For years, I've been a big fan of the aerial photography and videography of local digital creator Brian Esposito. In the real estate space, Brian is deservedly popular with Realtors in Loudoun County. More than a few of the websites I've built feature assets from Brian (like the hero video on Sherry Santmyer's site). Brian has an incredible knack for finding the best light and the best angles. He's also very talented when it comes to post-production, so his images always look flawless.
I heard through the grapevine that Brian had opened a new studio in Sterling. The vision apparently was to create something like Peerspace, a studio available for rent by fellow digital creators. The general concept is to provide a space that includes all the lighting, microphones, backdrops, etc. that your average creator might not have access to.
I've been dying to see the space. I reached out to Brian and scheduled a visit.
I guess I had somewhat low expectations going in. I imagined a very industrial space and not much polish. So I was completely blown away when I walked through the door. The studio is located on the third floor of the Potomac Falls Professional Center on Westlake Drive in Sterling, right off Route 7 not far from Dulles Town Center Mall.
The biggest WOW feature of the space is the twin backdrops, one green screen, another pure white. Brian and his team built these by hand. Notice the curved edges at the bottom to provide that seamless look of infinite depth. I was dying to throw down a skateboard and take a run at the wall.
I was too polite to ask how much Brian had invested in the lighting system alone, which offers dimmers and other effects controlled with a tablet.
This place is the dream playground for the amateur or semi-professional creator like myself. Other features of the studio include:
A professional podcasting station. Brian and team will even process your video and upload it to Spotify for you. Again, Brian hand built the desk which looks amazing!
A movable textured backdrop for photos or video.
A selection of textured backdrops for portraits and all the lighting and camera equipment you could dream of.
They even offer a dressing room for wardrobe changes and make-up. Don't worry, we checked the space for hidden cameras, it was clean ;)
We talked about all the possible uses of the space. Brian already offers headshots, portraits as well as short and long form video. Bands have been using the space to create music videos. The studio would be great for television or radio commercials. We imagined athletes, models and instructors could produce content here.
In terms of pricing, rental is more affordable than you might think, with options as low as $99/hour or subscription plans that could get your hourly cost below $50/hour.
Brian and his team are terrific. They're friendly, knowledgeable experts that would be an incredible asset to any amateur or a seasoned pro. I really enjoyed my visit and left inspired with my mind racing about the possibilities.
Whether you're an individual looking for a traditional photography studio or a seasoned digital creator who needs space and access to high quality equipment, I highly recommend Brian and the team at Upward Studio. This is a really exciting venture to have here in Loudoun and I hope all my fellow content creators will support the business and help make it a huge success!