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. 

There’s some things we do as photographers that make our pictures look like everybody else’s.
 

Doing the obvious, like working in an automatic exposure mode, makes the act of making a photograph a simple, easily understood process.
 

But, on the other hand, since photography is a complex creative process, doing the obvious makes our work less obvious when it comes to standing out from other photographers.

That’s because when we stick to doing the obvious, like working in an automatic exposure mode or mindlessly following rules of composition or other must-do tips and tricks, our pictures fall into the ocean of sameness.

If we want our work to stand out, then doing whatever everyone else is doing ain’t what we should be doing.

In other words, we gotta stop doing the obvious because it results in compositional same old same old.

Why Is Doing the Obvious the Worst Thing We Could Do Creatively?

• The rules just repeat the same habits photographers have adopted before; that’s not the way to do something new.
• There’s safety and comfort in the obvious, but it’s also creatively stifling and puts a blindfold on our unique way of seeing. It also tosses out the window our ability to think freely and creatively about what we see.
• Our photographs stand out when we pay attention to our unique visual sensitivity and operate our camera in a way that expresses our unique visual voice. When we express our unique visual voice, we express how we think about what we see, and since no one thinks about the same thing in the same way, our compositions reflect that uniqueness of thought.

When we get tired of our work having the same look as almost every other photographer out there, we start to break away from the obvious and start questioning things like rules of composition and other axioms that are supposed to help us make outstanding photographs.
 

When we toss all that aside and begin to think for ourselves, with a mind that understands the complexities of photography, our pictures are no longer formulaic.

Instead, they become spontaneous, one-of-a-kind visual expressions based on the unique mind that thinks about what’s seen.

When we understand photography and use our camera as a compositional tool, like a writer uses a pen, we can express ourselves uniquely through a photograph.
 

If you’d like to intentionally study, practice, and develop your approach to photography, my Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography classes will help you do that.

Or, if you want one-on-one attention, you can always book Private Lessons.

If you'd rather learn at your own pace, check out Sam's Online Learning Platform for more ways to study and practice with me.

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.