Located in the center court of the mall by Tiffany’s, this might be a smaller Sony Store than you’re used to seeing. The gallery style set up is something new for us, designed to cater to the needs of the local community. We’ll be stocked with latest cameras, laptops, personal audio, and mobile gadgets. And if you have questions, our friendly, expertly trained staff is always happy to help. Please stop by, say hello and let us know what you think!

Our hours will be Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 11am-7pm and our address is 4545 La Jolla Village Drive in San Diego, CA 92122.

Don’t forget to check in on Foursquare and for all the latest Sony Store news and updates as well as deals and offers, make sure to follow @SonyStore on Twitter.

Polished? Nope.

Bright and full of happy smiling faces? Nope.

Interesting? Yes.

These are the types of photos that you can’t just glance over without a second thought. You look, you are captivated, and you’re not sure why.

The best way I can describe these photos is … well, real and uniquely beautiful.

I had to learn more so I reached out and found Geo on the other end.

The founder of “The League of Us,” Geo is a professional photographer living and working in Los Angeles, Calif.

He’s had a camera in his hand since he was 16 years old and it turns out that he’s a Sony fan, shooting with the Sony Alpha a99 camera.  We had the opportunity to sit down and chat with him. Check out the Q&A below.

When/how did you discover photography?

Geo: I started shooting at the age of 16 but my love for photography developed way early on. As a kid, I loved looking through old family albums – perusing the pages of photos to look back on my lineage.  It was like a history book all about my family and it was fascinating. I picked up a camera because I knew I wanted to continue chronicling … not just my family but life in general. I want to add to the rich visual history that already exists.

How would you describe your style?

Geo: I’d say my style is “urban street” but clean.

I started off shooting live concerts … lighting, strobes and then ventured into street photography, which then evolved into urban landscapes.

Lately, the urban landscape photos are getting a lot of love.

When asked about his inspirations, Geo says he draws from daily life.

Geo: I’m a curious being – constantly looking around and evaluating my surroundings. I search for any possibility of light and shadows that spark my interest.

Do you look up to any photographers?

My favorite photographer is George Brassai (1899-1984). He’s Hungarian. For his time, his works are very simplistic and feature amazing composure.

Do you shoot only with Sony? What’s been your experience with the camera so far?

Yep, just Sony. I started off with Sony because I know that they’re relatively new in the photography market compared to other companies. I’m all about going against the grain, supporting the underdog.

I’ve been stoked on my camera, especially the mirrorless technology and in-camera stabilization. I also love that I can use different lenses and systems with the adaptor.

One of the other things I like about my a99 is the menu system. For me, it’s easy to get around. It’s intuitive and I can pretty much operate the camera blindfolded now. Just like with anything, you have to learn it, grow with it, and adapt to it.

What other gear do you use?

a.      Lens – My lens right now is a Sony 28mm 2.8. Can’t wait to try the Carl Zeiss 24 f/2 and the 24-70 mm f/2.8.

b.      Tripod – Manfrotto 190XPROB

c.      Filters – Just UV filters for lens protection

d.      Flash - 2 HVL-F56am 1 HVL-F60AM all triggered by Pocket wizard X’s. It’s a great, reliable set up.

e.      Camera bag – Incase DSLR Pro Pack. It’s airport friendly and I can get to everything I need easily.

f.       Others – I also use a Blackrapid RS-7 camera strap

In the field, what are your camera settings of choice?

a.      Aperture I usually shoot at the widest aperture possible so F2.8-1.4

b.      Shutter speed For handheld, I try to stay at or above 1/100^th. With flash, 1/80th and with tripod mount, I go for slower shutter speeds.

c.      ISO I tend to stay in the range of 50-4000

d.      White Balance I usually leave it up to the camera and correct later on in post.

e.      Focus – Manual/Auto Auto focus is left on AF-S (autio focus single shot), but I select spot or local to adjust where I want the camera to focus on my subject.

f.       Image Format – RAW/JPEG RAW RAW RAW! Pretty heavy files, but you can recover and correct so much!

What do you do to improve your skills?

Geo: I am an avid shooter. That means I don’t pull out my camera just for gigs, I take it with me everywhere I go so I can constantly shoot everyday life. I keep my eyes trained and up-to-date.

I also try to do different things here and there to see what intrigues and resonates with people.

Among your works, which one is your favorite and why?

