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Hello, .

Beware! 

Creative vampires exist!  

I was reminded of this during the first Introduction To Photography class meeting on Monday, February 5.

All of us get bitten; it's hard not to. 

Especially when we lack what they hate the most- the garlic-like protection of understanding photography.  

The creative vampires come in many forms, but the most recognizable are the rules of composition propagating, alpha-dog, know-it-all photographers who'll critique your work and tell you how you could've done it better by doing it like them. They'll also tell you what equipment you need without knowing anything about who you are or what you do as a photographer.  

They know a lot about cameras and equipment but not much about understanding photography as a skilled craft because that's the garlic that repels them. 

They'll suck the vitality out of your work with their general opinionated advice instead of knowing you and how to feed your creativity with specific, guidance-based learning. 

Specific guidance-based learning starts with knowing who you are as a photographer and where you want to go with your photography. 

Understanding how camera operation, light, and compositional techniques relate is essential. That's our garlic against the creative vampires.

But the creative vampires keep us from relating.  

When we seek help, they seem to appear out of nowhere.

They hypnotize us into thinking there are shortcuts and easy ways to become a better photographer.

You've seen them with your eyes while watching online videos and heard them in the winds of a changing photography landscape.  

Their hypnotic powers control us into thinking that we need a better camera to become a better photographer instead of a better way to think about photography.  

In other words, they disguise themselves as the get-thisters and the get-thatsters because they think the answer to being a better photographer is to change our cameras instead of changing our minds. 

Here's the thing: I don't think the vampires know they're vampires. 

They view photography through the haze of their hypnotic, unknowing state and thrive on hypnotizing other photographers to join them in their counter-creative way of approaching photography. 

Their approach to photography is a creativity-deadening, narrow-minded, rule-filled, narrow path instead of a creativity-awakening, open-minded, rule-emptied, expansive vista. 

When I teach, I see how the creative vampires affect the photographers I work with.   

But we're never too far gone. We've got to change our approach by developing intentional and consistent photography studies and practice, including camera operation, composition, and light.

That's our garlic and the protective amulet that allows us to recognize and ward off the creative vampires. 

There are two more Introduction To Photography classes starting this week.  

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.