Taylor Ballantyne  began her career in Los Angeles with commercial and creative work in the fashion and design world. She segued into video production by shooting and editing films for New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks. Simultaneously, she studied under legendary photojournalist Ken Regan at Camera 5 Inc., where she was introduced to the commercial, film, and editorial business of photography. Here is where she began building her portfolio and film reel.

In 2013 Ballantyne joined Sports Illustrated as a photographer for all brands within SI. In July 2017, she received her first national cover for Sports Illustrated; becoming one in an elite group of women to receive a national cover in the Magazine’s 60-year history. In February 2018, she directed, produced and photographed her first spread in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and created a short film entitled — "In Her Own Words" - a powerful black-and-white campaign that replaced the traditional Body Paint for the issue. Under Ballantyne’s direction, this was the first black-and-white, no-swimsuit series with an all female crew in the 54 year history of the SI Swimsuit magazine.

In November 2020, Ballantyne relocated to Nashville and was asked to direct Jake Hoot, "The Voice" winner of 2019, in his first music video "I Would've Loved You" featuring Kelly Clarkson. This sparked Ballantyne's directorial debut in the world of music. Following her debut into the world of music videos, she was called to direct her first feature length concert film and documentary for Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Though her background lies within commercial and advertising, Ballantyne's goal is to continue on this path as a director, continuing her work in music, commercial and film.



 

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 Philadelphia, PA location (28 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106). 

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).
- Cancellations of any class that includes an admission ticket (including, but not limited to: museums, gardens, shows, exhibits, and special events or locations) may be subject to forfeiture of the admission ticket fee.
** 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.