Crystal Bock Photography

Faces and Places: Laos

2010-02-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

If you want to get a good idea of what a country like Thailand looked like 30 years ago, head to Laos. Besides having some incredible nature dotted by a bunch of friendly, laid-back people, Laos has a very rich culture and history that really set it apart from its Southeast Asian counterparts. Bottom line: this place is beautiful. I'm already looking forward to the time when we can head back and really get to know her a little bit better:

For more photos from our time in Laos, head over to our set on flickr.

Faces and Places: Cambodia

2010-01-31T00:49:00.000-08:00

For the holidays this year, we headed once again to Southeast Asia. Our first stop was the beautiful country of Cambodia. Despite its modern tragedies and poverty, it is an incredible place to visit, namely because of the ever-smiling people (isn't that what usually makes a place!?). From colorful villages to ancient Angkor temples to bustling markets and everything in between, Cambodia is definitely a feast for the senses and the camera:

To checkout more from our time in Cambodia, head over to our flickr set.

Funky Monks

2010-01-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

Just back from a three-week endeavor to Cambodia and Laos with a whole new batch of inspiration and photos! Despite the incredible amount of poverty and their depressing recent history, these are two seriously beautiful countries filled with amazingly friendly people.

While there, I was intrigued and inspired by Australian photographer, Deborah Growe, who not only heads the Compassionate Camera organization in Cambodia, but makes some amazing images of local peoples, orange-clad monks in particular. This is my take on what she does so well:

Around My Hood

2009-10-25T00:19:00.000-07:00

A beautiful fall day on my bike with my camera makes just about the perfect weekend afternoon. Inspired by the look produced by my beloved Holga, here are a few scenes from my neighborhood during one of the most wonderful times of the year.

Faces and Places: Beijing, China

2009-09-29T01:45:00.000-07:00

Just back from wonderful, colorful Beijing...a place where Communist kitsch, carved Buddhas, and knock-off Louis Vuittons compete for tourist-attention among temples, bustling parks and markets, and hundreds of quaint, historic hutongs (neighborhoods made up of courtyard houses and thousands of lively alleyways).

Every region of China can be sampled in the country's capital, but Beijing definitely has a vibe and a spice that can't be found anywhere else on earth...

Wedding: Rob and Minami

2009-08-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful intercultural wedding here in Japan between a super cool Australian, and his amazing Japanese wife! All the best, Rob and Minami! おめでとう！

Faces and Places: Bangkok, Thailand

2009-08-13T02:19:00.003-07:00

Is there a more frangrant and intoxicating workout for the senses than Thailand? It's capital, Bangkok, doesn't seem to think so one bit and I couldn't agree more!

Faces and Places: Kyoto, Japan Part II

2009-08-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite places so far in Japan, Kyoto never disappoints one searching for their vision of "true Japan," whatever that may be:

Wedding: Steph and Yukiya

2009-08-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

After photographing Steph and Yukiya's engagement pictures, I am so pleased to be able to document their lovely wedding day, making it my first wedding in Japan! Steph made for an incredibly beautiful bride (and her groom didn't look half bad either)! I adore intercultural weddings, and this was definitely a beautiful learning experience for me!

Faces and Places: Tokyo, Japan

2009-08-12T21:44:00.001-07:00

The colorful hustle and bustle of Japan's most exciting destination and the world's largest city. Tokyo is a poetic contradiction of old and new, traditional and modern, Old World Japan and international cosmopolitan.

Faces and Places: Kyoto, Japan

2009-06-07T05:29:00.003-07:00

Kyoto, located on Japan's main island of Honshu, is culturally and visually stunning. This is the place to chase down and relish in quintessential Japan:

Faces and Places: Sapporo, Japan

2009-06-07T05:20:00.001-07:00

A few scenes from the capital of Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido:

Now Featuring Travel Photography

2009-02-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

I've previously dedicated this blog to showcasing my weddings and engagements, but as I am now temporarily living in Japan, where portraiture (ESPECIALLY weddings) is still quite formal and traditional, I've decided to now use it as a space for my travel photography as well.

