Today was the second week of the Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class, and not only were the photographers in the class registered, but they were also enrolled in the class.
 

It’s one thing to be registered for a class; it’s another to be enrolled.

Here’s what I mean.

I think of enrollment as the environment we’re in and what we do in it.
 

It’s learning through challenges and difficulties.

It helps to be supported and pressured by the teacher.
 

There are expectations laid out and, hopefully, met.

There are small steps to learning that lead to wanting to learn more.
 

Enrolling in a photography class goes beyond paying a registration fee to hold our space; it’s about our enrollment in the process of learning.

It’s about stepping into an environment where our progress is shaped by the people around us, the challenges we face, and the support we get and give.
 

The four class meetings are built on small steps of learning.

Sometimes it’s learning about tonality, sometimes it’s learning about how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO control depth of field, blur, and noise, and a lot of the time it’s about making pictures and critiquing them after learning in small steps.

Each small success drives us to learn another thing and achieve another small success.

Those small steps and those small successes add up.

We start to understand that the results we want are tied to the process we’re enrolled in.
 

Over time, we appreciate the process, not just the results.
 

The more we show up and do what we need to do, the more effort we’re willing to put in, and the more satisfying the outcomes will be.
 

That’s how we increase our appetite for learning—and for making better pictures.

Register for the Photography Basics/Introduction to Photography class, or book private lessons-either way, you’ll be enrolled.

 
However you choose to study and practice with me, I’ll help you become the best photographer you can be.

And if you’re not sure which class fits your needs, just ask—I’m always happy to help.

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.