Meet Christina Block | Independent Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Block and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe that the most important factor behind my success is simple, its treating people with kindness. Just being real & treating someone as you would want to be treated. For example, when a prospective client emails me, I do not send out a blanket email (something that one would automatically send to anyone inquiring), I message them back personally & make sure to cover things they shared in their email. I don’t look at my business as a money making transaction, I look at it as a way to connect with people & learn about their stories; everyone is unique. I truly treasure being able to enter a strangers (prospective client) life & document some of their most intimate of moments. Thats a real honor, and my hope is that people feel comfortable with me, because when your guard is up, the camera doesn’t see what it needs to.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a firm believer that there is a photographer for everyone, each of us find our clients because we make photographs that we feel are meaningful. “Does this photograph make me feel”, that is something that I have always based my work on. I don’t care much about if the photograph is aesthetically pleasing, I care much more about if it made you smile, remember, or even cry.

Growing up I always had my film camera with me, I have numerous boxes in my closet of photo prints dating back to my youth. I shot because I didn’t want to forget & looking back on those times is something I treasure. Even the not so good moments because time & instances have shaped me into who I am today.

I started my business back in 2011, at that time I had numerous friends reaching out to me to photograph their baby or family for them; from there it organically grew on its on. The first several years you are really experimenting & growing as an artist. I could even stretch that timeline & say the first 6-8 years are really sculpting your style & realizing the things you don’t budge on. I think many people don’t realize that they journey of your career is so important because it forces you to become your true self.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a Florida native, I would definitely have them come down to visit sometime once that fall weather hits. While that scorching summer heat as passed. For breakfast, I would take them to Maple Street Biscuit Company to grab one of their grits bowls (w/bacon, eggs, chives, cheese), its right in my neighborhood, San Marco (Jacksonville, FL). Maybe spend part of the day at the Cummer Museum (looking at some amazing art & beautiful riverfront garden). Then around dusk, head out to the beaches & find some good tide pools to lay in (that clear water is my love language). I am not one of those agenda people so letting the day unfold organically is what I prefer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There isn’t one specific person or thing that has played a role in my love for photography, however, its composed of the various roads I have walked in this life. For example, as a young child my dad always had to have the video camera out, he made sure to document every single thing in our life & while that was annoying as a child, I cherish that now because I have actual tangible memories to look back at. Moments that made me remember how I felt at that time, there is power in that.

Website: https://www.christinablock.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinablock.co/

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Image Credits
©Christina Block