"My aim with Ace Hotel Toronto was to showcase the building’s materials — brick, concrete, Canadian Red Oak, glass — all of which connect to the manufacturing past of its neighborhood, Queen Street West. The photos above provide two perspectives from the same space. In the first, I composed the shot to eliminate the ceiling and create the effect that the concrete pillars extend indefinitely. The wood designs on the rear wall, as well as the staircase, help complement this framing and funnel the viewer into the space. The second photo showcases the beautiful large glass windows, which bring in loads of light and connect the hotel to a tree filled park across the street. Interior spaces like these can be challenging to capture. I almost always shoot with natural light (no supplemental or artificial lighting whatsoever), which means timing is critical. For this project I planned to shoot mid-morning for more neutral scenes throughout, helping achieve a balance between the contrasting interior and exterior light." - Mark Fedeli