Geo: I was shooting at one of Tyler the Creator’s shows with the Sony a300. At one point, he went into the photography pit to sing to the crowd. Everyone’s excited, the energy is high – just a great moment to capture. You’ll notice a fan is actually flipping him off, but in this environment, it’s not a sign of disrespect but more of a sign of celebration.

The second one I’m proud of is a landscape photo of lightning. It was my first time trying to capture something like this, and with this type of photo, you’ve got to have a lot of patience. Literally, you just have to sit there and wait … So I stood at the mountainside waiting for lightning to strike.

After a good 4 to 5 hours of waiting, I was ready to throw in the towel and pack up. One strike finally hit and I was able to capture it. It’s in the dead center of the frame, spread out perfectly. It was amazing.

 What tools do you use for post-processing?

I’m a real big fan of Lightroom for quick touch-ups, and then they get uploaded and shared online.

What are your goals with your photography endeavors?

I’m going to venture out and try a lot more travel photography. And my ultimate goal is to just keep growing with it. Do it daily and live by it.

Find The League of Us on …

Tumblr

Flickr

Instagram

We’re in search of the sounds that define your city. We invite local music artists to showcase their music at listening stations in store. We put two artists head to head in a battle of the bands. And then we invite fans and music lovers to vote for their favorite. Come ready to rock at your local Sony Store between 4/9 and 4/22.

Participating Sony Stores:

• South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa, CA
• Century City Los Angeles, CA
• Beverly Center Los Angeles, CA
• Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA
• University Village Seattle, WA
• Caesar’s Forum Shops Las Vegas, NV
• Houston Galleria, TX
• Tysons Corner Mall McLean, VA
• 550 Madison New York, NY
• Roosevelt Field Mall Garden City, NY
• Comcast Center Philadelphia, PA

 Previous:

 We challenge local insiders who love to explore local culture to capture the quintessential representation of their city. But the catch is, they have to showcase a raw photo journal. No deleting, no editing, no hiding flaws. Catch the results of their explorations at your Sony Store between 3/28 and 4/10.

Participating Sony Stores:

• South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa, CA
• Century City Los Angeles, CA
• Beverly Center Los Angeles, CA
• Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA
• Valley Fair Santa Clara, CA
• University Village Seattle, WA
• Caesar’s Forum Shops Las Vegas, NV
• Houston Galleria, TX
• Town Center at Boca Raton, FL
• Pentagon Fashion Center Arlington, VA
• Tysons Corner Mall McLean, VA
•  550 Madison New York, NY
• Roosevelt Field Mall Garden City,  NY
• Comcast Center Philadelphia, PA
• Menlo Park Mall Edison, NJ

We have invited local DJs to create a mix that combines their personal brand of music and sounds of other local artists to share their unique point-of-view  with their online followers and local community using the Sony X Headphones. These tracks are now playing in their local Sony Store through 4/2.

Participating Sony Stores:

• South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa, CA
• Century City Los Angeles, CA
• Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA
• Caesar’s Forum Shops Las Vegas, NV
• Houston Galleria, TX
• 550 Madison New York, NY
• The Americana at Brand, Glendale, CA 
• Valley Fair, Santa Clara, CA
• Cherry Creek Mall Denver, CO
• Dallas Galleria, TX
• The Mall at Millenia, Orlando, FL
• Tysons Corner Center, McClean, VA
• Menlo Park Mall, Edison, NJ

And until 3/24…

We invite adventure-seekers and cultural daredevils that are always on the go to take us on a five minute thrill ride that can only be experienced locally. The messenger biker in NYC, the surfer in OC.  Look for your insider’s exhibit at your local store between 3/10-3/24.

Participating Sony Stores:

• South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa, CA
• Century City Los Angeles, CA
• Beverly Center Los Angeles, CA
• Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA
• University Village Seattle, WA
• Caesar’s Forum Shops Las Vegas, NV
• Houston Galleria, TX
• Cherry Creek Mall Denver, CO
• Dallas Galleria, TX
• Town Center at Boca Raton, FL
• 550 Madison New York, NY
• Roosevelt Field Mall Garden City, NY

We will be rolling out more insider perspectives on your favorite cities over the next few months so stay tuned. Make sure to follow @SonyStore and #SonyStore on Twitter for all the latest happenings

We invited local insiders that have special backstage access in their city to give us a visual diary and peek behind the scenes of trendy local spots or activities. Check out some of the highlights of their photo exhibits here: The Hidden

Author Q&A

RS: Describe what New Adult is to you as a genre and what are the key characteristics that distinguish is from YA?

