diff --git a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__binary.py b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__binary.py
index a06b66e..08fb1ef 100644
--- a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__binary.py
+++ b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__binary.py
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 from httpx import Client
 
+# Open the image file as a binary file
+with open("cocoa.jpg", "rb") as image_file:
+    image_bytes = image_file.read()
+
 with Client() as client:
     # Get the binary model prediction for image cocoa.jpg
     # passed as a binary file in the request body
     response_binary = client.post(
         url="$api_url" + "/predictions/binary",
-        data=open("cocoa.jpg", "rb").read(),
+        content=image_bytes,
     )
 
     data_binary = response_binary.json()
diff --git a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__multi-HLT.py b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__multi-HLT.py
index 65c62dd..1b38281 100644
--- a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__multi-HLT.py
+++ b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__multi-HLT.py
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 from httpx import Client
 
+# Open the image file as a binary file
+with open("cocoa.jpg", "rb") as image_file:
+    image_bytes = image_file.read()
+
 with Client() as client:
     # Get the multi-HLT model prediction for image cocoa.jpg
     # passed as a binary file in the request body
     response_multi_HLT = client.post(
         url="$api_url" + "/predictions/multi-HLT",
-        data=open("cocoa.jpg", "rb").read(),
+        content=image_bytes,
     )
 
     data_multi_HLT = response_multi_HLT.json()
diff --git a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__single-HLT.py b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__single-HLT.py
index 85e2db0..a191396 100644
--- a/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__single-HLT.py
+++ b/crop_health_api/example_code/python/predictions__single-HLT.py
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 from httpx import Client
 
+# Open the image file as a binary file
+with open("cocoa.jpg", "rb") as image_file:
+    image_bytes = image_file.read()
+
 with Client() as client:
     # Get the single-HLT model prediction for image cocoa.jpg
     # passed as a binary file in the request body
     response_single_HLT = client.post(
         url="$api_url" + "/predictions/single-HLT",
-        data=open("cocoa.jpg", "rb").read(),
+        content=image_bytes,
     )
 
     data_single_HLT = response_single_HLT.json()
diff --git a/deployment/kubernetes/crop-health-api.yaml b/deployment/kubernetes/crop-health-api.yaml
index d1bf0e2..675462f 100644
--- a/deployment/kubernetes/crop-health-api.yaml
+++ b/deployment/kubernetes/crop-health-api.yaml
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: crop-health-fastapi
-        image: ghcr.io/openearthplatforminitiative/crop-health-api-fastapi:0.1.8
+        image: ghcr.io/openearthplatforminitiative/crop-health-api-fastapi:0.1.9
         ports:
           - containerPort: 5000
         env:
           - name: API_ROOT_PATH
             value: "/crop-health"
           - name: VERSION
-            value: 0.1.8
+            value: 0.1.9
           - name: API_DOMAIN
             valueFrom:
               configMapKeyRef:
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ spec:
                 key: api_domain
 
       - name: crop-health-torchserve
-        image: ghcr.io/openearthplatforminitiative/crop-health-api-torchserve:0.1.8
+        image: ghcr.io/openearthplatforminitiative/crop-health-api-torchserve:0.1.9
         ports:
           - containerPort: 8080 # Inference API
           - containerPort: 8081 # Management API
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ spec:
           - name: API_ROOT_PATH
             value: "/crop-health"
           - name: VERSION
-            value: 0.1.8
+            value: 0.1.9
           - name: API_DOMAIN
             valueFrom:
               configMapKeyRef: