New Year Dreams

Since resolutions never stick, this year I am going to make a list of dreams for a better new year in 2010!

1) Focus on this blog more by sharing not just my photography but all of the great finds in the design world.

2) Turn Claire Bock Photography into a conglomerate called Claire Bock Design with a new logo soon to be unveiled!

3) Work on my online shop Moderne Maison in a more aggressive way

Winter is Here!

Alt Pick Awards

I entered the Alt Pick awards competition earlier this fall with one of my classic pink photographs and while I didn't win anything, they put up all of the entries into the contest on their website. Here is a link to the site.

New Online Shop

I have launched a shop through etsy called Moderne Maison. Not only am I selling select photographic prints, but some of my letterpress work and stylish vintage finds for the home!

Bangkok

My first stop in my trip to Asia was through Bangkok. We stayed at a swanky modern boutique hotel called the Dream, ate lots of curry, sweat it out through our pores all day long, took a water taxi along a very dirty river, stopped at 7-11's for refreshments often, and topped it off with a night at the Sky Bar on the 64th floor of Bangkok's 2nd tallest building!

Halong Bay

We had the opportunity to spend the night in a luxury junk boat in Halong Bay which was worth all of the beautiful photos that I got out of this trip. Kayaking through bat caves, jumping off of the ship, and visiting floating markets were highlights from this 2 day adventure. Halong Bay is a hidden gem in the world.

Vietnam

I recently traveled throughout Asia and will be blogging about the various cities that I visited along with some select images. The images below are from Dalat, Vietnam a small mountain town outside of Ho Chi Minh City. Dalat is famous for its farmer's market and it is considered to be the "little Paris of Vietnam."

Late with the Date

I'm working on a calendar for next year and thought I would give it a shot with September despite the fact that the month is half over!

The Life of a Debutante

I built a wall of ribbon for my photo shoot of a debutante on Friday. Shooting to a soundtrack of Michael Jackson helped the model liven up a bit. The shots came out better than I imagined. Behind the scenes at a debutante ball will be one of my next assignments coming up in the fall. Before then it is off to Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong for 3 weeks. Lots of photos are sure to be posted in the next month.

Summer Evenings

One of the reasons that I love the summer are the warm summer nights. This is a photo from a memorable night in July at the Durham Bulls game.

Perfect Start

Dreaming of a vanilla chai tea latte from Guglhupf in Durham. They are a perfect start to any morning.

Hatch

Hatch Show Print is a fantastic letterpress print shop that is famous for their country music posters. This is a great look into what Hatch is all about

Goodbye Kodachrome

New York skyline, January 1966, photographed by Aleta Bock Schnieders

FOR THE LOVE OF ORANGE

Communication

The beauty of color in pairs of telephone cable

"An inventor is a man who looks upon the world and is not contented with things as they are"

-Alexander Graham Bell

It is because of this man that an iphone contains my life today. The list of things my phone does for me is endless... it is my alarm clock, my flashlight, my newspaper, my pen and paper, my bank, my television, my level, my radio, my cookbook, and my personal assistant in every single way.

New Book for Sale!

I've created a new book of polaroids from road trips over the years. I've named it after one of my favorite Dolly Parton songs from the movie TransAmerica called Travelin' Thru. It can be purchased in soft cover or hard cover here. I am so sad that polaroid has become extinct and this book is a tribute to an art form that I grew up with and never imagined it would disappear.

Road Trip Through Maryland

I can't resist capturing signage from the 50's and 60's while on the road. These 2 spots were right next to each other in Fort Washington, Maryland.

The South

I am going to North Carolina for a graduation this weekend and can't wait to shoot with my Diana now that I've learned how to take the lens off for pinhole use. The weather should be just starting to get sticky and hot which I love to experience.

Introducing...

Today I am debuting an offshoot to my photography business called
Claire Bock Press. For a few years, I have been designing professionally printed and bound books for friends and family as gifts. It is a creative endeavor that uses my favorite aspects of photography and combines them with my love of graphic design. If you are looking for a personal gift, there is nothing more personal than a coffee table book filled with one's personal photographs and writings.

The ideas for creating a book are endless. Cookbooks, travel memoirs, graduation gifts, mother's and father's day gifts, holiday gifts, family history books, birthday books, wedding albums, guest books, client portfolios, etc.

Click here to find out more info on how to get your personal coffee table book today!

Orange

I've been on a real orange kick and shot these two images today.

Style and Protection

I'm always on the hunt for a stylish photo bag that is very portable and not so recognizable. I was so happy to recently discover a bowling bag made for the digital SLR cameras. Not only is it shiny and red but a great price too! The bag is made by Acme and is on my wish list as a great travel camera bag.

NASCAR

I had the opportunity to attend my first NASCAR race over the weekend in Martinsville, Virginia. It was an entirely new cultural experience for someone who has lived in California their entire life. The fields surrounding the speedway become home to thousands of NASCAR fans for two days leading up to the event and they create the biggest tailgate of any sporting event. The prayer at the start of the event led by raceway ministries was also another culture shock, and once the race started these were some of rowdiest fans I've ever seen at any sporting event.

First of Spring

Oh, the love of fresh powder and the end of winter.

Telluride, Colorado

Green with Envy

In honor of the Irish holiday, I decided to post some photos with a green theme.

Photo Shop

Drawing on inspiration from the February issue of PDN, I decided to give a tour of my office/studio. PDN showcases a range of various styles of studios and how they reflect in one's shooting sensibilities. From Dan Winters' retro collectors dream to Aya Brackett's stark, modern abode it is interesting to see how their work comes through their studio's style.


I decided to take a look at my studio and realize that it also very much reflects my style.


I wanted a clean palette as a base of the design for my office, so chose a stark 18% gray with black furniture and hardwood floors. Then I used lots of white and pink accents from the flowers to the storage boxes down to the rug.


I like to tape up inspiration and reminders around my computer space. To feel creative, I need a little bit of clutter around and to feel productive I need organization so I try to maintain a good balance of both.


My shelving holds negatives, books, and props. I like to keep one of my current favorite books out on display. I change it throughout the year. Currently I have Brian Finke's book Flight Attendants on display.


From the garden gnome to the hot pink beehive wigs this shot shows some of the whimsical props that hang around even after they've been used in a shoot.


This jar makes me laugh and I often wish it was actually filled with some happy pills.


My laptop bag is a bright and cheerful green and gets compliments through airports across the country.

Be my Valentine

Silver Spoon Series

I have been working on a new series inspired by my grandmother's silver. I am also attempting to re-create an antiquated polaroid look. These would have looked great on real polaroids.


"Born on a silver spoon."