Behind the Space That Shaped Issue 04: Working at Ctrl Creative Studios

Written by: Lucy Dover (@lucy_dover_)

Ctrl Creative Studios has become one of the spaces we return to frequently not only because of the amazing equipment and space provided, but because it supports the way we work and is run with community in mind! At The Sanxtuary, we are known for our world building. Our shoots depend on atmosphere, detail and collaboration, and the process on set guides the direction of the images.

Almost all of Issue 04 was created inside Ctrl’s Camden studio apart from the external submissions. That alone says a lot about how easily the space adapts to different concepts, different sets of people and different creative languages. Ctrl makes that kind of consistency possible. It gives us a practical and adaptable environment that never tries to overcomplicate our creative process.

The Camden studio is straightforward in a way that supports the pace of a full shoot day. You walk in and things start happening immediately. Rails fill, references are spread out, makeup brushes hit the table and lighting tests begin before anyone has fully settled. The room absorbs the movement without becoming part of the narrative. It has enough structure to support what we bring in, but it never pushes its own tone or identity onto the work.

One thing our teams notice every time is the great makeup and styling station. It is spacious, properly lit and designed in a way that lets MUAs work quickly without being squeezed by the rest of the set. Brushes, palettes, hair tools and products have room to breathe, which means the work can stay precise even when the schedule is tight. Stylists can organise looks, switch pieces out and reset the table without creating a bottleneck. It is a small detail, but it shapes the start of the day in a meaningful way. The rest of the studio layout is just as considered. There is a reliable cove, a broad selection of backdrops, a mezzanine that becomes a green room, a styling corner or a second set depending on the needs of the shoot, and a kitchenette and shower that make longer days more manageable. There is enough space for teams to move freely without knocking into equipment or one another. It feels like a room designed by people who understand how creative work actually unfolds hour by hour.

The equipment is a major part of why Ctrl works so well for us. Everything we need is already in the room. The Camden studio provides three Bowens XMS500 flash heads, two Nanlite Forza 150 daylight LED monolights and a Bowens Streamline 330. There are triggers for Canon and universal systems, along with the necessary sync cables and adaptors. Modifiers range from a large beauty dish to a 90 centimetre hexadecagon softbox, a 120 centimetre octabox, a 160 centimetre stripbox and two 20 centimetre reflectors, plus a snoot for more direct control. Support equipment includes six air cushioned stands, C stands, sandbags, clamps, gels, poly boards and extension leads. On the styling side the space includes a full clothing rail with hangers, a steamer, a large mirror and a selection of props and furniture that can be used at no extra cost. All of this means we are not sourcing equipment in the morning or reworking creative plans to fit around missing kit. We can build the image we want as soon as we arrive.

This becomes most obvious during the early stages of a shoot. Hair and makeup reset details, stylists rotate looks and photographers test light and angles. Natalie, our Creative Director, sits with the team while reviewing references on a laptop and checking the pacing of the day. The room allows all of this to happen at once without feeling overcrowded. It gives our teams enough room to think and react, which matters when the direction shifts halfway through a frame. Ctrl has influenced the pace and structure of our shoots more than it might seem at first glance. It is not visible in the final images, yet it sits behind them as part of the process. The portraits, editorials and test sessions that shaped Issue 04 were all made easier by the steadiness of the space. 

Ctrl’s Glasgow studios are also worth acknowledging, although we have not worked in them yet! Creative production in the United Kingdom still leans heavily toward London, and it is easy to overlook the amount of talent based elsewhere when most infrastructure sits in the capital. The Glasgow space offers a useful counterpoint. It provides a fully controlled environment with professional lighting, a 2.72 metre Colourama backdrop, a generous makeup and styling station, a shared kitchenette, a communal seating area and straightforward ground floor access that simplifies load-ins. There are also two onsite parking spaces, which makes a practical difference for teams travelling with equipment. For artists and crews in Scotland this matters. It gives them access to a studio that matches the standard of London facilities, and it opens the possibility of regional shoots for publications that usually work in the capital. Even from a distance, the Glasgow studio feels significant because it expands the geography of where creative work can take place.

Ultimately, Ctrl works for us, not only becasue of the amazing team there, but because the space stays focused on function. It does not interfere with the process or impose a signature style. It gives us room to build images on our own terms and keeps the practical side of a shoot running smoothly. Ambitious concepts feel more possible, and small shoots take shape without friction. It is a studio that supports the work and leaves the rest to the people in the room!

For readers who want to work in the space themselves, Ctrl has shared a long-term discount for our community. SANXTUARY15 gives 15% off studio bookings in London and Glasgow, and the code can be used as often as needed with no set expiry.