After buying The Studio Hampton Roads in June, a Virginia Beach entrepreneur has reshaped the former photography rental business into a broader content production hub aimed at influencers, podcasters, businesses and photographers.
New brand, new space
Josiah Kowles renamed the company Baseline Studios, saying the previous identity was too narrowly focused on traditional photography. The business previously operated locations in both Suffolk and Virginia Beach under the name The Studio Hampton Roads. Kowles purchased the operation to expand the footprint and reposition services for today’s digital creators.
"The old branding was single-lane, built around photography and nothing else. It didn’t match where I was taking the business."
In Virginia Beach, the original site at 2513 N. Landing Road near Kellam High School was closed after Kowles secured a larger building about five minutes away at 2310 Princess Anne Road. He redesigned the new facility into what he describes as a full content-creation hub in roughly three weeks.
Facilities and offerings
The two-story Princess Anne Road location encompasses approximately 2,000 square feet and was laid out to serve several types of creators. The upstairs area is oriented toward photography, with features that include a white seamless paper wall, a book-wall backdrop, rotating seasonal backdrops, lifestyle sets, open natural-light floor space and studio lighting on standby.
The downstairs portion houses a dedicated podcast setup — with audio mixer, lighting and shotgun microphones — a conference-style table for workshops and meetings, and a lounge intended for couch-style podcasting, interviews and influencer content. Kowles said the redesign was driven by demand from creators and businesses seeking more than a standard photography studio.
Regional footprint
Baseline Studios also maintains a location in Suffolk. That site — about 1,800 square feet — has an industrial aesthetic and is configured for lifestyle and boudoir sessions. Kowles said he purchased the existing business because it already had a large regional footprint and a proven customer base, which made acquisition and reshaping the brand a logical step.
- New Virginia Beach address: 2310 Princess Anne Road — roughly 2,000 sq. ft.
- Previous Virginia Beach address: 2513 N. Landing Road — closed after relocation
- Suffolk location: about 1,800 sq. ft., industrial-style setup
| Location | Address | Approx. size |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach (new) | 2310 Princess Anne Road | ~2,000 sq. ft. |
| Virginia Beach (former) | 2513 N. Landing Road | Not specified (closed) |
| Suffolk | Location name on file | ~1,800 sq. ft. |
The rebrand signals a shift in how local studio-rental businesses are positioning themselves in the region’s creative economy. By adding podcast infrastructure, workshop space and flexible lounge areas, Baseline Studios aims to attract a wider set of customers, from social-media influencers to small businesses producing branded content.
Local creators and marketers who have relied on short-term rentals or makeshift setups for audio and video production now have a dedicated option close to central Virginia Beach. The new location’s proximity to neighborhoods and schools along Princess Anne Road also places it within reach of Hampton Roads colleges and independent advertisers who frequently seek production space.
Requests for hours, rental rates and booking details are handled by Baseline Studios directly. The move and rebrand are the latest example of small-business adaptation in Virginia Beach’s growing local media and creative services sector.
