The Studio On Sampson - A Central Illinois Content + Photography Studio

Jul 8

a woman sits in a directors chair holding a sheet of paper that reads "the studio on sampson" to promote her new content and photography studio

Central Illinois finally has an option for a photography studio. I just opened The Studio on Sampson on Sampson Street in Tremont, Illinois.

Check out The Studio's site!

white seamless paper is rolled out at a content studio with colored seamless paper on an automatic system hanging above it

NEW Central Illinois Photography and Content Studio

The idea for this studio has been on my heart for the past two years. I wanted to create a place where other photographers could come to create. I noticed there weren’t really any studio options in the area when conducting my own search.

four different chairs are lined up across a brick wall at a photography studio

I also wanted other business owners to benefit from this space, too. It can be rented to create content, for small gatherings or workshops, for co-working, and there are even some open content days in the works—where anyone can come to film or photograph content for themselves in an aesthetic space.

I like to call it a multi-purpose space.

a neutral living room set up featuring an unlit candle, a set of coaster, and dried florals in a tray on the coffee table to show the staging at a content studio

a view of the living room at the studio on sampson, it features hardwood floors, plants, a mossy green couch, two beige chairs, and exposed brick walls

Why Central Illinois needed a photography studio

I’d seen first hand as a photographer myself how much we needed a space like this in Central Illinois. It’s pretty slim pickins. If you are trying to find a place to shoot photos indoors, you pretty much have to create a space of your own (which has its own setbacks and hardships) or rent an Airbnb.

The problem with Airbnbs is you usually have to book the full day—or even multiple days for the single shoot. Because check-in tends to be around 3 or 4, so in order to use natural light, you’d have to book the night before, too. The cost of a personal studio can be insane, too—with utilities, rent, equipment, it all adds up super fast. It just isn’t always worth it as a photographer to have your own space.

The Studio on Sampson gives Central Illinois photographers the option to have a space when they need it without the burdens that having your own studio can bring.

a mossy green couch with pink and beige throw pillows sits next to a funky ottoman in the living room at the studio on sampson

a view of the living room at the studio on sampson

a neon sign reads "where the magic happens" above a mirror in a white squiggly frame at a content studio in central illinois

a table and four chairs sit next to a window in a natural light photography studio

a standing mirror sits in a corner next to a basket of disco balls at the content studio in central illinois, the studio on sampson

edison string lights and photography studio lights hang from the exposed beams at the studios on sampson

I’d been actively looking for a space to rent for this studio for over a year. I was scouring Facebook Marketplace, real estate websites, and even commercial real estate signs on the side of the road.

I had a list of criteria for the space. It had to have good natural light, so obvi big windows. It needed to have a good amount of space, a good location, and fall in a reasonable budget for rent. And above all, it needed to feel right.

a view of the bedroom at the studio on sampson featuring a bed with throw pillows, a throw blanket, a bench, and dried florals

a beige bench sits against an exposed brick wall and a window with flowy white curtains

a view of the bedroom at the studio on sampson, a photography studio in central illinois

After months and months of searching, this place seemed to have found me through sheer fate. I was on a trip to Nashville, just wanting to kill some time on the drive. I started scrolling through a few commercial real estate websites.

I didn’t have it all planned out. I didn’t have a name. I didn’t have branding. The idea was loose ends held together by sheer girl power and imagination.

All of a sudden and seemingly out of nowhere, all of my loose ends found their way together. There it was. On Sampson Street in Tremont.

a side view of the bed at a central illinois photography studio

squiggly candles sit in candlesticks on a table next to a small mirror and a faux plant at a photography studio

Even the listing photos were just IT.

Exactly what I was looking for. Exactly what I’d been dreaming up. Tall windows. Exposed brick. Hardwood floors. The old building had variety, it had character.

After returning from my trip, I went to a showing and immediately started dreaming up The Studio. I set up a second showing and ended up talking with the owner for a while. I left committed to the space—it was all a whirlwind kind of dream.

sheets of paper are scattered on hardwood floors that read "the studio on sampson natural light photo studio community space" and "coming to a town near you"

I found the space at the end of March 2024 and decided I wanted to open the space at the start of May. So, I had SIX WEEKS to create the brand, design and furnish the studio, tell EVERYONE (aka do promo), and launch the space.

an all white and brick room in the content studio the studios on sampson

a macrame wall hanging against an exposed brick wall with a wood table underneath at the newest content studio in central illinois

a photo of various mugs and pens and stationary at the studio on sampson

The Studio on Sampson features gorgeous natural light, 3 separate rooms, is fully furnished with extra fun chairs and trendy furniture pieces, and has 2 setups with 7 total seamless paper color options.

The all white room is, well, all white. The bedroom has a comfy bed for family shoots, boudoir photography, or shoots for homey-er brands.The main space has a living room space and a big mirror. There’s a little kitchen nook. Everything you could need in a photography studio.

three different colored rolls of seamless paper hang on a pulley system at the studio on sampson, a photography studio

a view of the entry at the studio on sampson with an arched sign that reads "this must be the place"

a kurig sits on a wood counter under a mirror and next to a sink

The studio offers subscriptions for photographers wanting to frequent the space. Photographers can sign up for the membership for access to the studio for 3 or 6 hours each month. It is the perfect space to bring clients, host shoots, or even just hunker down for a really heavy work session. New editing cave?

You can also book the studio for single shoots or events—check out all the booking info! I can’t wait to have you there!

Book The Studio on Sampson