Colour blocks and strong silhouettes make bold seasonal statements.
Team Credits
Creative Director: Anya Shor
Model: Ellamae Sarah Hughes
Photography: Leah den Bok
Makeup & Hair: Taylor Savage
Styling: Justyna Lasocka
Location: Wasaga Beach Public Library
Earlier this year, I was commissioned by On The Bay Magazine, a publication based in beautiful Georgian Bay, Ontario, to photograph a fashion editorial for their Spring issue. The shoot took place at the newly constructed Wasaga Beach Public Library — a sleek, modern space that’s part of the town’s visionary recreation complex project at 544 River Road West. This state-of-the-art development will include a twin-pad arena and library, paving the way for Wasaga Beach’s future as a cultural and community hub.
The architectural design of the library is contemporary and filled with geometric lines, glass walls, and natural textures—an ideal backdrop for a fashion story focused on colour, shape, and modernity. While the location was visually stunning, it presented its own set of lighting challenges. And that’s where Elinchrom’s lighting system, particularly the ELC Pro HD monolights paired with the Rotalux Octabox, became absolutely essential to the success of this shoot.
Inside the Library: Window Light Meets Elinchrom Precision
We began the shoot indoors near a large window, hoping to rely on natural light to illuminate the model’s face. But as is often the case in architectural spaces like libraries, the window light was beautifully soft—but not quite strong or directional enough to sculpt the model’s features for a high-impact editorial image.
That’s when I brought in the Elinchrom ELC Pro HD 500 and Rotalux 100cm Octabox. This combination delivered not only the power to shape the light exactly where I needed it but also the softness and wraparound quality that mimicked natural daylight. The ELC’s consistency, quick recycling time, and built-in Skyport remote control made adjusting settings mid-shoot seamless, especially as I moved between indoor locations.
The Stairwell: Full Light Control in a High-Contrast Environment
Our next setup was in the main lobby stairwell—an area with high ceilings, skylights, and a mix of deep shadows and blown-out highlights. It’s a space that looks spectacular in person, but incamera it required a delicate balance of exposure to preserve both architectural detail and the model’s form.
Again, the ELC Pro HD with theRotalux Octabox came to the rescue. It allowed me to fill in the shadows gently without flattening the image, maintaining depth while ensuring the wardrobe and styling remained vivid and accurately lit. The Octabox’s soft fall-off created dimension and depth, which helped the model stand out from the angular background.
Outdoor Shooting: Beating the Sun with Flash
For our final location, we moved to the exterior of the building, exploring various sides of the library to capture different textures and materials of the architecture—from brushed concrete to reflective glass. By then, the sun was high in the sky and casting harsh, contrasty shadows. I knew if I relied on natural light alone, I’d risk losing detail in the highlights and deepening shadows across the model’s face.
Thanks to the 500Ws power of the Elinchrom ELC Pro HD, I was able to overpower the sun, soften the shadows, and control the look of the image in-camera—something that would have been difficult to do in post-production without significant compromises. The flash gave me that extra edge of creative control, allowing me to bring a clean, editorial polish to every frame, regardless of the sun’s intensity.
Why Elinchrom?
In every location—indoors or out—the Elinchrom system provided consistent, reliable, and flattering light. The Rotalux Octabox, in particular, was a dream to work with: lightweight, easy to assemble, and capable of creating a beautiful catchlight in the model’s eyes while maintaining a soft, cinematic look across the frame.
Had I not brought the Elinchrom lights, I would’ve struggled with exposure control, especially in outdoor settings where highlights risked blowing out and shadows were far too deep. Instead, I left the shoot confident that I had full command of the light and could adapt to each space as needed.
Final Thoughts
Shooting at the Wasaga Beach Public Library was an incredible experience, both from a creative and technical standpoint. The building is a symbol of progress and culture for the community, and it was an honour to photograph within such a dynamic environment. With the help of Elinchrom lighting, I was able to turn every lighting challenge into an opportunity — and deliver images I’m truly proud of.
For photographers tackling shoots in mixed or unpredictable lighting conditions, I can’t recommend the Elinchrom ELC Pro HD and Rotalux Octabox enough. They gave me the confidence to experiment, adapt, and bring my full vision to life — exactly what great gear should do.
