Ever find yourself looking for others to approve of your photography?

It’s easy to get caught up in chasing approval—likes, comments, and affirmations from other photographers give us an unreliable gauge of our work.
 

So what’s a reliable gauge of our work?

Take a look in the mirror.

The bottom line is that the only approval that really matters and is the most reliable is our own.

When we depend on others to validate our work, we lose sight of what makes our photographs ours in the first place.

Recently, a photographer who was studying and practicing with me frequently asked, “Is this good enough?”

And each time I’d respond with a simple, beneficial question: What do you think?

When we focus on earning our own approval, we start to develop our own way as photographers.

That’s when our work becomes meaningful and unique.

If we’re always looking for outside validation, we’ll never develop our unique visual voice.
 

Instead, we’ve gotta learn to trust our judgment and be happy with our progress.
 

Our approval comes first—anything else is just extra.

 Keep studying, keep practicing, make at least one thoughtful and intentional poctire a day.
 

And remember, when it comes to our photography, our approval matters most.

The January series of the Photography Basics/Introduction To Photography class starts as early as this Sunday, January 4.

You’ll learn to work your camera in manual exposure mode, so you’ll have control of every compositional element when it comes to camera operation.

When we do that, we communicate exactly what we wanna say through our photography.

And if that's something you'd

like to learn, register for the Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class.

About Sam

Sam D'Amico, a professional photographer and photography instructor, helps anyone who wants to be a better photographer. 

He'll work with his students to increase their understanding of camera operation, composition, light, and lighting. 

Sam started working as a professional photographer in the mid-1980s.

Most notably, from 1992 to 1997, while working as a freelance photographer, he photographed over 500 assignments for the New York Times.

Additionally, Sam received awards for his work while exhibiting his photographs in shows. 

Sam began teaching photography professionally in 1998 through the Highland Park, N.J. recreation department. 

In 2002 Sam moved to Washington, D.C., and began teaching at the accredited Washington School of Photography in Bethesda, Md.

It was in 2003 that Sam developed his curriculum and started teaching classes in Washington, D.C. 

In 2018 and 2022, the Sam D'Amico Photography Classes were voted the "Best of DC" art class by the readers of the Washington City Paper. 

Many photography teachers spend a lot of time teaching about DSLRs and rules of composition that create homogenized, rigid photographs.

On the other hand, Sam teaches about camera operation, thought process, and the individual photographer's visual communication intent. 

This approach to teaching allows his students to use ANY camera (yes, even the camera on their phone) and break free of the rules of composition.

Approaching the creative process this way allows for fluid and spontaneous photographs unique to the photographer creating them.

Sam encourages his students to find their ways as photographers. 

He instills the skills in his students that result in creative, engaging, and unique compositions that reflect the photographer's intended one-of-a-kind visual expression.