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Chris Brunner looked sharp. Wearing a dark blazer, dress shirt, khaki slacks, and loafers, he stood by a table in downtown Raleigh’s Vita Vite ready for his big launch. On the table next to him were dozens of copies of his new book, A Beautiful Experience. He had worked for months to self-publish and promote the book, which features a selection of his pictures taken over the past few years.
Chris has always enjoyed taking photographs, especially of Raleigh and especially of sunsets. He began sharing these photos on his personal Instagram account, @brunner_chris. After receiving a ton of positive feedback he decided to launch his own venture, CLB Images, with an accompanying Instagram account, @CLB.images. In just over a year, the account has amassed over 1,300 followers from all over the country, including fans in Raleigh, New York, Denver and more. (I’ve included a few of my favorite CLB images at the end of this post.)
To capitalize on this popularity and growing following, Chris obtained a booth in the Cheshire Cat Gallery to sell prints of his photos. He also set out on creating a photography book that would feature some of his favorite images. After months of work he finally had a finished product. Chris began building anticipation for the book, offering giveaways from local businesses leading up to the launch party at Vita Vite.
The crowd inside Vita Vite grew larger as the night went on, filling with friends from Broughton and Raleigh, all eager to purchase A Beautiful Experience. Attendees sipped rosé and snacked on charcuterie plates while entering contests to win prizes from the likes of Bald Head Blues, Gena Chandler, Tradition Scarves, and more. In between taking group pictures and selling copies of his book, Chris took time to speak with friends and thank everyone for attending. “Turning my love of photography into this new venture has truly been a life changing and amazing experience for me! I’m looking forward to many exciting things ahead. Thanks to everyone for all the support!,” said Brunner. Obviously, the evening would not be complete without a photograph.
By the end of the night, Chris had lost his voice from talking with each and every guest. When asked how everything went, he raised the roof, gave two thumbs up, and hoarsely said, “This was fantastic.” It was a beautiful experience, indeed.
A Beautiful Experience is now available for $18 in the heart of ITB at The Cheshire Cat Gallery, located in Cameron Village.
Courtesy of CLB Images
