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.

Our pictures either work or they don’t work.
 

Notice I’m not saying that they’re good or bad.

What I’m saying is they either express our intent of communication or not.
 

When our picture doesn’t work, it tells us we need to understand more about photography.

Specifically, we need to understand more about camera operation, composition, light, or maybe all three.

Cameras exist so photographers can make photographs.
 

Remember, cameras are light recording tools.

Photographers are supposed to use this tool to help them see and help improve the world around them.

Photographers improve the world by recording facts, like photojournalists do, and they could also improve the world through personal expression as artists.

Either way, both approaches to photography are an intentional visual communication.

If we have a camera, we should use it often.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the camera on our phones or more complex cameras like DSLRs or mirrorless cameras.

As a hammer and saw are tools to a carpenter, a camera is a tool to photographers.

Just like a carpenter doesn’t expect to use a hammer or a saw automatically, they use them thoughtfully; the same goes for our camera.

Using a camera in automatic exposure mode removes our intent from the picture.

And taking our intent out of the picture drastically weakens our visual communication.

If we use our camera in automatic exposure mode and let it use its algorithms to make the picture instead of using our minds, and our pictures aren’t working for us compositionally, don’t blame the camera.

Remember, our camera doesn’t know what we want to communicate.
 

Our camera doesn’t think, and it doesn’t know; it doesn’t make good pictures, and it doesn’t make bad pictures.

It all falls on the photographer.

Since it all falls on us, we should work in manual exposure mode.

That’s because working in manual exposure mode allows for the most camera functionality; when we get the most camera functionality, we get the most creativity.

The Introduction To Photography classes are starting soon.
 

If the schedules don’t work for you, we could arrange a series of private lessonscovering the same material.

The Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) group classes starts soon or you can learn the same stuff as a series of Private Lessons.
  
More ways to study and practice photography with me are below.

Call me at (202) 531-2344 if you need help determining the best course for you.

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A note about group class sizes: Did you know that some places that teach photography have up to 25 students in each class? 

Bigger ain't always better.

That's why I limit my group classes to no more than five participants because smaller classes make for better, more effective, and more efficient learning experiences.

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

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

Currently scheduled classes are below.

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.