Local photographers Aisley Herndon and Allie Sayre came together to create a space where both of their passions in photography could be explored. The two dreamed of a place where a community could be built. 

On May 1, 2021, they opened Studio 31, which is located at 752 Canton Rd. in Akron, Ohio.  

While the two were putting in extensive hours of work to get the studio together to open, Herndon was becoming TikTok famous. Herndon and her best friend did a 32-day photo challenge, where each day they had a different theme and posted it to TikTok. . Her videos began blowing up and she currently has 130.1k followers.  

Aisley Herndon is a sophomore at The University of Akron. She is majoring in advertising and minoring in public relations. Allie Sayre is a full-time wedding and elopement photographer. 

At first, the duo just wanted a regular photography studio, but when this space became available, they got creative. 

A selfie studio is a new type of entertainment venue. Selfie studios allow anyone, regardless of skill, to take photos with professional lighting and fun backdrops.  

Studio 31 is best known for The Babe Cave. The Babe Cave is in the basement of their building where two sets get changed every month, making it so every six months it’s a whole new selfie studio.  

One set that everyone loved was the Harry Styles themed set.  

“It is very interesting to see how many people come from all over just to see it,” Herndon said. 

They currently have a new Taylor Swift set that everyone is excited about.  

“As a model, it’s important that I can get a variety of sets for different looks when renting a studio, a returning customer, Juniper Vixen said. “I love how affordable it is, and it’s a cool place to go with friends.” 

The sets take a lot of work to create. For some sets, it is harder to find the props than others. They even have had local artists come in and help them paint the sets. 

Oct. 1-31, Studio 31 will be offering a Halloween takeover on The Babe Cave. 

The Babe Cave will be getting a spooky makeover. The sets will stay the same but have some spooky touches. Studio 31 will announce all changes in the first week of October.   

Another special will be offered on Oct. 30, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. You can register for a 15- minute shoot in your costume. For just $10 per person, you can get professional photos taken by Sayre and receive an online gallery of your photos.  

Regular prices for The Babe Cave are $21 per person, per hour for groups of 10 or less. Groups over 10 qualify for event pricing and get a discount.  

The Babe Cave showcases pictures of previous and returning clients in the studio. They hope that changing the sets will increase the likelihood of clients returning. 

Studio 31 can also host birthday parties and any other events you may want.  

The very first event held at Studio 31 was for Akron CHARGG. 

The pair also has the main floor of the building, which is where they have their regular photography studio which includes basic backdrops and more professional backgrounds. On the second floor is their office and their boudoir suite.  

When a customer books the Babe Cave, they receive a temporary access code that grants you access 10 minutes before and after your booking. You and your group are the only ones in the studio during your hour.  

One reason they decided to operate this way is because of COVID-19. Herndon has traveled to many selfie studios across the country and can attest that their one-hour private time slots are a standout.  

“COVID-19 shaped our business model, and ended up helping,” Sayre said. “Thank you, pandemic!”