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. 

Working in automatic exposure mode is safe.
 

It’ll get us a picture, but it rarely gets us the picture we want.

If we don’t know what we’re doing when it comes to photography, we tend to repeat the same actions over and over again, such as working in automatic exposure mode.
 

However, the frustration we experience when doing that gets old quick and can prevent us from pursuing and achieving what we wanted to do in the first place, which is to be the best photographer we can be.

On the other hand, when we start learning about photography, we begin to move out of doing the same thing that makes us feel safe.

We’re starting to explore working with aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focusing modes, and focusing areas, as well as a lot more camera functionality that we never get to experiment with in automatic exposure mode.
 

It’s that curious exploration that’ll help us become better photographers.
 

Sure, we’ll make a lot of mistakes, but we’ll learn from them.
 

When it comes to expressing ourselves creatively, nothing beats manual exposure mode.
 

Here’s a quick rundown of automatic versus manual exposure.

Automatic vs. Manual Exposure

• Automatic Exposure: Quick and easy, but the camera makes the picture for us, and we have extremely limited creative control. It’s great for getting a picture, but it’s not so great for getting the images we want by being intentional with camera operation.
   
• Manual Exposure: We get total creative control. We decide how to work with the light we have and how to control the camera to get the compositions we want. How light, shadow, and depth come together.
   

Why Make the Switch?

• When we are working in manual exposure mode, we become problem solvers. We solve those problems with an understanding of intentional camera operation, observation, and description of light, and knowing that we have unlimited creative outcomes in terms of the pictures we can create.

• It helps us increase our visual awareness, deepen our visual vocabulary, and use our camera as a tool to express our unique visual voice.

I’m here to help you learn how to work in manual exposure mode and express yourself intentionally, with the utmost creativity, as a photographer.
 

Remember, it’s not the camera that makes the picture, it’s the photographer who makes the photograph.
 

That means we’ve (photographers) gotta learn about camera operation, composition, and light.

And that’s what I’m here to help you do.
 

Wanna learn to work your camera so you can make the pictures you want that communicate what you want?

You’ll learn to do that during my Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class.

But if the group intro class schedule don’t work for you, you can also opt for a series of private photography lessons for a more personalized approach. 

Or join my Online Learning Platform; it’s like having a bunch of photography lessons at your disposal anytime and anywhere you want.

However you choose to learn, I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me.

There’s more ways to learn with me below.

The Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography classes are starting soon.
 

If you can’t make any of those schedules, Private Lessons would be the way to go.

If none of my in-person ways of learning work for you, then you can study and practice at your own pace and schedule by joinining me on my Online Learning Platform for Photographers.

It’s the next best thing to taking an in-person class with me; you could even ask me questions, and members get exclusive access to all the other member-only educational content created to help you be the best photographer you can be.  

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

Access to this content and other content related to the photography classes I teach in person requires a membership, which costs $25 a month. (You can also join for free and get access to content that’s available to everyone.) 

Here’s the link: Online Learning Platform for Photographers 

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 in-person scheduled group classes? Then, in-person Private Lessons suited to your schedule are always an option.