“At My Signal, Unleash Hell.”

October 29, 2011 was a turning point in Zorz Studios’ history. That day, a milestone historical decision was made, and the time came to announce it. Many will be taken by a surprise. With confidence and excitement I state that the change will have a profound and empowering impact on Zorz Studios. I am quitting.

I am quitting my daytime job. Believe it or not, I’ve been carrying the weight of two full-time jobs for many years. One you know – the owner of a fashionable, edgy, and fine art photography studio – and the other was held at a highly successful and growing $8bln pharmaceutical company. Meet another Ed, Coordinator of Global Monitoring Operations. Meet and bid your farewell, as next business day is my last day of employment at this perspective and rewarding position. In part, the stability, security, and appreciation of this position was what held me back for some time. The upper management and all my peers have treated me as a valued employee for all 11 years, creating a truly comfortable and enjoying environment. Yet, I could not possibly tame my true passion, especially when it kept being infused, overflowing the boundaries set by the idea of having just 24 hours in a day.

The past years were remarkably tough, testing out human abilities of sleeping 3 hours on average, scoffing at TGIF cries, and hardly having relaxing weekends. Throughout a week, I would not come home to have dinner and then relax in front of a TV, or hang out, or just crash in exhaustion after a “tough day at work”. That tough day at work was transitioning into night at work when I would post-process and try to attend to minimal business needs, with mixed results. While my brand post-processing has always remained a quintessential hallmark, promised and delivered, it was coming at a price of extended turnaround. I could have handled the standard timeframes if I my studio’s final product were average. The complications arose from my recognized higher levels of post-processing and beauty retouching, requiring extra effort and extended time. Another sadly noticeable drawback was lack of attention to some advanced business aspects. While I was keeping up with the basics, I could only dream of putting all my gained knowledge, ideas, and concepts into action. I did try some, quite successfully and encouragingly I might add, but they inevitably winded down without the vital influx of energy and time. Even take this very blog! I am ashamed to see it dormant for the past 1.5 years… Although I remained active on Facebook which turned into my primary communication media, I could not dig up all the details and cool behind-the-scene stories and information. And finally, aside from all paid gigs, my impetuous vision had scarce opportunities to be released in the form of my own independent art projects, such as underwater and Gothic themes. Without them, my imagination felt like a sprout during the drought.

My time has come. Time to catch up, to address the shortcomings and root them out, to sink my teeth deep into the backbones of the business, to liberate my passion and skills. Time to spread my wings… a banal saying that best and truly describes my inner senses now as I am standing on a cliff this last day of 2011. A bit worried but believing. If you think that I achieved something by gaining some recognition, creating a group of followers and fans, commanding above-the-average prices, or shooting for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine,  you didn’t see it all yet. What you’ve seen so far is that sharp tip of an iceberg. I am eager to bring the potential of what is deep under the surface. And you will start hearing about my new projects and initiatives in the next few months already.

The good boy in me is opening a new chapter of Zorz Studios almanac, The Epoch of Renaissance. The bad boy in me is quoting one of my favorite epic films, shouting, “At my signal, unleash hell!” Hold tight now.