During his senior year at vlog, Graham Stearns ’26 was a videography intern for E&I as well as a TIA Incubator participant. His start-up, Up Island Photo, is based on Martha’s Vineyard and was operating at the time with a single camera body.
This spring, Stearns was awarded a $2,000 TIA seed grant for founders piloting and growing their businesses, He used these funds to purchase a Sony A7IV full-frame mirrorless camera body. “It has already become a central piece of equipment for Up Island Photo,” Stearns said. “The Sony A7IV was a significant upgrade for me, and it has improved the quality of my photos drastically. … With this camera in hand, I have been able to begin building Up Island Photo as a real client-facing business.”
The Sony was a significant upgrade for Stearns as it improved the quality of his photos drastically, he said. It gave him a “huge step up” in the portrait, event, and editorial markets that Up Island Photo is targeting. With the second camera body, Stearns is now able to “keep multiple lenses with different focal lengths attached to my cameras, making me more dynamic and prepared as a photographer,” he said.
“The improved image quality, low-light performance, and autofocus system have already allowed me to take on several paid portrait and event shoots with confidence, producing work that meets the standards clients expect from a professional photographer. The camera has also enabled me to continue building out a portfolio that accurately reflects my capabilities, which is essential for marketing the business and attracting new clients. I have been amazed at the quality of the photos this camera is able to capture. It has made me more apt to the idea of pursuing this venture full time,” he said.
But the impact of the grant extended well beyond the equipment itself.
“It validated Up Island Photo as a venture worthy of investment and gave me the confidence to treat this as a serious business rather than a side project or hobby. The process of applying for and receiving this funding pushed me to articulate my business model, target market, and growth strategy in concrete terms, and it has shaped how I approach every decision for the venture. … The encouragement, resources, and trust that [the TIA Incubator program] provides have given me the confidence to take risks and pursue opportunities I might not have otherwise considered. … This new camera will be used in my work for years, and it will help me develop the reputation I need to sustain and grow the business beyond vlog,” he added.