9-foot windows facing Broadway. 13-foot ceilings. Hardwood floors. This is not a white box with a skylight — it’s a real production loft where the natural light actually works. 873 Broadway, Suite 408, since 1994.
Natural light studios in NYC usually mean one north-facing window in a converted office. Union Square Loft has 9-foot windows running along the Broadway-facing wall — real street-level Manhattan daylight that fills the entire shooting floor, shifts through the day, and provides the kind of organic light quality that costs thousands of dollars to fake in a controlled studio.
Morning gives you soft, even fill from the east. As the day progresses, the light takes on directionality. Late afternoon produces the shadows and contrast that editorial work depends on. The full LED rig handles the rest: 2 Luxli RGBAW panels, 3 Ikan bi-color panels, 3 Colbor COB LEDs. Mix natural and artificial in the same frame.
The studios in this building that rent raw white rooms have a CYC. USL has a room. The difference shows up in the work.
Natural Light Studio Rate: 2 hrs $350/hr · 4 hrs $300/hr · 8 hrs $275/hr · Full LED rig included · Carlos Montoya operating
9-foot Broadway-facing windows. Full-floor daylight coverage. No skylights, no light wells, no artificial approximation. Real Manhattan daylight in a Flatiron loft that’s been doing production work since 1994.
13-foot ceilings. Original hardwood floors. Exposed brick. Cast-iron columns. Loft character that photographs as a real place — because it is one. No set dressing needed to make the room look interesting.
When the natural light isn’t what you need, the LED rig takes over. Full dimmable, color-tunable control. Warm to cool, soft to hard, directional to flat. All from one rig that covers the floor without resetting between setups.
Carlos Montoya has been running production in this room since 1994. He operates camera and lighting for every session. When you book the room, you get the operator — not just the space.
The 9-foot Broadway windows provide full-floor daylight coverage from morning through afternoon. The quality is soft in morning and builds contrast through the day. Most photographers who shoot here describe it as one of the better natural light situations in Manhattan — real window light, real volume, real room.
The full LED rig is available in every session. 2 Luxli RGBAW panels, 3 Ikan bi-color panels, 3 Colbor COB LEDs. You can mix window light with artificial, override entirely, or use the LED rig as fill alongside natural. Carlos manages the rig as part of every session.
No CYC. The room provides architectural backgrounds — hardwood, brick, windows, loft character. Portable paper or fabric backdrops can be added. Most productions choose the room itself as the primary background.
Morning for soft, even fill. Late morning through midday for the brightest coverage. Afternoon for directional drama and shadow contrast. Most editorial work books 10am–4pm. Carlos will advise based on the look you’re going for.
Carlos responds same day. Direct booking — no portal, no coordinator queue.
See the Production Studio →