Section
Studio
Est. 2019

A small studio,
making quiet pictures
for louder clients.

— Manifesto

Studio Clay was founded in 2019 out of a shared frustration: hospitality imagery had become uniform — over-lit, over-styled, interchangeable. The places themselves deserved better.

We built a studio around a simple idea — that a photograph of a hotel should feel like the hotel, and a photograph of a meal should feel like dinner. That the difference between a good image and a great one is almost always time, not equipment.

We remain small on purpose. One director on every project, three core collaborators, a rotating circle of stylists, producers and musicians we've worked with for years. We take on roughly twelve engagements a year.

Studio Portrait — The Old Works, Staffordshire
— The Team

Three people,
and their favourites.

Portrait — Founder

Rosa Ainsworth

Founder · Director of photography

Trained in documentary photography at LCC. Previously on staff at Cereal. Favourite client meeting: a long lunch in the pantry.

Portrait — Film Director

Ben Okafor

Director of film · Editor

Shoots on an ARRI Alexa Mini and a Bolex he inherited. Scored his first two brand films himself. Unreasonably good at sound.

Portrait — Producer

Mei Harrold

Producer · Studio manager

The reason the shoots run on time. Previously produced campaigns at Mother, before choosing the country instead of the city.

Recognition &
selected features.

2025

AOP Awards — Finalist

Hospitality & Interiors category.

2025

It's Nice That

"Studios to watch — January feature."

2024

Condé Nast Traveller

Hotel feature — Hoar Cross Hall spread.

2024

Cereal Magazine

Volume 24 — Eight-page essay.

2023

Creative Review

Annual — Photography commendation.

2022

The World of Interiors

Commissioned portfolio — Summer issue.

— As seen in

Found between
paper and pixels.

Cereal
Condé Nast Traveller
The World of Interiors
It's Nice That
Creative Review
Wallpaper*