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.

I've been teaching photography professionally for a long time (since 1998), and I've been a professional photographer for at least a decade before that.

Beyond saying it's a lot, I can't tell you how many photographers I've worked with, and a lot of 'em have told me how I've helped them with their photography studies and practice, and when I hear about that, it reminds me why I enjoy doing the work I do.

You can see comments from the photographers I've worked with on my website and on Yelp, but the ones ya don't see are the ones who contact me directly.

Here's one I got on April 25, 2025, and it came along with a tight picture of a rhinoceros chewin' on some greenery made while the photographer was traveling in the Himalayan region of South Asia.

"Good evening. Hope you are well. Every time I look at my work I think of what you have done for me to get me to this point! Cant say enough about your teaching!"

The picture he made and sent to me took a considerable amount of understanding of camera operation, composition, and light.

The photographer and I started working in mid-February 2024 and met weekly during a series of private in preparation for their scheduled trips to the Galapagos in January and the previously mentioned recent trip to

South Asia.

While I appreciate their comments about my teaching, my teaching is worthless to anyone if they don't apply their effort and work to incorporate it into their studies and practice, and they did.

Here's some of the understanding, skills, and techniques the photographer applied to make that picture:

• Observing and describing the characteristics of light.
• Evaluating the intensity of light through metering.
• Understanding the relationship between lens focal length, shutter speed, and blur caused by motion, especially when handholding the camera during the exposure.
• Focusing modes and areas.
• Thoughtfully controlling aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to get the intended compositional outcome.

The photographer's opportunity to make that picture was about as close to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a picture as we could get.

What's important is they got the picture because of their understanding of photography and the appropriate application of their skills and techniques to make the best picture possible.

Isn't that what we all wanna be able to do?

Photography Basics (Introduction to Photography) classes start soon, but if the schedules don't suit ya, we can do it as a series of private lessons.

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I know I already said it but, the Photography Basics (Introduction To Photography) classes 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.

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.

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