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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 always something to learn, even from the types of work we don't wanna be good at.  

For example, I never wanted to be a good studio photographer. 

Still, I studied and practiced studio photography at one point because I wanted to learn about the characteristics of light and how to do "lighting" to become a more versatile news photographer.

The funny thing about that class is that I almost failed it.

It was a long time ago, but as I remember, it was a six-week class that met once a week for four hours.

The teacher was a prominent tabletop still and not-so-still-life photographer whose work intrigued me.

The first two hours were lecture and hands-on learning by doing, with demonstrations by the teacher.

We would get a short break and then return to the studio to study and practice with the studio equipment and apply what we learned during the first half of the class.

I never came back to class after the breaks.  

During the third week, the teacher asked to speak with me while dismissing us for the break. 

They informed me that since I was missing 50 percent of the class by never returning after a break, my grade wasn't looking too good.

I understood their point and agreed that I deserved the crappy grade, and then explained how I was applying what I learned in the class to my work as a newspaper photographer.

I adapted everything I learned from the teacher in that class to my use of portable flash and began getting more newspaper and magazine assignments.

As I continued the class, I brought in the published tearsheets from the work I was doing that related to the class and described to the teacher how I was applying the techniques taught in the class to a single portable flash.  

I got a B in the class, but the teacher informed me that I would've gotten an A if I had stayed after the breaks.

The point of this story is that as long as we understand camera operation, light, and the intent of our composition, we can do whatever work we want and do it well. 

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.