Requests with keyword returns to default image

[ThrushLake]

When I specify a keyword (for example https://loremflickr.com/640/480/book), only very occasionally does an actual image turn up, otherwise it's almost always a default pic of Tomboli.
It worked fine as of last week as I remembered.

[blytheaw]

Getting this issue as well

[MastaBaba]

Thanks @ThrushLake, @blytheaw.

It appears that Flickr is now rate-limiting access to photo URLs. It seems to me this will significantly cripple the functionality of the Flickr API, and LoremFlickr.

As an initial (crappy) workaround, I have added a property rawFileUrl to when you request a JSON output.

For example, this, https://loremflickr.com/json/g/320/240/beach,Rio/all, now returns this:

{
  "file": "https://loremflickr.com/cache/resized/defaultImage.small_320_240_g.jpg",
  "license": "cc-nc",
  "owner": "alobos life",
  "width": 320,
  "height": 240,
  "filter": "g",
  "tags": "beach,Rio",
  "tagMode": "all",
  "rawFileUrl": "https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54094206999_707b0a175a.jpg"
}

This gives you the URL of the original Flickr photo, as well as information on the license and owner. It obviously can't do any image manipulation. But, with some code on your end, you will still be able to get a usable image.
Not ideal.

I'll have to think about this a bit more.

[stevebrowndotco]

For me I keep getting an AI sculpture of a cat in dev mode on my app everywhere. It's quite entertaining.

[MastaBaba]

@stevebrowndotco Hey, no dissing of Tomboli! ;)
Glad you think he's entertaining, but the image is not AI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombili

[stevebrowndotco]

Ah so that's what you mean by Tombili!

I thought the image was AI because the background cars look really strange, thanks for the correction.

Thank you for the great library too, I am using it with FakerJs

[eliataylor]

for those using Node, setting a User-Agent worked for me.

[MastaBaba]

@eliataylor O wow. I do vaguely recall there was a requirement around user agents in relation to the Flickr API many years ago. That was eventually canned, but perhaps it snuck back in. I'll try something around that in the next few days.

[anoduck]

All I have gotten is Tomboli, for several days. I can't complain, it still serves its purpose, just sad to see the greatest random image generator ever crippled.

[eliataylor]

@anoduck , it is a bummer, but you can use loremflicker directly. I have a working version here: https://github.com/eliataylor/objects-actions/blob/main/stack/databuilder/src/builder-utils.ts#L142 and I use the rawFileUrl property returned.

[anoduck]

@eliataylor Sweetness.

[MastaBaba]

@anoduck @eliataylor
I have given up on Flickr unblocking LoremFlickr.
You can try your hand at a new version of LoremFlickr. You need to set it up on your own server, but it takes into account the API limits, and gives you a bit more power.

Check it out here: https://github.com/MastaBaba/LoremFlickr-3

[anoduck]

@anoduck @eliataylor I have given up on Flickr unblocking LoremFlickr. You can try your hand at a new version of LoremFlickr. You need to set it up on your own server, but it takes into account the API limits, and gives you a bit more power.

Check it out here: https://github.com/MastaBaba/LoremFlickr-3

Awesome. I don't blame you one bit, it's still rough out there. Thanks for all you have done over the years.