These times; it'll be personal.

As a professional photographer, it can be at times daunting, yet rewarding to fill all the client projects. We need to remember to take our time to fulfill some of our own visions; some of the things that we wish to shoot on our own time; to our own creative visions. I've had a couple things in mind recently, and I wanted to make a short list of different things I'd like to shoot over the next coming months. Here's what I have thinking so far:

> A Spy/Hitman/Armani Shoot: black and white of course, maybe some de-saturated sepia. I picked up some toy cap guns (the ones I wasn't allowed to have as a kid), and they give off quite a bit of smoke. I'm thinking that I'll get the model (a guy likely) to shoot off the 8 rounds continuously, then shoot it as if it was a just-happened murder. This will likely be a shot from the mouth down, hopefully with a cigarette or the like for fun. I'll be playing around from different environments and locales that a spy would be in. I'll likely devote a day for this, just thinking like a spy.
> Steamwhistle Shoot: steamwhistle is likely my favorite brand of beer. They're a microbrewery in downtown toronto. Their branding is very old fashioned, almost 50s pin-up style. I wanted to get some practice doing some advertising work, then sending it over to them. Just to see how it goes. This shot has two concepts: lots of green gelled lights with guys sitting at the bar at the end of the friday's work day, and a foosball table converted into using steamwhistle bottles into players.

These are the two I've had in mind for a while these are significantly less than full ideas (note the omen to CJ?):

> Ninjas. 'Nuff said.
> Dancing...break-dancing
> Kung-Fu
> More engagement and wedding work

And every so often I'm sure something else will be added to this list. I can't wait to get moving on these shoots whenever I have the time.

LIME (www.squeezethelime.com) in their fourth podcast discusses the importance of personal shooting. I couldn't agree more. Not only does it develop one's ability, and fills ones drive and passion with photography, but gets clients noticing what they have the potential to do.

Happy shooting!