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 who sees it.

Instinct plays a significant role in our photography studies and practice.

But how we use our instincts can help us or hinder us.

One thing is having an instinct/hunch that what we see will make an interesting picture.

That's a helpful way to use our instincts.

It takes courage to do that, and it's vulnerable and personal.

It's another thing to make that picture by operating our camera instinctually.

That way of using our instincts is a hindrance.

It's thrilling to see something and get that instinctual impulse to make a picture and then make it.

What's not so thrilling is making a picture by instinct because we don't understand what we're doing when it comes to camera operation, composition, and light.  

I've met photographers who operate their cameras by instinct instead of understanding and knowing.

It's an awkward, often frustrating, process because we're trying this setting and that setting until we finally get an acceptable picture.

However, most of the time, our instinctual camera operation is a way of working more than we need to because of our lack of understanding and knowledge of composition and light in relation to camera operation.

Let's suppose we're working in manual exposure mode but haven't studied and practiced our photography with the intent to work in manual exposure mode so we can fully understand the relationship between camera operation, composition, and light to make pictures confidently and efficiently.

If that's what we're doing, then the inefficient way of making pictures by instinct is all we have.

But if it's getting you what you want, keep at it.

I'm just sayin' there's a better way.

And it ain't an automatic exposure mode.

It's a way of working our camera intentionally and confidently because we understand the cause and effect of the relationships between camera operation, composition, and light and light.

We'll understand how to meter (measure light intensity) to pick the ISO, aperture, and shutter speeds we need to intentionally and efficiently create the best compositions possible given the light we're working with.  

Of course, I'm talking about manual exposure mode because it's the only one that allows us to control our camera in a way that gives us the most camera functionality, techniques, and creativity.

We can either use an instinctual hit-and-miss approach when making photographs or an approach based on knowledge and understanding.  

The former approach makes us work harder and make more pictures (exposures) than we need to because we don't understand photography.

In contrast, the latter approach allows us to work efficiently and confidently and get our picture done in one exposure.

Take your pick.  
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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.