Movie special effects usually come with a big price tag. They can be complicated, requiring specialised (and licensed) skill sets. Some are also very dangerous if not performed correctly. Blood squibs are no exception. They’re the packs that you see explode whenever somebody gets shot in a movie or TV show. Traditionally, squibs hold a small explosive charge that detonates on demand. You’ll generally need to be licensed in order to create and use them, and there are all kinds of safety checks....

If you’ve spent most of your life living in the same town, you may find it boring to photograph. You enjoy taking photos of the new places you visit, but your good ol’ hometown simply isn’t interesting enough. But is it really the case? In this video, Wahid Fayumzadah will show you how to take interesting photos in your “boring” hometown. He goes around Westervoort in the Netherlands, exploring this small town and turning all its uninteresting spots into interesting photos....

There’s nothing better than receiving an email with a $2500 paycheck attached to it out of the blue. That was my cut of a settlement that Pixsy was able to secure on my behalf from a single unauthorized use of one of my photos. If you’ve ever had one of your photos published without a license (and who hasn’t), I am going to try to explain why and how you can get paid (in cash not credit) for the unauthorized use of your creative work....

I found a WWII British Air Ministry Pentac 8 inch f2.9 lens in a second hand store about a year and a half ago. It was made under a military contract during the war and a number of British manufacturers filled this contract. The best of the lot were made by Dallmeyer, the original designer of this lens. This lens sample isn’t marked to indicate the manufacturer, and it doesn’t have a traceable serial number, so the maker remains a mystery....

If you find it time and energy-consuming to organize your photos (I know I do), Google has just made it a little easier. The company is launching several tools that will make the app cleaner and easier to navigate. At the same time, organizing your photos should become simpler, too – but you can also easily digitize and import your old prints. So, let’s dive right in and see what’s new....