Open Shutter Live

What happens when a musician finds his voice behind a camera, and then takes that creative journey across continents? Filmmaker Sourav Deb joins the program fresh from his time in Asia to discuss the differences between the creative communities in Vietnam and Toronto, and how his evolution as an artist led him from music into filmmaking. We dive into the art of storytelling, finding your creative...

Originally from Poland, Toronto-based photographer Igor Purwin joins the program to talk about rediscovering his creative side through photography. After moving to Toronto permanently in 2014, Igor built a life with his family. In 2025, inspired by his children and a desire to document family life, he picked up a camera and began learning through YouTube. What started as a way to capture memories...

Lifelong photographer Lyndsey Brauch joins Open Shutter Live to talk about keeping creativity alive in an increasingly noisy world. From borrowing her parents’ camera as a child to studying photography and film, Lyndsey has continued to pursue her craft while building a career in marketing and social media. We discuss the impact of AI on creativity, the pressure of social media validation, and the...

Mark Kendall Andrews joins the program. He’s a photographer, music lover, concert goer, and an all-around creative who sees the world through a cinematic eye. Mark’s creative journey has taken a few unexpected turns. He started in film and television, moved into background acting, then location scouting, before eventually stepping into the telecommunications industry. Now, he’s working toward maki...

What happens when your passion becomes a business, but you still have a full-time job? Toronto-based illustrator, artist, and creator Erika Flores joins the program to talk about finding that balance. Erika is a self-taught artist who started creating in high school. What began with a friend asking her to create calligraphy for a wedding seating chart eventually became Inkscrpt, her creative busin...

Alshane Wallace originally from the Bahamas, he has found a new home in Toronto and is building a creative community of his own. A creator at heart, Alshane founded the Browser Collective, a platform focused on bringing creators together and building community in Toronto. He started out as a writer, primarily working in fiction, but as life got busier, he found himself with less time to write. Tha...

Toronto Photographer, Dzesika Devic joins Open Shutter to talk about finding meaning in photography, embracing discomfort, and learning to see the everyday with fresh eyes. Driven by missed photographs, childhood memories, and her own emotions, Dzesika gravitates toward photographing people’s expressions and quiet moments that reflect feelings and thoughts that can be difficult to articulate. She...

What does it mean to stay authentic in a world increasingly influenced by AI?Julian Talluto, joins the program to talk about finding your creative identity, staying true to yourself, and pursuing photography with purpose. Julian shares how he found a place where he feels good mentally, why surrounding yourself with the right people and other creatives matters, and how learning to stop worrying abo...

Full-time freelancer and business owner Corrynne Bisson joins the program to share her journey from Alberta to Toronto and how she has built a career in the content creation and videography space. Corrynne has been shooting for eight years and freelancing for the past three. After being laid off from her restaurant job, she took the leap into freelancing full-time and has since built a business wo...

Reese Bolibruck joins the program to talk about her journey as an athlete and sports photographer. Currently balancing two internships focused on sports photography, Reese shares how her experience as an athlete has directly influenced the way she approaches photography, from knowing where to position herself to understanding players, plays, and the flow of the game. Reese also offers advice for a...

Vince Neil joins the program to share his journey from hockey player to sports photographer and the lessons he’s carried from the rink into his career behind the camera. Originally from the USA, Vince played hockey before he had to to step away from the game. Rather than leave sports behind, he picked up a camera and found a new way to stay close to the action. That path eventually expanded beyond...

Neil Patel, an avid sports photographer and urban planner who has built a name for himself covering basketball, football, and hockey across Toronto. Neil shares why creating genuine relationships with the athletes is just as important as capturing the action on the court or field. We talk about balancing creativity with the business side of photography, the importance of networking despite being a...