You can visit my travel photography collections of Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States on my Flickr site. In the meantime, I will be working on some showcase travel photography posts, and I'm quite excited to have a new photo project to be working on!

Don't forget also to join us on our adventures in Japan at our blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan

Engagement: Steph and Yukia

2008-11-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

Last week, I got to do my first engagement session since moving to Japan! Steph and Yukia are a super fun, multi-cultural couple! They definitely bring the best of both worlds with Steph's outgoing personality and Yukia's sweet way of loving her!

Congratulations, you guys!

JAPAN!

2008-11-11T03:41:00.000-08:00

Crystal Bock Photography has moved to Japan for a two-year adventure! As wedding and engagement trends are different here, I'm not sure how frequent my posts will be, however, I will still continue photographing, living, loving, and traveling!

You can check out my Japan adventures here and, as always, travel photos will be posted over on my flickr site!

Wedding: Tina and Luis

2008-07-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was flown out to Oregon to photograph the wedding of Tina and Luis. I acutally met Tina about five years ago while studying abroad down in Mexico. With strong Latin roots on both sides, Tina and Luis put on a very traditional, but very colorful and fun affair with dancing galore! My favorite detail of this wedding was the cake topper: a skeleton Dia de Los Muertos bride and groom!

Felecidades, Tina y Luis!

Offbeat Bride!

2008-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Today one of my weddings was featured on one of my most favorite blogs, Offbeat Bride:

Check it out here!

Wedding: Leta & Andy

2008-06-07T19:32:00.001-07:00

Today was the wedding of one of the most fun and loving couples I've had the opportunity to meet, Andy and Leta. This pair didn't mind hamming it up for the camera, and didn't even bat an eye at my requests for romping around in a field of clover! Their easy-going attitudes and incredible romance made for a very enjoyable shooting experience!

By the way, it was quite windy outside (sorry, Leta)!

Wedding: Chad & Ana

2008-05-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Chad and Ana are a beautiful couple and I got to photograph their equally beautiful wedding in Warrensburg, Missouri this weekend at the groom's parent's home. Ana is from Spain and Chad is American and currently they both live in Belgium. This was the first of their two wedding ceremonies (the second one will be back in Spain this week) and, being a home wedding, it was wonderfully intimate, inviting, and very romantic.

All the best of luck to this Spanish bride and her American groom!

Wedding: Brooke & Joe

2008-04-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

I was pretty pumped for the wedding of Brooke and Joe as we had so much fun with their engagement session! Part gothic-chic, part skater-cool, they put on quite the affair (thanks, in part, to Joe's adorable little girl!)!

As we couldn't really travel away from the ceremony/reception site for pics (dress-wrinkling issue), we were stuck (or I should say graced) with two dingy alley-ways in which to shoot. All I have to say is thank god for fire escapes!!

By the way, feel free to drool over Brooke's stunning dress...

Summertime...Summer Weddings

2008-04-30T21:46:00.001-07:00

Summer is just around the corner and it's making me just a little excited, not only for the weather to (finally) be decent, but also for fun summer weddings! I was feeling a bit nostalgic and decided to dig up some of my past summer wedding shots to keep me in the mood...

Wedding in Mexico: Violeta y Rafa

2008-04-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate to have had the chance to be flown to one of my favorite destinations (Mexico!) to photograph my good friend, Violeta's, wedding to Rafa in their little pueblito of Atlixco (in the state of Puebla). It was an amazing few days of taking in the sights and sounds of this colorful state, bonding with family members, and preparing for such a fun and romantic wedding. We took hundreds of photos (many of which I'm not finished editing yet!)...here are a few to sample:

Engaged: Brooke & Joe

2008-04-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Kicking off my new photo blog with the awesome engagement session of Brooke and Joe down in Hutchinson, Kansas at the end of January. We spent the afternoon in some back-alleys, a junkyard, and an abandoned schoolhouse. These two were a blast to work with and I can't wait to shoot their wedding at the end of April!