We recently connected with Laura Mazanec and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

My journey into photography began as a deeply personal endeavor during a period of clinical depression. It was more than just an infatuation with cameras; it became a vital means of connecting with myself on an emotional level. This profound connection to the art of photography transformed my approach, shaping it into a heartfelt mission. I specialize in working with cancer patients, veterans, individuals with chronic illnesses, children with disabilities, mothers suffering from postpartum depression, the elderly, and survivors of sexual abuse. Each of these groups deserves profound reverence and careful attention to their unique needs, healing processes, current existence, and celebration of or journey toward self-love. My work is dedicated to capturing their stories with the sensitivity and respect they deserve, ensuring their voices are seen and heard through the lens of my camera.

I was contacted by a young woman interested in booking a boudoir photography session. During our consultation, she bravely shared that she had endured years of abuse, leading her to a dark place where self-harm seemed like the only escape. At the end of our session, she was amazed at the dramatic transformation in her body language captured in the before and after photos. She felt a mix of astonishment and heartbreak, wishing we had met years earlier, believing I might have helped her find her way out of the darkness much sooner. We spent hours on my studio bed, deeply discussing similar our past experiences. During this time, she asked if I would hold her while she cried and hold her hand as she talked about her traumas. I always prioritize consent and never touch my photography clients without their permission. This pivotal moment inspired me to explore touch therapy and integrate it into my business to enhance my clients’ experiences.

Today, I provide a safe space for clients to express themselves, experience their own beauty, step into their power, and share their stories. Additionally, I offer the opportunity to experience touch without judgment and without expectation, creating a holistic and supportive environment for healing and self-discovery. We all deserve to see the us that others see and we all deserve to feel safe when we are physically close to someone.

Laura, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, Friends! I’m Laura Leigh, your friendly neighborhood boudoir photographer and touch-therapist! I honestly kind of fell head-first into my industry when my camera pulled me out of a dark place. It served as a means of artistic expression, a way to connect with others and tell their stories, and my own little therapy session. Somehow between discovering that photographing large weddings would never be my thing and designing a fully tactile photo package and experience – my path was formed. My passion lies in photographing those most in need of a hug and most in need of seeing the majesty in their own reflection.

The coolest part of the platform I have created for myself is that I get to give and receive touch AND touch people’s lives where they most need it. Let’s be real – we all have self-doubts and things we dislike about our bodies. Falling in love with those attributes can be exhausting and cause you to lose track of time and energy. That’s where I come in; I’m here for the hugs, for the energy exchange, and the safety net. Adding touch-therapy services to my repertoire has opened the doors for clients to gain not just an understanding of what a judgement-free zone looks and feels like but the safety to learn about setting healthy boundaries, withholding them, changing their mind, and experiencing human touch without the expectation of reciprocation or impending sexual contact. What we are doing is feeling and healing.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Oof. The Pandemic, for sure; I think everyone in small business experienced this one as a whole. I had just announced my recovery and comeback from a major life-saving surgery and boom – the whole world shut down two weeks later. I had to press pause on everything including cuddle-therapy training due to the close contact I would need to have with a client and the uncertainty of the ever-changing illness. I ended up photographing my personal life for two years and hitting the reality of work-from-home with my followers. We witnessed and grieved together, though apart. Even though it changed my business mission and ability at the time, it allowed me to deeply connect with followers I had never worked with. Though this did not make me money at time, in the long run – it ended up being a saving grace for my financial situation once reopening for photography sessions.

The Pandemic’s effects are still present even with the medical crisis easing and restrictions lifting. I, like others, had to find new processes for sanitation and new procedures for being physically close to clients. I had to draft a Covid contract in order to protect myself, my company, and my clients. I still use this form on a daily basis and adhere to my “if you have had any of these symptoms . . .” protocols.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

– AI – While AI presents a giant debate for artists, I feel that under the right context, it can be beneficial or even crucial to the way we run our companies and form creative aspirations. Real talk : ChatGPT has saved my skin a good 100+ times in better forming a professional email reply or toning down my responses to sound less emotionally vested in an outcome. It has helped me develop ideas on how to better my social media management and create more engaging content. I wish I had worked on integrating AI software into my photo editing process much sooner as it would have quadrupled my productivity and lessened my turn-around time by 60%.
– Guilds + Clubs – Joining local community chapters or meetup’s with similar interests can be a game-changer. It introduces you to others in the your industry or respective industries that can help you grow.
– The DSM-5 – Learning the proper terms and having access to the DSM-5 Fact Sheets can make or break your responses and connection to a potential new touch-therapy client. There are certain disorders that require further explanation, proper care, a talk therapist’s presence, or the suggestion of a more fitting modality.
– CreativeLive – This website offers a wide range of online classes taught by industry professionals in photography, videography, and creative business. It is extremely helpful for learning new techniques and business strategies.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paperplanephoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperplanephoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperPlanePhotographs
• Twitter: https://x.com/PaperPhotoSA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/paper-plane-photographs-pflugerville
• Other: Intimate Portraiture Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/paperplanephotointimates/
  Intimate Portraiture Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/people/Paper-Plane-Photographs-Intimates/100091319171818/
  Cuddle-Therapy Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/justplanecuddle/
  Cuddle-Therapy Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/people/Just-Plane-Cuddle/61552064523175/
  Cuddlist Booking : https://cuddlist.com/lauraleigh/
  Cuddle Comfort Profile : https://www.cuddlecomfort.com/JustPlaneCuddle

Image Credits

Laura Leigh Mazanec of Paper Plane Photographs