Photographer, videographer, and content creator Amir Vassell joins the Open Shutter Podcast. As the founder of FNM Studios (Faith in Motion), Amir recently took the leap to pursue his creative business full time, helping artists, creators, businesses, and brands elevate their presence while creating meaningful impact. What started with nothing more than a tripod and a phone has grown into a thrivi...

Toronto based barber and creative, 416Sniper joins the pod to share his journey through barbering, photography, and finding purpose through creativity. What started as a profession quickly became the foundation that helped bring structure, discipline, and direction into his life. His love for basketball naturally blended into barber culture, inspiring him to pick up a camera and start documenting...

Toronto-based wedding photographer Daria Summers joins the podcast to share her journey as a business owner and creative. She talks about what she loves about capturing weddings, why client connection matters more than just making a sale, and the challenge of learning how to market herself in the North American industry after moving from Ukraine. Daria also opens up about balancing trends with aut...

Creator, entrepreneur, and business owner Sid Sawant joins the program to discuss his journey into content creation, what storytelling truly means to him, and why long-form narrative content still matters in a world obsessed with short attention spans. Sid shares how he began as an actor before pivoting into photography through headshots, later building a career in wedding and event photography. W...

Dancer, model, actor, musician, and poet Deiondre Hall joins the program for a conversation about artistry, discipline, and chasing your dreams without apology. Recently performing as a dancer for the Raptors 905, the G League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, Deiondre shares how surrounding himself with the right people and support system has helped elevate his craft. Originally from Jamaica and...

Brittany Martin is a Toronto street and architecture photographer at heart, capturing the fleeting moments in the city. Brittany is drawn to contrasts that feel almost like visual riddles: crowded spaces that somehow feel empty, still moments inside motion, and fleeting human stories tucked between steel and glass. Lately, Brittany has been expanding the lens into portrait work while developing a...

Cinematographer Bianca Cline joins the program, live from Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 25 years in the film industry, Bianca’s journey spans films, commercials, and documentaries, evolving from her early days in Los Angeles to a career shaped by intention and resilience. She opens up about a pivotal shift in her career, recognizing she was saying yes to projects that didn’t light her up. That r...

Model and fine artist Becca Romero steps into the conversation, bringing a perspective shaped by both creative expression and human understanding. Starting her modeling journey at just 16, Becca shares how years in front of the camera built not only her portfolio, but her confidence, presence, and sense of self. What began as posing evolved into something deeper—a study of emotion, storytelling, a...

Meg brings a unique perspective shaped by an unexpected path, from social services to leading creative direction and mentoring entrepreneurs. She has oversaw 600 businesses in downtown Guelph, gaining a deep understanding of people, systems, and what makes something truly connect. At the core of Meg’s work is one belief: relationships matter. She leans into the messy middle, the raw, unpolished pr...

Actor, stand-up comic, visual artist, and photographer Brandon Zakkai (aka @visualshoegaze) joins the program for a conversation that blurs the lines between disciplines and dives deep into creative instinct. Known for his experimental approach to photography, Brandon works primarily with light and intentional camera movement, creating images that feel less like documentation and more like memory...

Wedding photographer Ed Yao joins the program to share his unconventional path into the world of wedding photography. Originally following in his father’s footsteps with a Master of Science, Ed took a year off to travel with a new camera in hand. What began as curiosity quickly turned into something deeper. He realized life in a lab wasn’t for him. As a natural extrovert, he craved connection, ene...

Filmmaker and photographer Justin Friesen joins the program to share his journey through the creative trenches of the music and film scene in Toronto. Justin originally studied film production with the goal of becoming a film director, but his path took an unexpected turn when his first paid project turned out to be a music video. That opportunity opened the door to the local music world and set h...

Canadian country singer Kip James joins the program to share the story behind his journey into music. Growing up in a household filled with classic rock, Kip didn’t discover country music until later in life. Once he did, something clicked. At 16, he began writing songs, putting thoughts and experiences onto paper and slowly shaping the sound that would become his own. Now 28, Kip reflects on the...