Ideas
Salute.
I haven't logged into the game for several months. I'm having the same problem. I read the thread, and the symptoms are the same: black photos, photos converted into paintings are also black.
I started a new save to experiment, and the error persists. I noticed that the photos turn black immediately when I use filters when taking photos, as well as when I exit the game and return.
I also noticed another bug: all photos are low-resolution. I can confirm this by analyzing a new and old save game in Sims 4 Studio: all images are compressed to a low resolution, while the originals are of normal quality. In the old save, if I don't log into it, the images are of normal quality. There's a separate thread on the forum about this issue.
Thanks for the tips on how to deal with black photos. The following method works for me:
Before exiting the game, I go to another lot, save there, then return to my own lot and save again.
I'd like to try switching to DirectX9; maybe that will help.
I understand people's pain. I have a career as a photographer, and I take it very seriously: I set up lighting and backdrops, work with costumes and poses, and I've created my own photo gallery with different rooms and lighting for atmosphere. Ultimately, I can't continue my old save because of the low resolution and blacked-out images.