Sam offers in-person and online photography instruction. Call him at 202-531-2344 to see how he can help
you.
These emails come with the intent of helping you be a better photographer.
And if you want more photography stuff to read, there's a place on the interwebs where past emails I wrote are stored. You'll find 'em in the "Newsletter Hub."
Remember, I'd like to know what you want to know about photography. So, If you have any questions, ask by sending an email to me at sam@samdamico.com.
Hello ,
Shapes.
Our photographs are full of 'em.
So, as an element of composition, this's a big thing to talk about.
What's Shape?
When one or more lines connect or close, we got a shape.
In the physical sense, shapes have three dimensions.
But in our photographs, we lose a dimension (depth), so we only get to talk
about height and width.
What Do Shapes Look Like?
Shapes look like, well, anything we see. But we usually describe shapes as round, straight, curved, square, rectangular, etc.
Types of Shapes
There's two basic shapes: organic and geometric.
We can think of organic shapes as looking like things in the natural world. Things like plants, animals, ripples, waves in water or other fluids, clouds, mountains, etc., have organic
shapes.
We can think of geometric shapes as circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, etc.
How Do We Use Shapes?
We use shapes as the content of our pictures and place them in
our framing while composing a photograph. We can think of it as putting various shapes (content) within a rectangular shape (our frame).
We see shapes everywhere. And our work as photographers is to use the shapes we place in our frame to create an interesting and unique composition.
This is the kind of stuff
covered in all my classes.
And if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes, we can schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online one-on-one private instruction that cover the same things as any of my group
classes.
---Get guidance on going from where you are to where you want to be as a photographer. There's no charge for a follow-up consultation. Just leave your phone number on the form, and I'll call you. Photography Instruction Strategy
Questionnaire.
I look forward to helping you be a better photographer.
Best Regards,
Sam
About Sam
Sam D'Amico, a professional photographer and photography
instructor, helps anyone who wants to be a better photographer.
He'll work with his students to increase their understanding of camera operation, composition, light, and lighting.
Sam started working as a professional photographer
in the mid-1980s.
Most notably, from 1992 to 1997, while working as a freelance photographer, he photographed over 500 assignments for the New York Times.
Additionally, Sam received awards for his work while
exhibiting his photographs in shows.
Sam began teaching photography professionally in 1998 through the Highland Park, N.J. recreation department.
In 2002 Sam moved to Washington, D.C., and began teaching at the accredited Washington
School of Photography in Bethesda, Md.
It was in 2003 that Sam developed his curriculum and started teaching classes in Washington, D.C.
In 2018 and 2022, the Sam D'Amico Photography Classes were voted the "Best of DC" art class by the
readers of the Washington City Paper.
Many photography teachers spend a lot of time teaching about DSLRs and rules of composition that create homogenized, rigid photographs.
On the other
hand, Sam teaches about camera operation, thought process, and the individual photographer's visual communication intent.
This approach to teaching allows his students to use ANY camera (yes, even the camera on their phone) and break free of the rules of composition.
Approaching the creative process this way allows for fluid and spontaneous photographs unique to the photographer creating them.
Sam encourages his students to find their ways as photographers.
He
instills the skills in his students that result in creative, engaging, and unique compositions that reflect the photographer's intended one-of-a-kind visual expression.
