companies do go out of business.

But wouldn’t the major ones give a notification that they were going to end and give people a chance to migrate? Like I can’t imagine backblaze just vanishes one day, taking everything with’em.