Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Blake.
Hi Christian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born in small-town Indiana, and every year we had our county fair, which already is just so Midwest. My best friend at the time was in the photography program and told me that I should try it. So, my sophomore year of high school, I made my first photography poster that consisted of photos of plants around my parent’s house that I took with my cell phone— riveting, I know. But I really enjoyed creating that poster, and I quickly upgraded to a point-and-shoot camera.
In 2009 I did my first photoshoot of my little sister and that’s when everything clicked for me. I loved photographing people. I started doing my friends’ senior photos, photographing families, and then I booked my first wedding in 2011. I would continue to photograph people all over the country, eventually move out of my small town in Indiana, and now, twelve years later, live in California as a professional photographer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like most big life changes, there are going to be bumps in the road. Besides the inevitable struggles that come with starting a business and working for yourself, one of the biggest humps I had to get over was leaving Indiana. If you’re from the Midwest, you know that, for the most part, it’s not normal to leave the Midwest. It’s comfortable, and most people are content with that, but I was not.
Making the choice to move away from everything I knew to pursue my career was the hardest decision to make but ended up being the best decision I’ve made in my entire life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in people— specifically couples and individuals; all things life, love, and editorial. I’m known for my candid and authentic approach to photography, photos that truly capture a moment. That sounds cliche and overused, but how I really get those shots, and the thing that sets me apart from other photographers is my ability to connect with my client.
Anyone can pick up a camera and take a great photo, but it takes a certain type of person to be able to connect with your subject to truly make them feel comfortable and confident in front of a camera. Especially if they don’t have prior experience.
90% of my clients don’t have former modeling experience, and the great thing about working with me is that you don’t need any experience. It’s my job to showcase your unique qualities and strengths so you, and anyone who sees these photos, can see how amazing you are, the goal you just reached, or the milestone you just hit.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
Take the risk. Of course, this is going to vary depending on your situation, but I would argue that taking the risk, making the jump— it’s always worth it and will always pay off.
To get to where you want to be, you have to be willing to do things that scare you. Making yourself uncomfortable is essential to grow in any facet of your life. So, I am all for taking risks.
Like I’ve already exhausted in this interview, taking the risk to move and chase a dream I had was huge for me— but it paid off.
Was it easy? Absolutely not. Did I almost give up? Many times. But I kept pushing because I believed that I could make this dream my reality and nothing was going to get in my way.
Be bold. Take the risk.
Contact Info:
- Website: Christianblake.co
- Instagram: Instagram.com/christiannblake
- SoundCloud: SoundCloud.com/hellocodak
- Other: TikTok.com/christiannblake
Image Credits
Andrew Baker
Whitney Parrott
John Philip
Victoria Brindis
Garrett Gower
Sarah Benson
Rachel Benson
