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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. 

I’ve come to believe that there’s two kinds of luck, and we’ve gotta learn to work with both of ‘em.
 

There’s either “lucky-luck” or the “luck we earn”.

Lucky-lucks is undeserved, and certainly unearned- it’s just like a bolt out of the blue, it comes outta nowhere, we have nothing to do with lucky-luck.
 

When we find five bucks on the street, that’s lucky-luck.

As photographers, lucky-luck shows up when we stumble on something unexpected we wanna make a picture of.

Earned luck, on the other hand, happens because we put in a lot of our attention and effort.
 

Earned luck is well deserved.

Lucky-luck is an unexpected surprise that’s an opportunity to utilize our earned luck.
 

Our earned luck kicks in when, after luckily stumbling on something unexpected (lucky-luck), we take out our cameras, evaluate the light, and know what to do regarding camera operation to get the compositions we want (earned luck).

When we find a client, or a client finds us, who pays us fairly for our work, that’s earned luck because the client noticed that we know what we’re doing because of the skills we acquired during our studies and practice.
 

As photographers, we create our own (earned) luck when we become familiar with the light we’re working with and understand how to operate our cameras to get the best photographs we can.
 

The photographer I worked with today during a Private Lesson has earned their luck, but they also learned that when lucky-luck shows up

they recognize it, take advantage of it, and let their earned luck kick in.
 

We can’t make lucky-luck show up.

The only thing we can do is recognize it when it does; when it does, we’ve gotta be ready for it and take advantage of it by using the earned luck we acquired during our studies and practice.

It’s not easy or smart to stick around long enough to get lucky, so we’ve got to create our own luck by being attentive and skillful photographers while working with the two types of luck.
 
The  Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class starts soon, or check out DC Private Photography Lessons for one-on-one learning. 

You can also study at your own pace on Sam's Online Learning Platform.

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 soono.
 

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.