Open Shutter Live

Jason Foley returns in episode 141, his umpteenth time on the podcast, having shared his passion for macro, astro, and developing film previously. This time, he focuses on modular films cameras, the Hasselblad 500CM, BronicaS2, and the Mamiya RB67. What are their differences, how are they similar, and the price point for each. Jason's passion for photography stretches beyond the technical area...

In this episode of Open Shutter, I have the pleasure of welcoming Thanuja (TJ) who is a world traveller, having visited 50+ countries. In her travels, she has collected stories and insights into the creative process. A firm believer in the power of supporting local artists, TJ learns from others and applies this knowledge to her own process. However, TJ's creativity was in flux during her univ...

In episode 139, Boudoir Photographer Amy Cleary joins the program. Amy is a passionate and dedicated pro who always put the client first and make sure his/her needs are met. Amy explains how this niche is put in a box by peers and explains that boudoir photography has nothing to do with sex, it's about freedom and self expression. Amy shares her past experiences in dealing with models and shar...

Michael Lekas shares his experience of being a sports, model, and landscape photographer and how these different niches while all different, also compliment each other in certain ways. Michael got into film photography during high school and still kept up with it throughout his life, switching over to digital. He eventually got into motorsports photography. He shares his tips and tricks on how to...

I'm excited to welcome back Alice to the program, our last chat was an honest and raw conversation around creativity, being intentional, and how to actually achieve your goals. This time, we chat about how Alice's work has evolved, how she continues to be intentional, and why she continues to use vision boards. Alice is focusing on owning her voice, pushing out of her comfort zone, and cra...

Welcome to the 2025 Season Opener with local photographer, musician, and data scientist, Nishank Kumar! This is a great episode to open up 2025. Since we all have goals and resolutions at the start of each year, Nishank shares how he rebooted his creativity with photography after almost two years away. Our conversation includes the importance of community, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone...

Night Sky/Astro Photographer, Scott Visscher joins the program where he shares his early beginnings using a disposable camera in high school. The photography seed was planted as it was only a few years ago that he picked up a camera to dive into the craft and how to make a photo vs taking a photo. Scott shares his advice on how to capture the night sky, common mistakes photographers are doing, and...

Mike Dancy, aka UGC Dad on YouTube makes a return appearance on the podcast, this time discussing the ever changing world of User Generated Content. Mike has successfully navigated into becoming a full time UGC creator with minimal gear and experience. Mike shares his advice on how he landed his first clients, why being apart of the Amazon Influencer Program can help generate more income, and the...

Video Editor, and Producer, Music Artist, YouTube Creator, the list of titles is long for Chris Tarroza. Chris recently left Sportsnet where he produced NBA promotions including the Toronto Raptors. His decision to leave was based on not feeling fulfilled and wanting to step outside his comfort zone to produce work he was proud of. Chris has always been into music and started to experiment with pr...

Kasumi Kobo's journey from moving to Toronto from Japan with her dreams of playing hockey derailed, opened another opportunity to run her own business. She explains how she convinced her father that dropping out of university was the right move, the importance of failing fast, and staying true to your intuition. Using her experience as a player herself gave her a unique connection to working with...

Burhan joins me on this episode of Open Shutter, a successful wedding photography business owner. He tells the story of when going to university, he needed to buy a Macbook, whose owner, was a wedding photographer. This chance encounter led Burhan to shift his photography from urban/roof topping to wedding photography. He explains how he found his own creative voice in the industry through self ed...

GJ is a Toronto based fashion and commercial photographer serving a number of clients and agencies. He attended Toronto Metropolitan University for Fine Art during the pandemic. Finding himself isolated from his peers, he taught himself photography and lighting by simply practicing at his home everyday. His mantra of being intentional with your work and breaking down big goals into smaller project...

Jesse Frybort returns to the podcast fresh off an inspiring trip to Scotland that reignited his passion for photography. In this episode, he shares stories from his travels, capturing the beauty of the Scottish landscape, and his excitement about returning home to witness and photograph the northern lights—a bucket list moment for him. Jesse also discusses the importance of being intentional with...

