Business Of Photography – Talent
Talent is not enough.
Not only do you need talent you need a good understanding of the business of photography and a strong work ethic.
Your talent is what distinguishes you from every other photographer out there.
A good understanding of the business of photography will help you make good decisions when it comes to pricing your time, services and photography.
A strong [...]
You Can Photograph Anything
If you have a good understanding of photography and understand how to use your camera you can photograph anything you want.
Low light photography, sports, portraits, landscapes, whatever.
It’s all about understanding your subject as light and using you camera as a light recording tool.
If you can use your camera in manual mode, all the better.
Upcoming photography classes
Bored With Your Photography?
Are you bored of seeing the same things to photograph or do you feel that you need to go to a new place to breathe life back into your photography?
The problem isn’t that you’re seeing the same things over and over again.
The problem is that you’re seeing the same things in the same way.
If you [...]
The “M” On Your Camera Mode Dial
A participant in the Introduction to Photography commented that the “M” on the mode dial on her DSLR no longer meant “mystery” to her.
Beyond what it really means, which is manual exposure mode, I hope it also means…
more fun…
more creativity…
marvelous pictures…
meaningful photographs…
mindful compositions…
etc…
Thank you Alicia.
Take the mystery out of the using the “M” (manual exposure) mode [...]
DC Photography Class – Intermediate Photography classes starting – June 6, 2013
Intermediate Photography classes starting – June 6, 2013
Reinforce your basic photography skills and techniques…
Learn new skills and techniques…
Understand and observe light…
Be more precise in the creation of your photograph…
Have the process of creating a photograph become more second nature…
Learn about basic flash photography…
Learn the basics of color photography…
Create thoughtfully composed photographs that are uniquely yours…
Build [...]
Why You Should Learn To Work Your Camera In Manual Mode
By working your camera in manual mode…
you’ll create thoughtfully composed photographs that will take your photography beyond point and shoot.
you’ll get a good understanding of the basics of photography.
you’ll become a better photographer
your pictures will come out the way you want them to.
you’ll rely on your mind, instead of a machine, to make your pictures.
I [...]
In Photography, The Learning Never Stops
We’re either learning to improve our craft or we’re learning to improve our communication through craft.
There’s always room for improvement.
Improve Your Photography
The Most Important Question You Can Ask Yourself As A Photographer Is…
“What do I think of my work?”
Answer it truthfully.
Your photography depends on it.
See Sam’s Photographs
Take A Photography Class With Sam
How (Exposure) Times Have Changed
Today we make photographs with exposures in fractions of seconds.
The first photograph, created in 1826 by Joseph-Nicephore Niepce, required an 8 hour exposure.
Read more here.
See Sam’s Photographs
Take A Photography Class With Sam
Be A Photographer First
Before you can be a portrait photographer, or a landscape photographer, or a wedding photographer, or a pet photographer or whatever type of photographer you want to be, you have to be a photographer first.
Better yet, be a proficient photographer.
If you don’t have a good foundation in the basics of photography and an understanding of characteristics of light, you’re not as proficient as you [...]
How Long Will your Camera La$t?
Many people think that digital cameras have made makes photography less expensive than using film.
I’m not so sure about that.
I think that in terms of workflow digital capture is much easier. In terms of your wallet, much harder.
When you consider the expense of a digital camera, digital storage, backup, software, and computer hardware I think working [...]
(In)Dependence
If you think that technology will help you be a better photographer then you’ve given control over your photography to the people that want to sell you equipment.
More megapixels, more features, more gadgets, more this, more that.
The people who want to sell you equipment want you to think that there’s always something more in the technology and gadget department to help [...]
Deciding And Decisive
Until you press the shutter release to make an exposure you are a deciding photographer.
When you press the shutter release to make an exposure you are a decisive photographer.
If you are unsure of yourself and continue to make decisions, your pictures are produced from a place of uncertainty. Your work can become diluted if you [...]
Why Aren’t Your Pictures Better?
If you want your pictures to be better you should examine the following:
Do you know enough?
Do you care enough?
Are you afraid?
Knowing enough is easy to fix. Learn more.
Caring enough is easy to fix too. Make sure that you photograph things that interest you.
Fear is the killer. Whatever you’re afraid of is holding you back. Fear keeps the [...]
About Being A Better Photographer
Photography Tips From A Photography Teacher That Are Intended To Help You To Be A Better Photographer
Being a Better Photographer is an area of the Sam D’Amico Photography website.
The content of Being A Better Photographer mainly consists of short posts inspired by conversations during his photography classes. The posts are intended to get you thinking [...]
Who Cares?
Who cares about your photography?
I’m not sure.
I am sure of this though, if you don’t care enough about your photography to give it all you’ve got, no one else will care about your photography.
Your work has to show that you care.
Arts And Crafts
Art is vague because art is subjective and is in the eye of the beholder.
I think to identify oneself as an artist is equally vague.
Art involves subjective judgement.
Craft is distinct and identifiable.
You can, with clarity and certainty, identify yourself as a craftsperson.
Craft involves skillful application of technique.
If you are skillful in your craft you are more likely to produce work that someone may judge as art.
Don’t worry about [...]
Did You See That?
You probably did.
But you probably didn’t see it in the same way that I did.
When it comes to your photography, show how you see instead of what you see.
It’s how we see that makes us distinct as photographers.
Visit samdamico.com to see Sam’s photographs and to take a photography class.
I Hope You Make A Lot Of Mistakes
Are you making mistakes in your photography?
I hope so.
When you make mistakes, you’re challenging yourself.
When you make mistakes, you can learn from your mistakes.
When you make mistakes, you’re doing things that you’re not comfortable doing.
This is how you evolve and progress as a photographer.
Do what you don’t know how to do until you know how to do it.
Do what [...]
A Different Point Of View
When I judged a photography contest yesterday, I felt that I may have fell short of some expectations.
It was a themed contest titled “A Different Point Of View”.
I have my idea of what “A Different Point Of View” means and the people that I disappointed have a different point of view of what “A Different [...]
Photography Is Not Math
There are two very simple math equations below. One is right and one is wrong.
2 + 2 = 4
2 + 2 = 5
Math is right or wrong.
The photographs that we make are not math.
There are no right or wrong photographs.
There are no right or wrong ways to create photographs.
There are no right or wrong cameras [...]
A Lesson From A Dog In Developing Your Photographic Style
Have you ever seen a dog chase its tail?
The dog is trying to catch something that it already has.
Are you trying to find your style as a photographer?
You already have it.
Your personal perception and experience of whatever you are photographing is your “style”.
Once you learn how to use the craft of photography to communicate your personal perception and experience, your “style” can [...]
Camera Centric Vs. Light Centric
When you start to learn photography you also start to learn how to work your camera.
You get caught up in learning how to use your camera to create a photograph.
You pay attention to camera operation and equipment
At this point you are camera centric.
While it’s important be camera centric for a period of time, there comes a time when being camera centric [...]
Do You Know Your Camera?
Do you know what your camera does and how it does it?
Your camera has many features and does a lot, but in my opinion there are three primary things that you should know how to do with your camera. You should know how to focus, meter and expose.
If you aren’t doing these things, your camera [...]
