The Studio on St. Joseph Island

Meaghan Kent Photography boasts the most luxurious of photography studio experiences. Brand new in 2023, my new studio is what I call "bougie". Located on St. Joseph Island at 549 Riverside Drive, my two-storey studio is an island oasis that overlooks the shipping channel of St. Marys River.


The First Floor:

The bottom floor, or the main floor, is where the majority of my sessions happen. It features a large white room with high ceilings, perfect for capturing every moment. It's simple in design - basically just a large rectangle - but affords for endless photography opportunities. Along the front wall is a seating area and kids' table and chairs, fully loaded with colouring books, crayons, and toddler-approved toys to entertain children while they may not be needed in front of the camera. Along the side walls are mounted backdrops for newborn shoots, as well as hundreds of tie backs, sleepy caps, and bonnets for newborn babes to wear, as well as an endless array of wraps in every colour of the rainbow to swaddle newborn babes in. The backwall is a blank canvas, where I can hang backdrops of any size. Mounted to the ceiling are rolls of seamless paper for special photography projects. Also mounted in the ceiling is a beam, reinforced to 300 pounds to hang items, including a beautiful macramé swing - perfect for kids and mommy and me sessions! There are also two windows to let in natural light. The floor is heated, but in case it gets chilly, I've added in an electric heater to nip that chill in the bud!


Outside of the main shooting room is the entrance way and hallway. Everything was designed to be accessible. The main entrance door is fully accessible, along with the hallway and the main shooting room. The hallway has another seating area, as well as "Central Perk", as I like to call it, my quaint little coffee bar, equipped with a Keurig, an assortment or coffee and tea pods, coffee creamer, sugar, and sweetener. There's also a mini fridge, fully loaded with water and juice boxes, and extra space to keep any items cold you may need, such as bottles and formula.


Just down the hall from the entrance way is my studio bathroom. It's fully loaded, with a toilet, shower, hand washing station, and change table. I keep a bobby pillow, breast pump, breast pads, feminine hygiene products, towels, a bath robe, hair spray and other haircare products, lint rollers, diapers (premie, newborn, and size 1), and wipes in the bathroom. Help yourself! The bathroom is not fully accessible for wheelchair access, however.


The Upstairs:

After going up a daunting 19 steps, you're greeted with the second floor of my studio. The first half of the upstairs is dedicated solely for props. Being a photographer comes with a lot of accessories! I have any and every prop you can every imagine... trust me! The back area of the second floor is dedicated to lifestyle photography, specifically boudoir photography and mommy and me sessions. This area boasts a queen-sized bed, white linens and textured pillows, macramé details, and plants. There are so many plants! But don't worry - they're fake, in case you're allergic. There are giant patio doors beside the boudoir, draped with sheer curtains to provide some privacy and to soften the natural light coming in. But don't forget to peak behind the curtains to get a look at the spectacular view of the St. Mary's River - you may just get a glimpse of a freighter going through the channel. There is also another reinforced beam (to 300 pounds) in the ceiling to mount a macramé swing. There are two electric heaters in the upstairs of the studio that are turned on in the winter months for sessions happening upstairs. I usually heat the upstairs to about 26 degrees Celsius for boudoir shoots to avoid any kind of chill.


Directions:

My studio is located about 50 minutes from Sault Ste. Marie, and about 10 minutes from downtown Richards Landing. Please allow adequate time to get to the studio and be weary of animals. St. Joseph Island is renowned for having a large deer and turkey population - take caution. Please DO NOT use Google Maps to navigate to my studio as the directions on Google are incorrect and will get you lost. If you have an iPhone, Apple Maps works correctly.


The following are directions to my studio (549 Riverside Drive) from the Highway 17 East turnoff:


  • Turn RIGHT off of Highway 17E onto Highway 548
  • Follow Highway 548 over the bridge to the large stop sign (you'll see Kent's Corners, TimberMart, Stubbee's Beestro, and the Black Bear Café here)
  • Turn RIGHT at the stop sign onto the D Line
  • Turn RIGHT at the flashing stop sign onto Richards Street (signs will point you toward Richards Landing)
  • Follow the natural curve in the bend to the LEFT onto the C Line (driving through downtown Richards Landing)
  • Turn RIGHT onto the B Line
  • Turn LEFT onto Boyles Side Road (hidden intersection, please take caution as deer like to graze here)
  • Turn RIGHT onto Humes Road (please take caution once you see the sign for Stribling Point Park, there is a large S curve, drive slow)
  • Turn LEFT onto Riverside Drive (turn at the sign for Kensington Point Marina)
  • Turn RIGHT at 549 Riverside Drive (look for the big K)
  • You can park beside the large propane tank