AG: New Adult gives older readers the angst and drama the YA genre gave them but with older protagonist that are easier for them to relate to. It also adds the sexy that YA is limited in.

EH: YA is about that time in a young person’s life when they’re pushing away from their family, trying to develop a sense of self and purpose. New Adult characters have already escaped that place. They have a clearer idea of who they are and where they want to go. But how will they accomplish their goals? Relationships are deeper, and so can get in the way of forward motion. There’s more at stake, because the safety net is gone and choices belong to the characters alone. It’s an exciting time of life, but also scary as hell.

RS: What are the most important topics/themes you believe new adults need exposure to?

AG: The mistakes that can be made in love and life choices. Romance is a key element obviously, but there are other factors. The innocence of childhood and high school is over. It’s the time we decide what kind of adult we are going to be.

EH: The big choices for people in that age group. Career versus marriage. Lust versus love. School versus adventure. Friends versus relationships. Military service. Parenting. Survival, sometimes.

RS: So, why books? Why fiction? What power do you think stories have on shaping new adults?

AG: Books and fiction are the perfect escape. It allows you to get lost in a world of fantasy—a place where problems are solved at the end and promises of happiness leave you with a lighter heart. Everyone needs that break from reality. Although the stories are fictional, there are always specific characters that stick with you. New adult reaches an age that was looked over for years. You either read YA or adult books. There was nothing for that age group. Now that it’s available it continues to nourish that love for reading.

EH: Every author has a certain breadth of experience, which brings a unique perspective to their writing. Even if the author isn’t much older than his audience, that diverse experience allows his characters a different viewpoint than the reader’s, which in turn deepens the reader’s understanding of the world.

RS: Tell us about the most embarrassing/naughtiest/etc. thing you got into as a “new adult.” 

AG: Spring Break had always been a family vacation for me. However, my freshman year in college I experienced my first trip to Panama City Beach, Florida . . . without my parents. They had never allowed me to go without them until this year. One night I experienced the impact of one too many tequila shots. It was a first and last for me. I woke up the next morning with a tender spot on my ankle. Sitting up in bed I looked down to see a rose tattoo. It isn’t that I am against tattoos (I actually got another later in life while completely sober). It is the fact I didn’t remember where or how I got that rose tattoo. None of my friends remembered either and they all sported new tattoos as well. Needless to say, once I got back home I went to get tested for diseases I could have contracted from the mystery tattoo artist. Sad thing is . . . I don’t even like roses.

EH: As a child of the seventies, I considered myself most Bohemian. I went braless, frequented nude beaches. But about the time I entered “new adulthood,” I spent a little time on a commune in Oregon, the kind where everyone lived in teepees and used the wilderness for their toilet. One day I witnessed a woman wearing nothing but a sanitary belt and pad nurse her three-year-old. That embarrassed me all the way back to civilization.

RS: What were the three most pivotal books for you as a reader during the same timeframe of your life?

AG: Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding. It allowed me to accept the complete absurdness that was my life most of the time.

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. The fantastic romance, heartbreaking reality, and bittersweet ending will always make this book one of my favorite romance novels. It also inspired my desire for realistic romances and the beauty in a couple’s story, even up until the end.

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. I’ve read this book at least twenty times. I adore the entire series. The story behind how J.K. Rowling wrote this book and how it came to publication should inspire every writer out there.

EH: I was a diverse reader, so this one is hard. Probably The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving, Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey and Story of Oby Pauline Reage. 

Featured Titles

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

Story of O by Pauline Reage

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines

Just a few mere months ago at CES 2013, Sony debuted its line of 4K TVs designed to bring the cinematic experience right into your living room. Well, get your living rooms ready because 4K is on the way!

Our 55″ and 65″ 4K Ultra HD TVs will be available for pre-order beginning April 21 for $4,999 and $6,999, get the scoop here.

The thing about 4K is that you need to see it in person to truly experience and understand what it is all about. A photo on the Internet or a short video clip on YouTube just doesn’t do it justice. Some of you might have seen the 84’’ (diag) 4K TV in select Sony Stores last fall. But if you’ve been dying to see what the 65″ and 55’’ Class 4K Ultra HD TVs look like in real life, you’re in luck.

