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. 

Photography's become a populist craft.

I know the term 'populist' usually refers to politics, but I consider photography a populist craft because, looking past political communication, it's accessible to nearly everyone; it's inherently a populist craft.

From personal photos to digital sharing, photography's ubiquity is unlike that of older art forms, which were usually seen as only available to the elite.

And because of photography's popularity, I imagine that there has never been a time in history when we've been bombarded with so much photographic imagery.

A lot of us have cameras, and if we do, we're makin' pictures.

The thing I struggle with isn't the volume of cameras, images, or photographers; it's that we've depersonalized photography by allowing cameras to do the work that photographers should be doin'.

I'm talking about using a camera in fully automatic exposure mode.

There's nothing that takes the humanity out of a picture more than a machine that makes pictures for humans.

Camera manufacturers are in the business of selling as many cameras as they can; they aren't going to take responsibility for the lack of human involvement in expressive photography.

Only humans can shoulder that responsibility.

When our cameras make mindless pictures based on mathematical and technical criteria (rather than a human making mindful, subjective, intentionally expressive ones), what the picture lacks is the photographer's control over critical creative elements like motion-blur, depth of field, tonality control, and the observation, description and subjective interpretation of light-what we get is technically correct but emotioinally sterile imagery.

When someone sees the pictures we make, what do our photographs say?

If we're working our camera in automatic exposure mode, we're depersonalizing our photography, but if we wanna put the human back in our pictures, we gotta learn photography.  

Specifically, we gotta learn camera operation, composition, and how to observe and describe light.

As soon as we start to understand what we're doing as photographers, we get involved in our photography.

And as soon as we become involved in photography, we learn to use the camera as an expressive tool rather than a mindless, unfeeling machine that records light without thought or emotion.

When we start to care enough to express ourselves through a camera and communicate to the world what matters to us, rather than having a camera create an uncaring, technically correct, algorithmic picture, we become better photographers whose work has an impact when seen.

When you're ready to have your pictures connect on a human level my Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class will help you develop your unique visual voice so you can say what you wanna say while learning to understand the interplay of camera operation, composition, and light.

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.

—

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.