We were lucky to catch up with Mathilde Laporte recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mathilde, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Isn’t life all about taking risks? My creative journey has taught me that there is no creation without risk and that the best results come when I approach it with a spirit of flexibility and playfulness. One of my favorite authors, Florence Given, often says, “Playful, not perfect.” Those words resonate deeply with me.
Many pivotal risks I’ve taken in my career as a creative involved reaching out to people I once thought were “out of my reach.” I realized that this sense of limitation was self-imposed, stemming from fears of rejection, inadequacy, or intimidation…
But embracing the mindset that there’s nothing more courageous than being vulnerable, going after what feels right, and reaching out to people whose work I admire or in whom I see potential, changed my life. I became an active force in shaping what my reality and career could look like. Taking the initiative to connect with small businesses, filmmakers, and artists has led to meaningful projects, travel opportunities, and collaborations that pushed my creative boundaries and helped my business blossom.
Recently, for instance, I attended a film festival in LA and quickly connected with a dancer whose work I really admired. Both of us happened to be in Europe this fall, and instead of letting the opportunity pass or being too shy to propose something more meaningful, I reached out and shared a project idea I had in mind, combining film, photography, dance, and poetry. She loved the idea and was pleasantly surprised by my pitch. How exciting! Together, we planned a creative project that took me all the way to Zurich. Who thought I would even visit the city? And here I was… The initial risk of reaching out expanded into even more connections: creatives who’ve since become clients, friends, and invaluable collaborators. And unforgettable memories in a city that charmed me.
Taking that leap and putting myself out there, despite insecurities, paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It brought human connection, new business opportunities, and creative projects that pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to keep growing. For me, this is what it means to live a creative and embodied life, embracing risk and watching it shape your reality in beautiful ways.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Mathilde Laporte, I’m 22 years old, and I’m a Photographer (specializing in editorial photo-therapy), Film Director, and Creative Producer.
I come from France, and I grew up in Auvergne, a region characterized by the quietness and beauty of its landscapes, where we have loads of volcanoes (all asleep, though!). I eventually moved to the U.S. to study filmmaking while building my photography business. I have lived in Boston, Chicago, and now I am based in Los Angeles.
Through all my travels and experiences, as I set foot on my artistic journey, one element kept shining through: my curiosity and never-ending passion for humanity. I’m constantly drawn to understand what it means to be human, how we connect, and how society often pressures us to distance ourselves from our true selves. Over time, certain themes and disciplines began to shape my work, such as philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, sociology, poetry… and they all led me down one central path: how do insecurities shape our worlds? Is art a medium that has the power to cultivate empathy and make us embrace who we are unconditionally, and, by extension, embrace others?
As a filmmaker and photographer, I aim to capture authentic beauty and tell stories that are emotionally resonant and resilient. There’s a force within me that wishes to celebrate the unique facets of humanity—from our differences to everything that connects us. Because what isn’t what’s most personal, most universal? Especially in a world growing cold and weary. I believe in fostering more loving, supportive, and diverse environments. Unconditional love is the antidote to a wounded humanity.
And that’s why I have moved into photo-therapy. My photoshoot sessions are open to everyone. Through open-hearted conversations, my clients and I build a safe space where they can express who they are, and we design a theme together. The goal is for them to experience an emotional release, a catharsis, to reconnect with their inner selves and to experience joy. During our sessions, I want them to focus not on what their body looks like, but on how they feel in their body.
Posing is never about what you look like; it’s always about how you embody yourself, carry, and transmit your emotions. It’s been a true gift to witness the powerful transformations that come from this process, helping people reconnect with themselves and have fun while doing so!
I really believe that vulnerability is our greatest strength. That’s why it’s such an act of courage to let ourselves be vulnerable.
This philosophy also fuels my work in film. As a director and creative producer, I am passionate about stories that aren’t afraid to dive deep while remaining accessible, taking complex existential, societal, and philosophical questions and making them incredibly digestible, approachable, and enjoyable. The idea is to explore big questions and analyze humanity while staying grounded in what connects us all.
Because knowledge should be accessible to all, and cinema has the incredible power to reach people no matter where they are or where they come from. To me, storytelling is about more than diverting ourselves (noting that the word “divert” or “entertain” comes from the Latin word diverto, meaning “to look away”). Art doesn’t make us look away from our realities; it’s through the parallel worlds it creates that we can interrogate our own and connect with one another on a profound level. How amazing is that?
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media has become a cornerstone in our society, shaping how we engage and connect with each other. It’s an invaluable resource for business owners to grow their audience, engage with clients, and build a community. Because it’s a direct line between the audience/customers and the owners/artists, it gives us a chance to build something real. And that’s the thing I’ve come to love most about social media: the chance to create a genuine community that isn’t just about numbers but about actual people.
