Women Shaping Creative Spaces: Rochelle Brock
Photographer & Director
In celebration of International Women’s Day, PICHA invited a group of artists, photographers, designers, and cultural leaders to reflect on the women who shaped their creative vision and the changes they hope to see in their industries.
In this conversation, Brooklyn-based photographer and director Rochelle Brock shares how identity, representation, and empathy guide the way she creates images that celebrate individuality and authentic storytelling.
Influenced by her African American and Caribbean background and her experiences growing up in Brooklyn, her work blends fashion, beauty, and lifestyle photography while celebrating people who are often overlooked in traditional visual culture.
Who are five women who shaped the way you see, build, or create?
Deana Lawson
Her portraits explore identity and intimacy with a level of depth that continues to influence how I think about photography.
Nnedi Okorafor
Her storytelling expands the possibilities of imagination and cultural narrative.
Zora Neale Hurston
A pioneering voice whose work preserved Black life and culture with honesty and pride.
Florestine Perrault Collins
One of the first Black female photographers in New Orleans, who created dignified portraits that preserved the beauty of her community.
Toni Morrison
A literary giant whose writing reshaped how stories about Black life and identity are told.
All five are pioneers in their respective fields — women who paved the way for individuality, cultural acknowledgment, and showing up unapologetically in the work they created.
“I am an artist, a photographer, and a woman. All of those things intersect, but none of them alone defines where I am supposed to exist. I can exist in all spaces and thrive in the ones that aren’t even ‘for me.”
How does your identity as a woman influence the way you build your work?
I bring my own curated version of femininity into everything I do.
I’ve learned what being a woman means on my own terms, and I pull from that in every piece I create.
What structural change would shift access or equity in your industry?
I want to see us more.
Not only in the spaces we build for ourselves, but also in spaces that have historically been reserved for others.
I want us to be celebrated for the work — not simply labeled as a “Black photographer” or a “female photographer.”
I am an artist, a photographer, and a woman.
All of those things intersect, but none of them alone defines where I am supposed to exist.
I can exist in all spaces and thrive in the ones that weren’t even built for me.
What is your creative superpower?
My ability to work and create from a place of understanding and kindness.
I pride myself on making anyone feel comfortable in front of the camera.
What would you tell your younger self?
You are not the odd one out.
Your ideas are most likely the best in the room.
Do it.
Put yourself out there and see what happens.
About Rochelle Brock
Rochelle Brock is a Brooklyn-based photographer and director whose work centers on inclusivity, representation, and authentic storytelling.
Her photography blends fashion, beauty, and lifestyle imagery with a focus on capturing genuine moments and the individuality of her subjects.
Through a thoughtful and collaborative approach, she creates images that highlight confidence, softness, and the beauty of real communities.
Website:
www.rochellebrock.com
Instagram:
@by.rochellebrock
Women Shaping Creative Spaces
This conversation with Rochelle Brock is part of PICHA’s editorial series highlighting women who are shaping the creative and cultural spaces around us.
Across photography, art, design, and storytelling, these voices remind us that representation is not just about visibility—it is about influence, authorship, and the stories that shape how we see the world.
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