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.

A couple of days ago, I sent you an email titled “The Aha Moment-08232025.”

If you want to revisit it, you could view it on the Newsletter Hub (there’s a link to the Newsletter Hub somewhere in this email).

I want to elaborate on something I wrote in there, and that’s what this excerpt contains.

“When a teacher creates the right conditions for students, the teacher uses approaches, strategies, and methods, along with connections and approaches that contribute to a student’s mindset and willingness to learn, and have much to do with the teacher’s pedagogical methods.”

What I wanted to elaborate on is the “connections”.

Of course, there’s a connection the teacher makes with the students while interacting with them.

But the connections I wanna talk about are about the connections we make between camera operation, composition, and light.
 

The first connection we make is with light.

We see something, and we get the impulse to make a photograph. Of course, that’s something we wanna make a picture of, which is light.

The simple part seems to be seeing something and getting the impulse to make a photograph.

But what happens after that is more of a complex process that requires connections.

When we take out our camera to make a picture of what we’re seeing, we need to know what we’re doing with our camera and how what we’re doing affects our composition.

If we’re working in an automatic exposure mode or using the camera in our phone mode, the only things we have to be aware of are our framing and content, and when we decide to press the shutter release to make the exposure.

Although we can add a bit more complexity and be more connected to our process when using the cameras on our phones, like choosing where to focus and controlling our tonality, most of us don’t use the camera on our phones that way.

If we have a DSLR or a mirrorless camera with manual exposure mode capability, we can make the most connections with camera operation, composition, and light.

The more connections we can make, the more expressive our photography can be.

The connections I’m talking about are how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO relate to the composition we want based on the light we’re seeing.
 

I teach this in my Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) class, and we start making those connections immediately during our first meeting.

When we meet for our second meeting and go over the homework from week one, the participants are more confident and feel more in control of their compositions. At that point, all we’ve done is learn how to control tonality( the picture's brightness).

That’s because the participants have a solid foundation in making a basic connection between camera operation, light, and composition that dramatically affects the photograph.

Of course, during weeks two, three, and four, we make many more connections.

I’ve got Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) classes starting soon. 

I’ll help you be a better photographer by making those connections.
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In addition to the In-person ways to learn photography with me listed below, I’ve got collections of tutorials on my Online Learning Platform for Photographers that’ll help you learn to be a better photographer.

Access to this content and other content related to the photography classes I teach in person requires a membership, which costs $25 a month.

As one member told me, it’s cheaper than their weekly coffee habit, and more useful than any YouTube videos they’ve watched, especially since they could ask me questions.

Here’s the link:Online Learning Platform for Photographers

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The Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) classes are starting soon.
 

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

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Become a better photographer by joining my Online Learning Platform for Photographers – Study and practice at your own pace with access to exclusive content, assignments, and feedback.

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.