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. 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 ,

In the part of the world I'm in, the United States, Washington, DC, it's cold. 

Specifically, It's below freezing.  

Compared to other parts of the country, however, DC seems spring-like.

The weather affects the operation of our cameras.

Of course, we should be concerned about moisture like rain and snow, fog, etc., especially with the electronic circuitry of digital cameras. 

But because of the frigid temperatures, many cameras won't operate optimally in many parts of the country. 

They won't do so well in extreme environmental areas of the planet either. 

All cameras have operating environment tolerances. 

And when the camera's operated in conditions beyond those tolerances, it doesn't function as well as it could. 

Specifically, those tolerances are from 32° F to 104° F with less than 85% humidity and no condensation.

So, if I decided to operate my camera in conditions that exceeded the tolerances, I shouldn't be surprised if it wasn't working as expected. 

Most pedestrian cameras, like the one I use, the Nikon-D40, can't operate optimally under extreme environmental conditions. 

A higher-end camera will probably have higher and lower tolerances.  

If you want to know the operating environment in which your camera will work best, you'll find it in the specifications part of your owner's manual. 

You'll find a bunch of other helpful stuff back there, too. 

One of my favorites is frame coverage. 

One thing that drives my decision on a camera purchase, beyond the bells and whistles the manufacturers use to get our attention, is the specifications. 

But even if you're not looking to buy a camera, getting familiar with the "Camera Specs" is a good idea. 

Another helpful area is the index. 

Your entire owner's manual is essential, and you should learn to use it effectively because it'll help you learn effective camera operation. 

How To Use The Owner Manual To Your Camera Effectively Is so important that I made a video and put it on my  Online Learning Platform for Photographers. 

I suggest students watch that video before meeting for lessons, including my Introduction to Photography class. 

Some other stuff on the platform will also help you be a better photographer. 

Some stuff is free, like the video tutorial on How To Use The Owner Manual To Your Camera Effectively, and some require a monthly subscription, but you can stop your subscription anytime. 

You can also ask me questions. 

The next series of the Introduction to Photography class starts in February.

And there are other scheduled group classes 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.