UUOnline Mentoring: Flash Photography with Neil van Niekerk
Join Unique Photo and Neil van Niekerk for an online mentoring workshop that is intended to give you the confidence to use your external flash and speedlights.
Neil's approach is to teach photographers how to achieve what they want, and what we are aiming for are those "Aaaah, NOW I get it!" moments. With the help of a model and live demonstrations, he will go through a series of topics (see below) that will help build up your understanding of how to best use your flashes. Any aspects of flash photography that had been elusive up until then – whether it is a technique or bit of theory – should fall into place.
WEDNESDAYS (2pm - 3:30pm EDT)
Session 1: June 24th
Session 2: July 1st
Session 3: July 8th
Session 4: July 15th
Session 5: July 22nd
BONUS: Each student will also get a 30-min personal tutoring session online that can be taken any time during the rest of the year.
BE PREPARED: Please be familiar with your camera's basic operations. Make sure you know how to manually adjust your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Know where your in-camera metering display is, and how to read it. You need to be already familiar with concepts like depth-of-field and how choice of shutter speed affects the sharpness of the photo.
GEAR NEEDED: You'll need a DSLR or mirrorless camera and an external flash / speedlight. A medium range zoom (hopefully f/2.8 max aperture) is recommended, but a 50mm and/or an 85mm lens works as well.
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 a week after the last session.
*Limited to 20 registrants.
*See below for more info on all covered topics.
••• Exposure metering for ambient light •••
••• Maximum flash sync speed •••
••• High-speed flash sync •••
••• Using TTL flash and manual flash •••
••• Flash indoors •••
••• Directional bounce flash •••
••• Dragging the shutter •••
••• Tungsten light & flash •••
••• Dealing with harsh sunlight •••
••• Directional bounce flash •••
••• Metering for ambient light and fill flash •••
••• Using a hand-held meter for flash •••
••• Using the histogram for exposure metering •••
••• Adding fill-flash to available light outdoors •••
••• Off-camera flash and a softbox (using manual and TTL flash) •••
••• Posing! (Posing and lighting are connected topics.) •••
NEIL VAN NIEKERK is a photographer based right here in New Jersey, with a diverse range in not only weddings and portraits, but also commercial, corporate, and time-lapse photography. Neil has also presented workshops on lighting in the USA, the UK and Ireland, as well as The Netherlands. In addition to that, he has written 5 books on flash photography and lighting techniques.
He also maintains a website for photographers, Tangents, which is loaded with numerous tutorials on photography and photographic lighting.
- Sign in to your Unique Photo account.
- Open My Account → Unique University Online.
- Click Watch course on the class tile to start streaming.
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].
••• Exposure metering for ambient light •••
••• Maximum flash sync speed •••
••• High-speed flash sync •••
••• Using TTL flash and manual flash •••
••• Flash indoors •••
••• Directional bounce flash •••
••• Dragging the shutter •••
••• Tungsten light & flash •••
••• Dealing with harsh sunlight •••
••• Directional bounce flash •••
••• Metering for ambient light and fill flash •••
••• Using a hand-held meter for flash •••
••• Using the histogram for exposure metering •••
••• Adding fill-flash to available light outdoors •••
••• Off-camera flash and a softbox (using manual and TTL flash) •••
••• Posing! (Posing and lighting are connected topics.) •••
NEIL VAN NIEKERK is a photographer based right here in New Jersey, with a diverse range in not only weddings and portraits, but also commercial, corporate, and time-lapse photography. Neil has also presented workshops on lighting in the USA, the UK and Ireland, as well as The Netherlands. In addition to that, he has written 5 books on flash photography and lighting techniques.
He also maintains a website for photographers, Tangents, which is loaded with numerous tutorials on photography and photographic lighting.
- Sign in to your Unique Photo account.
- Open My Account → Unique University Online.
- Click Watch course on the class tile to start streaming.
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].