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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. 

When we’re studying and practicing our photography, we’ve got two ways to work.

We can get involved in the deliberate creation of the photograph while we’re making it, or we can make multiple pictures without understanding what we’re really doing, then go through them and pick one that works best for us.
 

Both are ways to work, but the first way I mentioned, getting involved in the deliberate creation of a photograph while we’re making it, is a more effective and efficient way to learn photography.
 

When we do that, we’re getting involved in the creative photographic process: the elements of composition, camera operation, light, and the ways they relate.
 

That’s what the photographer I worked with today, during the Master Composition With Your Smartphone class, discovered.

She also expressed interest in a more advanced camera, such as a DSLR or mirrorless model.

And even though she worked with her smartphone today, the thought process she developed will help her make a more informed choice when purchasing a more complex camera.

That’s because the thought process we engage in terms of camera operation, composition, and light is the same regardless of the camera we use.
 

The difference lies in the ergonomics and the camera's complexity.
 

The smartphone the photographer used today had a lotta options.
 

It actually had a manual mode.

The photographer could adjust ISO, shutter speed, and white balance, but I didn't notice any control for aperture, since on most smartphones, if not all, we only have one aperture to choose from per lens.
 

On a more complex camera, when we work in manual exposure mode, we can pick all of those, along with focusing areas, focusing modes, and many more creative controls.
 

Just remember, the more thoughtful and deliberate we are with camera operation, composition, and observing and describing the light we’re working with, the more communicative our pictures are.

In other words, a picture becomes a visual expression of what we want to communicate through our images.
 

No matter how you study and practice with me, I’ll help you be a better photographer.
 

Ways to work with me are listed below.

And remember to keep studying and practicing and make at least one picture a day.

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.

I keep my group classes small 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.