Starting today, six Sony Store locations (see below) will be the first to feature the TVs and will be offering in-store demos of true 4K and enhanced (upscaled) video.

• Century City, Los Angeles CA
• South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa CA
• Houston Galleria, TX
• The Forum Shops, Las Vegas NV
• 550 Madison Ave, New York NY
• Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto CA

If you do get a chance to get a 4K demo, please share your experience! Tweet us @SonyElectronics or @SonyStore using the hashtag #Sony4K and tell us what you thought.

Pre-orders for the 4K Ultra HD TVs begin April 21, 2013 at Sony Stores and select retailers nationwide. For more info, check out the official press release.

Tell us what you want to know more about by commenting here on our blog, answering on our Facbook page poll, commenting on our Google+ page, or by tweeting “The product / topic that I want to know more about from #SonyNAB is ________”. In your tweet, make sure you include #SonyNAB to have your submission counted.

We hope you enjoy all of the coverage from #SonyNAB and we look forward to seeing your comments and product / topic submissions!

Baylor University

The NAB Student Experience program began 23 years ago as collaboration between Sony and Baylor University. Sony approached Baylor’s Corey P. Carbonara, a former Sony HD product manager, to invite a select group of his students to intern at HDTV Expo’89 at the Tropicana Pavilion. “It has been a great honor for us at Baylor University to be working with Sony all of these years”, says Corey P. Carbonara, Director, Digital Communication Technologies Project, Baylor University.

Carbonara explains that the program allows Baylor students to gain valuable insights on how a major corporation innovates technology for the marketplace and solves industry problems with elegant solutions that have changed the mode of production for motion pictures and broadcasting over the years. He says that, “Having students familiar with the latest gear allowed Baylor’s program to innovate as well, providing a knowledge base and a network for their students that translated into leadership jobs in the industry from Vice Presidents at major broadcast networks to executive producers and directors of major motion pictures and prime time network TV series.”

Carbonara says a highlight of the experience is that, “With so many people in attendance and the flurry of people surrounding each part of the exhibit space, the students sometimes, did not realize that they were educating the top executives in these industries until after they were through and received a card from a President of a major network, or top artist in the field, who often said, “…here’s my card, call me after you graduate.” Carbonara indicated that many students did just that, they used their networking connection from the show to follow up and began to work for a number of the companies that came to the booth including Andru Anderson.

In 1991 and 1992 then Baylor Student Andru Anderson was selected to participate in the Sony Student Experience Program. He went to Las Vegas with a small group of students and assisted in showing equipment to convention attendees. In his first year, he was asked to showcase the Betacam SX product and show an early version of a non-linear editor. During his second year, Andru was asked to float around the floor and assist where there was an abundance of attendees. “The experience was great and I ended up meeting someone from my first job through my coordinator, Corey Carbonara.”, says Anderson

After graduation, Andru worked for corporations creating video, film and multimedia products. After 10+ years in the industry, he returned to Baylor University to teach. One of his roles was to lead the group of students to NAB. In ’09, ’10, ’11 and ’12, Andru returned to NAB with Sony as a coordinator for the program. “It was a blessing to work with the students and I think with my unique experience early on in the program, it gave me great insight into what the students might be feeling.”, Anderson said.

This year, Andru will not be joining the group due to other responsibilities. He says that “The Sony Experience is great for the students involved. “

Meet the Baylor Students:

Breanna Villani is a senior at Baylor University majoring in Film and Digital Media. She is trying to become a cinematographer or a steadicam operator. She is steadicam certified and has worked as a camera operator on a number of short films and projects. She has also worked as a videographer/editor for New Artist Promo videos for Uproar Records, All University SING highlight videos and interviews, and for the 2013 BP MS 150 bike ride.

Joey Vasser is a senior Film and Digital Media student at Baylor University. He has worked with cameras my whole life. He works for Baylor football, filming for coaches video and was a 1st AD on movie productions at Baylor and many student productions.

Marymount College

Marymount College is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA . The school’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) major in Media Studies offers a sophisticated four-year educational experience to prepare the next generation of fine artists, graphic designers, filmmakers, video artists, graphic designers, filmmakers, video artists, animators, and interactive artists for rewarding careers in a myriad of visual arts industries. The major is designed to allow students to choose from one of several programs of study that share many common courses to create both a Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary educational experience. The major provides students with a traditional theoretical education in arts & Media studies while also providing hands on training in state-of- the-art digital studios.

