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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. 

( First, a heads up that the Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class—Starts today! If you’re considering registering call Sam first at 202-531-2344 )

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One of the things that drives me up a wall is that a lot of photographers include ISO in what’s incorrectly called “the exposure triangle”.

Aperture and shutter speed are the only two components of exposure; ISO deals with something else entirely.

Now, if they want to call that triangle a tonality triangle instead of an exposure triangle, I’d have no issue with it.

So if ISO isn’t exposure, then what is it?

ISO in a Nutshell

• ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, but in photography, it deals with the light sensitivity of our film or digital sensor.

• On film cameras, ISO indicates the light sensitivity of the film we purchase (ISO 100, 400, 800). The ISO on the film remains the same ISO from frame to frame; in other words, we can’t change the ISO of a movie.

• On digital cameras, we can change the ISO from frame to frame if we want. A higher ISO setting means greater sensitivity to light, but also increased grain (in film) or noise (in digital images).

What’s the Difference Between Film and Digital ISO?

• Film: ISO is a fixed characteristic per roll. We select our film based on its light sensitivity before we put it in the camera and start taking pictures. For example, when we’re buying film, we’ll buy a film designated as 100 ISO, 200 ISO, 400 ISO, 800 ISO, and so on. A lower ISO = smaller grain, which is better for using and more intense transmitting light sources, such as bright, sunny days. On the other hand, a higher ISO means more grain, which is beneficial for less intense transmitting light sources, such as darker overcast days or indoor.

• Digital: ISO is flexible. We can increase or decrease light sensitivity from frame to frame. This is a big advantage because we can easily deal with changing lighting conditions, but remember that higher ISO settings introduce more noise.

Beyond the general associations of light intensity and ISO choice, our job is to figure out which ISO we need to get the photograph we want —and that’s something we get the hang of with intentional studies and practice.

When you participate in my
Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class, you’ll learn to make the best pictures possible while using ISO as an effective compositional element. 

But if the group  schedules don’t work for you, you can schedule
private photography lessons for a more personalized approach.

Or join my Online Learning Platform; you’ll have a bunch of photography lessons at your disposal anytime and anywhere you want.

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

If you’ve got questions or want to talk about the best way for you to learn photography with me, don’t hesitate to reach out.

There’s more ways to study and practice 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.