*This story is brought to you by Most Incredible Studio founder Syreeta Gates as a part of our Because Of You: Legacy in Focus campaign honoring contemporary Black photographers*
She’s making sure there’s space for everyone!
Rochelle Brock doesn’t just take pictures—she creates space. Space for Black women to see themselves in all their fullness, space for plus-size bodies to be celebrated rather than overlooked, and space for beauty that doesn’t conform but stands boldly in its own truth.
Her photography journey wasn’t about following trends. It was about filling a gap, making sure the people who looked like her were not just included but honored.
“I want my images to feel like a mirror that affirms and validates people who don’t always get to see themselves in these spaces,” she says.
Brock’s work challenges the rigid ideals of the fashion and beauty industries. She refuses to let the same narrow perspectives dictate who gets to be seen. Instead, her lens amplifies the nontraditional, the often-overlooked, the undeniably powerful.
Whether she’s shooting Black joy, size inclusivity, or the quiet everyday moments that define us, her goal is clear—to normalize representation, not tokenize it. Her images make it impossible to ignore the beauty of Black women, of plus-size bodies, of individuality in all its forms.
She understands the power of visual storytelling. What people see repeatedly, they accept as reality. Brock’s work ensures that future generations won’t have to search for reflections of themselves—they’ll already be there.
Photography has been a part of Brock’s life since high school, but she refuses to stay stagnant. At 30, she is redefining what success looks like for herself—returning to school, sharpening her craft, and making sure that the next generation of Black photographers gets the access and tools they need.
“For so long, my work has been celebratory and inspiring to others,” she says. “But I’ve also been put into a box. And while I care deeply about representation, I know I am more than that box. I want to be in the rooms. I want to be on billboards. I want my art where it belongs—everywhere.”
Her vision is limitless. She wants her work to exist beyond a fleeting Instagram moment. She envisions immersive exhibitions, interactive storytelling experiences, and large-scale projects that honor Black beauty across the diaspora—from Guyana to the Gullah Geechee South, from West Africa to Brooklyn.
Brock’s creativity doesn’t stop with photography. She understands storytelling extends beyond the visual-tactile, immersive, and generational. She sees something profound in the Because of You: Legacy in Focus LEGO set collection.
“A LEGO set dedicated to Black storytelling isn’t just about representation—it’s about inviting people to engage with our history and creativity in a way that sticks with them,” she says. “It’s storytelling you can touch, build, display, and pass down. That’s what legacy is about.”
Brock’s images carry weight. They say: You are seen. You are worthy. You always have been. She hopes that years from now, her work will remind people that Black women, plus-size women, and creatives who didn’t fit into neat boxes existed in all their fullness and brilliance.
“I want my work to live as a marker for what people in my generation knew they needed—because I knew what I needed before I even practiced what I preached,” she says. “I needed to see. I needed to know I belonged.”
Brock is making sure no one else has to question that again. Her work goes beyond photography—it’s proof, power, and a legacy that will last.
Cover photo: Meet Rochelle Brock, the Photographer Expanding Representation in Fashion and Beauty/Photo credit: Pop Up Magazine