Master the fundamentals of photography in Washington, DC, with award-winning professional photographer and educator Sam D'Amico. This comprehensive course teaches you to work effectively with your camera, understand the principles of light and composition, and develop a photographer's eye. By learning to work in manual exposure mode, you'll take control of your camera rather than letting it make decisions for you, enabling precise compositional choices in every shot.
What You'll Learn:
Throughout this course, you'll develop essential skills, including how to evaluate and respond to different lighting conditions, create compelling photographs by assessing available light, meter carefully in manual exposure mode, and thoughtfully use aperture, shutter speed, and ISO as compositional elements. You'll master manual control of picture tonality (the relative lightness and darkness in your photographs) and learn how to use white balance settings as an intentional compositional tool. These lessons combine practical technique with thoughtful visual design principles.
Camera Requirements:
You'll need any camera that allows full manual mode operation.
Learning Approach:
Sam balances instruction with hands-on practice throughout the course. Rather than lecture-only sessions, you'll practice camera operation and technique in class regularly, allowing you to immediately apply newly learned skills to your own compositions. This immediate application helps you develop muscle memory and understanding simultaneously. Beyond technical camera work, you'll learn to think like a photographer through group discussions and critiques that build your critical vocabulary and visual awareness.
Assignments Outside Class:
Homework assignments reinforce lessons from class but remain flexible in subject matter. This approach allows you to photograph subjects that genuinely interest you, making practice more meaningful. As class participants share different types of work (4 by 6 inch prints work best when meeting in person), conversations naturally arise about photographic choices. These discussions help develop the thought process and vocabulary essential to your ongoing growth as a photographer.