Samantha Hurley is a seasoned fine art photographer who is also an accomplished portrait and product photographer over the past decade. Being obsessed with the craft, Samantha explains why you need to be invested in the process over results and in times of creative rut, you just need to keep going. Her diverse portfolio spans across various mediums, from paint to film and digital, with exhibitions...

In this episode of *Open Shutter*, I’m joined by Ben Carmichael, owner of the media agency Shot By Ben. We dive into the transition from shooting photos for fun to working with clients, exploring the balance between passion and profession. Ben's journey started unexpectedly—while studying to become an athletic therapist, he taught himself sports photography by capturing college basketball games. A...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Akbar Shah, a world traveler whose journeys have taken him to the farthest corners of the globe. After relocating to Canada to begin a new chapter in life, Akbar discovered his passion for photography, which soon evolved from a hobby into a thriving commercial pursuit. In this episode, Akbar shares his experiences navigating different photography niches—...

In this episode, Emily Blocksdorf joins us to share the story behind her career shift into brand photography and marketing. She dives into the key lessons she's learned along the way, her strategies for connecting with clients, and how she consistently delivers exceptional, standout work. Emily also opens up about the steps she's taking to avoid burnout in this demanding industry. Whether...

In this episode of Open Shutter, Jonathan Norville, originally from St. Lucia and now living in London, Ontari, joins the podcast to share his journey as both an academic and a creative. Jonathan has a passion for photography, cycling, and woodworking, even building his own bikes from scratch. After the sudden passing of his mother in 2020, he channeled his photography into asking deep, philosophi...

Welcome back to another episode of Open Shutter as I welcome content creator Nika Zbasnik! While working in the hospitality industry in the UK, Nika pursued her interest in the creative world, eventually landing freelance jobs which fueled her passion further. She moved to Toronto, landing a full time content creator job at a large utility company while also serving her own clients in the lifestyl...

Travel photographer Calvin Lau opens up the fall schedule of Open Shutter! If you have the post summer blues, have a case of wanderlust, or have an upcoming trip - this episode is for you! We dive into all things including why Calvin hated photography in the beginning, what led to his transition, and his views on how social media has affected tourism as a whole. And what exactly is his favourite d...

Welcome back to another episode of Open Shutter as Toronto based photographer, CJ Burnell, joins the program! CJ prides himself on trying to be an all rounded photographer and shares his tips on avoiding a being one dimensional artist. CJ's journey included enrolling in a photography certificate program where he was worried that his gear wasn't good enough. His teacher told him that it&#39...

Welcome back to another episode of Open Shutter as I welcome local street and portrait photographer, Aseani Osven! I've known Aseani for a while and have always admired how he's able to capture that perfect moment! Aseani discusses why he got into photography, why you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and why experimenting is crucial to his success. Aseani's love of photo...

We're live from the nation's capital with Ottawa photographer, Jessica Wong! Jessica's journey started during the pandemic. She quickly found her niche capturing the local Ottawa scene, including sunrises, sunsets, tulips, and chasing the night sky. Jessica pushed past her comfort zone, expanding into portrait photography, brand shoots, and attending local markets to sell her work. Jes...

Welcome back to another episode of Open Shutter as I welcome photographer, custom home builder, and all around handy man, Mark Robinson! I met Mark five years ago at a meetup in Toronto and he suggested that I organize a day out to his cafe in his hometown of Bowmanville. Needless to say, it was a great day out and glad that we were able to visit because since then, him and his wife have sold the...

Welcome back to another episode of Open Shutter as I welcome creator  @saarvendra  to the program! I met Saarvendra a few weeks ago at a creator meetup so I figured I would invite him and get his insights since he has a large following on social media. He shares his approach on how he pushes his creative editing limits, what led to to his success, his stance on AI, and why making what you want is...