This is Marymount’s first year coming to NAB. “ We are very excited to participate in Sony NAB Student Experience. Marymount College Media Studies offers a theoretical and practical experience visual arts. Participation in Sony NAB Student Experience provides students with real world practical experience.”, says Blue Wade, Chair of Arts & Media Division.

Meet The Marymount College Students:

Morgan Sutton, is a 22 year old junior in Media Studies-Film at Marymount College After graduation she aspires to become a director or stage manager for a TV station.

Andres Enriquez, is an international student from Mexico currently living in Los Angeles California. He is a junior at Marymount College in Media Studies-Media Studies General. Andres’ film work mainly focuses on 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, graphic design and interactivity. After graduating he would like work as a freelancer in animation and design.

Penn State

Penn State University is committed to providing the highest quality in-game experience for its student athletes, teams, and fans. In order to meet those needs, Penn State recently made some major upgrades working with Sony Electronics as a prime contractor and systems integrator Alpha Video. Sony and Alpha Video worked closely with Jim Nachtman, the school’s Director of Broadcasting Operations, and his team to integrate three high-definition control rooms for Penn State University. You can read the entire story and review the equipment selected in the upgrade here.

This year marks the 2nd year that Penn State students are participating in the program.

Meet the Students from Penn State:

Jessica Shlemon is a junior Telecommunications major and Business minor at Penn State University. She has worked for the Video Department of Intercollegiate Athletics as a technical director for 2 years and her dream job is to one day work as a technical director for a major league sports team’s in-house video board production.

Jeremy William Griffin is a 29 years Navy Veteran studying telecommunications at Penn State primarily focused on Live Sports production.

Samuel Tavares is a Junior at Penn State majoring in Film/Video with a minor in English. He was born and raised in Boston, and going to NAB will be the first time he will be on a plane. Samuel is an avid Boston sports fan, and aspires to be a sideline operator for the New England Patriots and/or court side operator for the Boston Celtics.

Heather Waldman is a senior at Penn State University double majoring in Meteorology and Telecommunications. Upon graduation in December, she hopes to pursue her passion for television as a broadcast meteorologist. While at Penn State, Heather has served as a production assistant for the athletic department as well as director of the campus news program. She is also part of the on-air talent at Penn State’s ‘Weather World’ and ‘Centre County Report’ as a meteorologist. Heather is an avid runner and reader and loves Phillies baseball.

University Nevada, Las Vegas

Sony is pleased to welcome back UNLV. Home to both KUNV-FM and UNLV-TV, this media center is the highlight of the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The School is committed to the proposition that enhancing society requires an innovative, interdisciplinary, and rigorous understanding of communication media. Completed in 2009, this state-of-the-art facility is completely integrated around Avid-powered editing, production, and storage. You will also find Sony ENG, and studio cameras, production switchers and monitors throughout.

Meet the UNLV Students:

Katie McClain, is a senior pursuing degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She is currently one of the top editors in the program at UNLV and would hopefully one day be able to transfer her skills to a morning news show such as the Today show or Good Morning America.

Kelby Weiler is from Washington and is majoring in broadcast journalism at UNLV.

Jami Seymore is a senior broadcast journalism student at UNLV. Besides school and work, she is very involved with her sorority Sigma Kappa, as well as her honor societies. She hopes to someday work for CNN.

Cassidy Blue Forrester is a UNLV student studying broadcast journalism; she received her Associate of the Arts degree from the College of Southern Nevada. Cassidy currently works at UNLVTV on a variety of studio and sports productions.

Shot by Dave Cram on a Sony A77

Shot by Nyall

Shot by S. Mar on a Sony A57

Shot by Jamie Felton on a Sony A77

This challenge will run until May 30, 2013 and we’ll announce our top picks from previous challenges on the Sony Blog. Until then, here’s a quick reminder of our photo challenge rules:

1. Your photos must be shot on a Sony camera.

2. For each photo you submit into the challenge, please comment on at least one other photo.

3. If you have people in your photo that are identifiable in any way, make sure you have their permission to post the photo.

4. Please submit the photo to the group first. The goal is for us to share creative interpretations, but also learn techniques and styles.

5. The photo submitted must be your own.