UUOnline Mentoring: Visual Storytelling with Sony Artisan Paul Gero
We all want to learn the art of visual storytelling, and now you can with Sony Artisan of Imagery Paul Gero! This series of five livestream sessions will mainly focus on still photography, but Paul will also show you how he's been incorporating video into his work over the last 6 months.
Over the five sessions, the goal is to help you capture both stills and video without fear. It's no longer two worlds! You will learn everything from understanding your Sony camera gear*, exposure, finding and creating moments, post-processing for stills, and a quick start to video capture. Each session will include a review from different students work.
Let's work together and learn ways to take compelling stills and videos of your family, and other subjects, and turn them into a powerful story. By the end of the 5 sessions, each student should have a story that they are proud to share.
TUESDAYS (2pm - 3:30pm EDT)
Session 1: June 16th
Session 2: June 23rd
Session 3: June 30th
Session 4: July 7th
Session 5: July 14th
HOW TO WATCH: Registrants will receive a Zoom invite the day of each session. As sessions are completed, they will become viewable as recorded videos under your "Unique University Online" account tab. You can rewatch any sessions at your leisure until the last session (7/14/20).
*Limited to 14 registrants.
*Sony gear will be discussed throughout, but you don't have to be a Sony shooter to participate in this workshop.
*Email [email protected] with any questions!
*See below for more info on covered topics.
Cameras and lenses, and the "why" behind their selections.
••• Exposure •••
How to control exposure and working with the end in mind.
••• Moments •••
How to recognize and capture natural storytelling moments.
••• Portraits •••
How to get evocative and compelling portraits with simple tools.
••• Post •••
How to use workflow tools, like Lightroom, to share your stories. Plus, using Sony's Imaging Edge to get photos online from your camera in the field.
••• Video •••
A quick start and setup guide for making videos with your camera.
••• Gaining Mastery •••
How to raise the standards of your work through feedback and self-critique.
PAUL GERO is a portrait and wedding photographer and has been working professionally for over 35 years. Prior to creating a portrait and wedding business he was a photojournalist for two major metropolitan newspapers (The Chicago Tribune in Chicago and Washington, DC and The Arizona Republic in Phoenix) and photographed thousands of assignments from pro sports, business portraits, documentary stories as well as general assignment work. His images have been published in magazines around the world during his career. He has been a Sony Artisan of Imagery since 2014 and speaks often about Sony mirrorless cameras at professional gatherings.
He and his wife Nicki run their business from their home base in Lake Mills, WI (his home state) after nearly 17 years in Southern California while raising their two children Kate and Sparky. Documenting their lives is his favorite and most personal photography project.
Unique University® is the highly acclaimed education component of Unique Photo®, NJ’s only camera and video superstore. There is over 2000 sq. ft. of learning space, including our state-of-the art, 1000 sq. ft. main presentation hall. Unique University’s mission is to help our visitors “Create Better Pictures” by providing photography education for beginners to pros. With events daily, it is the place where photography groups such as local camera clubs, ASMP, PPA and others meet. We have a full curriculum of classes and seminars from world famous speakers such as Art Wolfe, Rick Sammon, Michael Yamashita, Tyler Stableford, Lindsay Adler, and Will Crockett. We offer photography experiences to such places as the Lakota Wolf Preserve, Wolf Conservation Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rutgers Football, Longwood Gardens, Festival of Ballooning, and much more. Our technical classes include such topics as basic digital photography, lighting techniques, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, macro photography, composition, editing and printing, wedding photography, HDR photography, working with speedlights, how to use social media, digital organization, one-on-one instruction, and much, much more.
FAQ UNIVERSITY
Where are classes held?
Unless stated otherwise, most classes are held in the Unique University classroom within the Unique Photo Superstore (123 US Highway 46 West, Fairfield, NJ 07004). We also hold classes at our Hoboken, NJ and Philadelphia, PA locations.
What should I bring to class?
You're encouraged to bring your camera and a notebook and pen to most classes. Some classes will require additional equipment, so please check the class descriptions.
Will lunch or refreshments be included?
Lunch and refreshments are not provided for any classes under 6 hours unless noted.
How do I register for a class?
You can register online, in-store at the concierge, or by phone at either 973-377-6454 or 973-377-2007. Please note that you will need to provide payment information.
Can I register at the door?
