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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 who sees it.

When we critique our picture and say we don't like it, do we notice the specifics of why we don't like it?

Most of us would answer yes.

We might use words and terms like "blurry," "overexposed or underexposed," "out of focus," "not vibrant," etc.  

Those words and terms describe the visual characteristics of our picture, which we're not thrilled with.

If we could've done things differently, we would've, and our picture would be precisely how we wanted it.

Depending on what we photographed, we can get a "do-over," but a lotta of the time, we can't.

If we can get a do-over, we can use it as a learning opportunity and correct the picture as long as we notice the mistake and know what we did in terms of camera operation that caused the outcome we ain't happy with and correct.

For example, if we notice our picture is "overexposed or underexposed" (in my visual vocabulary, if the tonality is too bright or dark), we can make the picture again and increase or decrease exposure or ISO to increase or decrease tonality.

On the other hand, if what we photographed was a moment in flux, we don't get a do-over.

Depending on how unique and important that moment in flux was, like a child's first step vs. a random car driving by, we'll experience appropriately varying levels of frustration and disappointment.

Whether we photograph things that can be "done over" or things that can't, we don't get the pictures we want on the first exposure because we don't know what we're doing regarding camera operation, composition, and light.

Regardless of what we photograph, the problem is we've already made the picture by the time we notice our mistake, and then we've gotta make another picture, if we can, to fix it.

If it's too late to make another picture to fix our mistake, we try to fix it by minimizing the error on our computer using editing software.  

But what if we could learn to operate our camera intentionally to get the best compositions in whatever light is available and not make any mistakes?

We would learn about camera operation and composition and notice, evaluate, and describe the characteristics of light.

We learn to shift our experience from noticing our mistakes after we make and critique our picture to noticing, describing, and evaluating light and relating it to camera operation and composition.

We can learn to do that, and when we do, we stop making mistakes because we understand what we're doing as photographers, and we get the best, mistake-free pictures we can on the first exposure.
 

The Introduction To Photography class starts soon. 
  
More ways to study and practice photography with me are below.

Call me if you need help determining the best course for you.

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

Currently scheduled classes are below.

Smaller classes mean better learning, so class sizes are limited to 5 participants plus me.

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker, so sign up soon. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? Private in-person lessons suited to your schedule are always an option.

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