One belief that tends to hold us back on social media, and often prevents us from building a loyal audience—is our focus on numbers. We’ve associated a high number of followers with quality or reliability, and we tend to chase numbers relentlessly. But numbers alone don’t bring you faithful clients or a loyal community. Viewing social media as a tool to truly connect with people, rather than just a numbers game, has helped me build a supportive community over the years and attract clients who value my work.
Almost every opportunity I’ve had has come through social media, someone who found my account or someone I reached out to. Whether it was working with new clients, collaborating on projects, or connecting with other creatives or brands, I’m grateful for the relationships I’ve been able to build through social media.
Putting my heart into each post and sharing with authenticity has paid off the most. Of course, when I first started using social media for my business at 18, it was stressful, to say the least! Breaking down my insecurities and fears around the idea of being seen (and therefore criticized) helped me let go of the barriers I had put up, and that allowed my business to flourish. Sharing behind-the-scenes moments, my experiences, my art, and people’s stories on social media have been so much fun. I’ve noticed that this approach has attracted followers who genuinely connect with my vision and who want to be part of this kind of community.
However, sharing yourself and your work or services authentically is not the only thing: understanding the platform and the algorithm is equally important. Because if you understand the tool, you can use it as a collaborator, and it doesn’t become restrictive or frustrating. What are the moments of peak visibility? Teasing my upcoming photoshoot posts in my story, coming up with posting schedules, organizing the flow of content I want to share to avoid feeling overwhelmed, researching and understanding hashtags, and showing people behind the scenes (we too often forget that most people are curious to see how things are made)… and curating storytelling, it is always about storytelling, as it connects us all and creates a direct link amongst humans.
My best advice for those starting to build their social media presence is to focus on engagement over expansion. Be patient and genuine. Speak to your values, let your personality shine, and create content that resonates with you first. When you’re consistent in showing up as yourself, people who appreciate your authenticity will naturally gravitate toward you! And don’t be afraid to do some research about how Instagram works and how to best use the tool to your advantage. And have fun with it!
Social media can feel like a numbers game, but I see it more as a relationship-building platform. If you put intention and care into your interactions, you’ll find that even a smaller community can be incredibly powerful and fulfilling. And before you fully realize it, your community will grow naturally and exponentially.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
You know, graduation… that confusing time in life when questions start to weigh heavy: Where do I go now? What do I do? Graduating with a Bachelor’s in Film, with a focus on Cinematography, intentionally chosen to learn the technical skills of image making, I thought directing was my path. In those final months, I felt sure that I’d pursue directing full-time. But as I faced that question head-on, I started wondering: Is that truly what I want?
This summer, I worked at two production companies, and the experience opened up a path I’d barely considered before: Creative Producing. I knew broadly what producing was, but creative producing? That was something new. My curiosity led me to seek out experiences in this unknown area, and after a few months of immersing myself in it, I had a realization: this could be what I’m meant for.
And I fell in love.
Directing is something I still treasure deeply. I see it as a precious gift, something I want to nurture but not make my entire livelihood depend on. After experiences, trials and growth, I’ve come to realize that working solely as a director wouldn’t fulfill me completely; I need to be involved in the film industry in a broader, more collaborative way alongside my photography business.
Creative producing came to me as a striking revelation. A creative producer is a hyper-collaborator, the one who holds the threads together on a film set, making sure every department is aligned and that the story flows from concept to completion. I’ve realized that my attention to detail, my passion for collaboration, and my love for storytelling make me a natural fit for this role. In development, I get to shape stories, advise, and build connections, which is a process where my interests in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and sociology become invaluable tools. My love for storytelling goes far beyond my own vision; it’s about the stories themselves, the characters, and the people who bring them to life.
Van Gogh once said, “There is nothing more artistic than to love people,” and that, to me, is the heart of creative producing. It’s about opening doors, bridging gaps, and fostering environments where magic can happen.
Coming to terms with the fact that I wanted to pursue creative producing has changed everything for me: it’s redefined how I see myself in the film industry, the kinds of stories I want to be part of, and the broader social impact I hope to have. I’m excited to create a space where people can come together to tell stories that resonate, connect, and ultimately remind us of our shared humanity.
I would have never found my way to this pivotal stage in my career if I hadn’t dared to work in a field I didn’t know much about and had curiosity for. And that’s when, I feel grateful for my intuition, which guides me in mysterious yet powerful ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mathildelaporte.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathildelaprte/
Image Credits
Images shot by Mathilde Laporte (myself)
Models:
Jullieana Salgado IG @julliesalgado
Lou-belle Barthélémy IG @_lbmy
Romane Pradier IG @romiiprod
Keira IG @keira_fly
Isabella Siska IG @hey_siska
Lisa Lefrais IG @a_si.l
Oscar Liagre IG @oscarliagre
Masha Egieva IG @masha_egv