For most classes, you're free to register at the concierge desk prior to the start of the class. Please note that there are some classes that offer "Early Bird Special" rates and others that have limited seating, so it would be in your best interest to register early for such classes.
I wanted to register for ______ class, but it is now sold out. Is there a waiting list?
Please contact us at 973-377-6454 or [email protected] with the following information: your name, phone number, email address, and the class name and date.
My question has not been addressed here. Is there someone I can contact?
Please contact us at 973-377-6454 or [email protected] with any additional inquiries.
Unique University Class Cancellation Policy
- Classes costing less than $99 may be canceled up to 48 hours in advance for a full refund. For classes costing $100 or more, advanced notice of seven days before the class is necessary for a full refund.
- Requests for cancellation made after these deadlines will be awarded store credit in the amount paid for registration towards a future Unique University seminar or workshop.
- Cancellations made within 24 hours of the beginning of a class will not be honored and no refund or credit will be given.
- Cancellations of any class utilizing models will be subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of the purchased price (up to $100).
** Attention American Express cardholders: If you cancel a registration for a class costing $100 or more, there will be a 3% cancellation fee deducted from your refund or store credit.
Getting Started
How to Submit
Who Can Enter
Must be 18 years or older at time of entry.
Employees & affiliates of Unique Photo are not eligible.
Photos must be original work submitted by the photographer.
Content must be free of offensive or inappropriate material.
Judging Criteria
Entries are judged on creativity, originality, and adherence to the contest theme. The panel's decision is final.
Entry Requirements
Contest Rules
All photographers retain full copyright to their images. By entering, you grant Unique Photo permission to use your photos on social media for promotional purposes.
Please upload a JPEG image. Resize photographs to under 8MB per photo before submitting.
DO NOT include watermarks on photographs — images with watermarks will be disqualified from entry.
Winners will be announced one week after the deadline on Instagram @UniquePhoto.
Having trouble with the form? Email your info and photos directly to our team.
[email protected]Terms & Conditions ▼
Submission Guidelines: Photos must be original and submitted by the photographer. Submissions must not contain offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content. Number of photos and submission deadline will be determined by the specific Creators Challenge contest.
Copyright & Usage Rights: All photographers retain full copyrights to their submitted photos. By entering, participants grant Unique Photo a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, and publish their submitted photos on social media and other digital channels for promotional purposes. No modifications will be made without prior consent, except for minor cropping or resizing.
Judging: Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and adherence to the contest theme. The decision of the judging panel is final and binding.
Liability: By entering, participants agree to release Unique Photo and its affiliates from any liability, injury, loss, or damage arising from this contest or any prize won.
Privacy: Personal information collected will only be used to administer the contest and will not be shared with third parties.
Modifications: Unique Photo reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest due to technical issues or unforeseen circumstances. For questions, contact [email protected].
Cameras and lenses, and the "why" behind their selections.
••• Exposure •••
How to control exposure and working with the end in mind.
••• Moments •••
How to recognize and capture natural storytelling moments.
••• Portraits •••
How to get evocative and compelling portraits with simple tools.
••• Post •••
How to use workflow tools, like Lightroom, to share your stories. Plus, using Sony's Imaging Edge to get photos online from your camera in the field.
••• Video •••
A quick start and setup guide for making videos with your camera.
••• Gaining Mastery •••
How to raise the standards of your work through feedback and self-critique.
PAUL GERO is a portrait and wedding photographer and has been working professionally for over 35 years. Prior to creating a portrait and wedding business he was a photojournalist for two major metropolitan newspapers (The Chicago Tribune in Chicago and Washington, DC and The Arizona Republic in Phoenix) and photographed thousands of assignments from pro sports, business portraits, documentary stories as well as general assignment work. His images have been published in magazines around the world during his career. He has been a Sony Artisan of Imagery since 2014 and speaks often about Sony mirrorless cameras at professional gatherings.
He and his wife Nicki run their business from their home base in Lake Mills, WI (his home state) after nearly 17 years in Southern California while raising their two children Kate and Sparky. Documenting their lives is his favorite and most personal photography project.
