Meet Cara Bloch | Photographer

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

Hi Cara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
In the late 90’s, I was a hostess at a chic hotel restaurant with my best friend right out of college. It was a fun job with not much responsibility other than seating people. My best friend struck up a mild filtration with a hotel guest and picked up the phone one evening dialing his hotel room number with the intention of meeting him. Startled I said, “That is against company policy, you’ll get fired.” With a serious glance she turned to me and said ” Life is not a dress rehearsal, I go after what I want.” Inspired by her confidence, I applied to art school and moved to NYC knowing no one. I could have remained in the city where I was born, but I chose the risk of a more challenging wild environment stretching me beyond my comfort zone and into growth. . While many aspire to become magazine photographers, success depends on an artist’s willingness to put their work into the world, take risks, and accept rejection as part of the process. Each time I felt nervous about dropping my portfolio off, completing a job I wasn’t so sure I was qualified for, or jumping on a plane to complete a job in an unfamiliar area I think about her statement and I realize I have nothing to loose. Taking risks is not only necessary-it’s also fun.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been photographing since childhood, driven by curiosity and desire to better understand the world around me. Our family home served as an early studio, with friends stepping in as muses as I recreated fashion editorials and rock album art work that inspired me. It was fun, but I never truly considered it as a career. In high school, I fell in love with pop metal music and spent nights at local clubs, convincing bands to pose for me creating promotional images that helped them secure bookings. I started to charge for my images and quietly built my first photography business- printing after school in my high school darkroom. Still in college, I did not decide to study photography convinced it was still just a silly hobby. I attended the University of Colorado securing a safe liberal arts degree just like everyone else. I felt perplexed and disenchanted, and started working for my Dad in Miami, where I am from. Feeling stuck, my friend Gillain Laub encouraged me to apply to the International Center of Photography in NYC, and jumped at the opportunity and was thrilled to be accepted.

After a challenging year at Art School, I ran into another friend Belinda Lopez, in the photography section at Barnes and Nobel quickly inquiring about each other’s lives. Belinda was trying to secure a job as a photo assistant in NYC, and she explained to me her process. The next day, we went to Office Max and she introduced me to my new best friend the fax machine and a cover letter book. Driven by the anxiety of slipping back into a conventional life, Belinda and I met daily to write cover letters and resumes, faxing them to our hero’s. We lingered in the Condé Nast cafeteria, introduced ourselves to editors over lunch, and hunted opportunity at Art Basel parties in Miami. We were relentless. Ultimately, the hard work and long hours paid off and I landed a job as an assistant to a prominent music video director, Matt Mahurin, for 4 years. I felt really happy, but still had the desire to become a rock photojournalist like him and craft stories about bands just like Annie Leibovitz, Mick Rock, and Lynn Goldsmith. I aspired to see my work in the pages of Rolling Stone and other various music magazines. While assisting during the day, I spent nights in New York photographing local bands and live performances. The images were widely used within the music community and published in outlets including Punk Planet, Index Magazine, Pop Smear, Nylon, and The Fader. As I pursed photography full time, I presented my portfolio to numerous magazines, facing consistent rejection .During this period, I stepped away from nightlife, drinking, and romantic relationships to focus entirely on work. On the weekends, I initiated an ongoing documentary project, The American parking Lot, photographing music, sports, and political fanatics in parking lots. The series has been instrumental in defining my documentary approach and has been honored in American Photography various times.

Discouraged by the rejection I faced in New York, Gillian suggested I show my work in Europe, where editorial culture was less commercial and more visually daring. I traveled to London and dropped my portfolio off at NME, only to have them return with a contract- launching my life as a rock photographer and I constantly traveled for the next ten years living out my dream.

The lessons that guided my career are clear: respect others, and align yourself with people who share your ambitions. My achievements would not have been possible without the support of my friends and family.

As a result, my photographs have been featured in Spin magazine, Rolling Stone, NME, Exit Magazine,Vibe, New York Times, New York magazine and others. I have worked for Fortune 500 companies such as : Universal Music, Red Bull, Sony, Waner Music Group, Spotify, Live Nation and many others.

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?
Denver is an amazing city with restaurants and bars galore, but my most treasured item is a black card at Casa Bonita ad my favorite place to take guests

Hiking at Piney River Ranch, a concert at Mission Ballroom, dinner at The Ginger Pig, and shopping the various records stores is always fun.

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?
To begin my boyfriend Jason Chinnock. When we first met I was experiencing career burn out. I packed my lenses in socks and carried tools in plastic bags. He bought me a proper bag, tools, and organized not only my equipment but my hard drives are all alphabetically organized as well. Basically, organizing my mind. His message, organization is the foundation of success. A clean desk is a clean mind.

My dad was a salesman. From being around him all the time, we rarely ever left somewhere without him making an acquaintance. His outgoing personality has only inspired me to take the risks I did thoughout my career.

The amazing photographers I admired growing up : Bruce Gilden, Diane Arbus, Tim Walker, Matt Mahurin, Sally Mann, Mary Ellen Mark, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, Anton Corbijn, and Mick Rock and all the stories they have to tell has been inspiring as an artist.

I have read a majority of their biographies. A great biography especially about a struggling rock band is also inspiring and motivational.

Website: https://carabloch.com

Instagram: https://cara.bloch

Linkedin: Cara Bloch

Facebook: Cara Bloch

Image Credits
Photography by Cara Bloch
Photo os me by Jason Chinnock