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Most photographers understand the interaction between aperture settings (f/stops) and shutter speeds for arriving at proper exposures. But in the basic tutorial below you’ll learn why aperture settings also play an important role in composition, setting up your shot, and much more.

Cutting out objects in Photoshop can be a difficult and time-consuming process, especially if you want to do it right. But the detailed video below will turn you into a pro at making precise selections and masks.

Most photographers think of “golden hour” as prime time for capturing stunning sunrises and sunsets, and know it’s important to get there early to set up their shot. But as you’ll see in the video below, the sweet early morning and late day light also provides a great opportunity for portraits.

In the trifecta of portrait lenses—85mm, 105mm, and 135mm—the 85mm focal length is the gateway. It’s short enough for tight shooting spaces, while producing a real portrait look, yet versatile enough for use in other genres, including photojournalism, where a nifty 50 comes up a bit short. Enter Sigma’s 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens ($1,199) that’s fast enough for reportage and long enough for portraiture.

Mt. Etna, located on the Italian coast, is Europe’s tallest active volcano and is in an almost constant state of activity. In the dramatic video below, you’ll see a BBC camera crew and several tourists make a harrowing escape when Etna exploded last Thursday and spewed hot steam and molten rocks on the group.

We’ve all been there: You’re in a scenic spot about to take a selfie of you and a companion, when a passerby offers to take the shot for you. So you accept the kind gesture and hand the person your phone. Unfortunately, if you forget to turn off the phone’s selfie mode and wait until later to look at the results, the photograph may not be what you expected.

I tend to travel on the wide side when it comes to lens selection, so it was exciting to get a hold of Tamron’s new super telephoto zoom—the SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 (Model A022). And what better way to give this big beauty a try than to take it on safari? Admittedly, this “safari” was of the local variety with a quick trip to the recently renovated Audubon Zoo barely two miles from my home in New Orleans. I also spent an afternoon with the Tamron 150-600mm G2 ($1,399) on one of the many bayous running through Southern Louisiana to shoot some gators and less exotic wildlife.