Unique University® is the highly acclaimed education component of Unique Photo®, NJ’s only camera and video superstore. There is over 2000 sq. ft. of learning space, including our state-of-the art, 1000 sq. ft. main presentation hall. Unique University’s mission is to help our visitors “Create Better Pictures” by providing photography education for beginners to pros. With events daily, it is the place where photography groups such as local camera clubs, ASMP, PPA and others meet. We have a full curriculum of classes and seminars from world famous speakers such as Art Wolfe, Rick Sammon, Michael Yamashita, Tyler Stableford, Lindsay Adler, and Will Crockett. We offer photography experiences to such places as the Lakota Wolf Preserve, Wolf Conservation Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rutgers Football, Longwood Gardens, Festival of Ballooning, and much more. Our technical classes include such topics as basic digital photography, lighting techniques, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, macro photography, composition, editing and printing, wedding photography, HDR photography, working with speedlights, how to use social media, digital organization, one-on-one instruction, and much, much more.
FAQ UNIVERSITY
Where are classes held?
Unless stated otherwise, most classes are held in the Unique University classroom within the Unique Photo Superstore (123 US Highway 46 West, Fairfield, NJ 07004). We also hold classes at our Hoboken, NJ and Philadelphia, PA locations.
What should I bring to class?
You're encouraged to bring your camera and a notebook and pen to most classes. Some classes will require additional equipment, so please check the class descriptions.
Will lunch or refreshments be included?
Lunch and refreshments are not provided for any classes under 6 hours unless noted.
How do I register for a class?
You can register online, in-store at the concierge, or by phone at either 973-377-6454 or 973-377-2007. Please note that you will need to provide payment information.
Can I register at the door?
For most classes, you're free to register at the concierge desk prior to the start of the class. Please note that there are some classes that offer "Early Bird Special" rates and others that have limited seating, so it would be in your best interest to register early for such classes.
I wanted to register for ______ class, but it is now sold out. Is there a waiting list?
Please contact us at 973-377-6454 or [email protected] with the following information: your name, phone number, email address, and the class name and date.
My question has not been addressed here. Is there someone I can contact?
Please contact us at 973-377-6454 or [email protected] with any additional inquiries.
Unique University Class Cancellation Policy
- Classes costing less than $99 may be canceled up to 48 hours in advance for a full refund. For classes costing $100 or more, advanced notice of seven days before the class is necessary for a full refund.
- Requests for cancellation made after these deadlines will be awarded store credit in the amount paid for registration towards a future Unique University seminar or workshop.
- Cancellations made within 24 hours of the beginning of a class will not be honored and no refund or credit will be given.
- Cancellations of any class utilizing models will be subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of the purchased price (up to $100).
** Attention American Express cardholders: If you cancel a registration for a class costing $100 or more, there will be a 3% cancellation fee deducted from your refund or store credit.
Getting Started
How to Submit
Who Can Enter
Must be 18 years or older at time of entry.
Employees & affiliates of Unique Photo are not eligible.
Photos must be original work submitted by the photographer.
Content must be free of offensive or inappropriate material.
Judging Criteria
Entries are judged on creativity, originality, and adherence to the contest theme. The panel's decision is final.
Entry Requirements
Contest Rules
All photographers retain full copyright to their images. By entering, you grant Unique Photo permission to use your photos on social media for promotional purposes.
Please upload a JPEG image. Resize photographs to under 8MB per photo before submitting.
DO NOT include watermarks on photographs — images with watermarks will be disqualified from entry.
Winners will be announced one week after the deadline on Instagram @UniquePhoto.
Having trouble with the form? Email your info and photos directly to our team.
[email protected]Terms & Conditions ▼
Submission Guidelines: Photos must be original and submitted by the photographer. Submissions must not contain offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content. Number of photos and submission deadline will be determined by the specific Creators Challenge contest.
Copyright & Usage Rights: All photographers retain full copyrights to their submitted photos. By entering, participants grant Unique Photo a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, and publish their submitted photos on social media and other digital channels for promotional purposes. No modifications will be made without prior consent, except for minor cropping or resizing.
Judging: Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and adherence to the contest theme. The decision of the judging panel is final and binding.
Liability: By entering, participants agree to release Unique Photo and its affiliates from any liability, injury, loss, or damage arising from this contest or any prize won.
Privacy: Personal information collected will only be used to administer the contest and will not be shared with third parties.
Modifications: Unique Photo reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest due to technical issues or unforeseen circumstances. For questions, contact [email protected].