These emails come with the intent of helping you be a better photographer. But if you're tired of hearing from me, unsubscribe.

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, email me at sam@samdamico.com. And for what it's worth. When you send me an email, unless someone's lookin' over my shoulder, I'm the only one that sees it.

 Hello, .

There's the photographers we want to be, and then there's what we need to know to be the photographers we want to be.

We all want to be better photographers.

However, we must know and understand the foundational things to be better photographers.

We must know and understand camera operation, light, and composition.

Today, I worked with three photographers, two of whom I've been working with for a while.

One of them is a photographer I've just worked with today.

The two I've been working with for a while were in the same place as the one I started working with today.

Each of them wants to be a better photographer.

The difference is where they are regarding the skill and understanding levels of their studies and practice.

They all want to be better.

However, what they'd like to know and what they need to know are drastically different.

The first photographer I worked with understood camera operation but needed challenges in creating new work they're interested in, composition, and a better understanding of light.

The second photographer I worked with needed a good camera operation, light, and composition foundation.

The third photographer I worked with has been exploring using studio strobes and portable flash. 

They require a reinforcement of the basics, especially regarding the functions of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed and how they relate to light intensity.

Three photographers. All wanting the same thing. And that's to be better photographers.

However, because of their varying skill levels and interests, it requires different ways of studying and practicing.

They all began the same way we all do, needing to learn how to operate our cameras effectively to get the pictures we want.

As I said,  before becoming the type of photographer we want, we must be a photographer first.

That means we need a solid foundation in skillful camera operation and its relationship with composition and light.

In other words, we need to understand what we all need to understand before becoming the photographers we want to be; we need to understand photography and what it means to be a skillful photographer. 

That’s what I teach in my group classes and private lessons.

Although I teach that in all the ways I offer photography instruction, the Introduction to Photography class, or the In-Person or Online private lessons version, is the most effective and quickest way to learn it.

The Introduction to Photography classes scheduled for March are now open for registration. Other scheduled group classes are below.

Smaller classes mean better learning, so no more than five participants and me are in each class. 

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker. 

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily. 

That's all for now; thanks for reading! 
Sam

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? If that's the case, let's schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online private instruction that covers the same things as my group classes. 

Ways to work with me are listed below.