Seeing Truth: Mia André

Mia André’s creative practice is grounded in connection, using the camera as a way to understand people and create space for them to feel seen. Raised between New York and Paris and influenced by her Haitian father, who is also a photographer, she developed a sensitivity to the stories people carry. Her approach allows her subjects to feel present within the frame, capturing moments that reflect something honest about who they are.

At the center of André’s practice is a desire to create freely and remain open to vulnerability. Rather than defining her work through conventional ideas of beauty, she has learned to trust her instincts and follow what she wants to make. She draws inspiration from her experiences, cinema, and the creative people around her, allowing these influences to shape her perspective without defining it.

As her practice evolves, André is becoming more intentional about creating work for herself and finding ways to bring it beyond the digital space. She imagines her photographs living through books and in-person experiences that allow people to encounter her work more intimately. In the following conversation, she reflects on vulnerability, creative freedom, and learning to trust her own vision.

“I’ve learned to be more honest with myself about the things I want to create and to create for myself first, rather than for the masses.”
— MIA ANDRÉ

WHAT IS YOUR WHY? WHAT DRIVES YOUR CREATIVITY?

Connecting with people and being able to tell their story, or a story they would want to live through photos, is what drives me. I love the proximity and intimacy that comes with capturing someone. There is a lot of love in feeling seen, and being able to capture that makes me happy.

HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND OR CULTURAL HERITAGE SHAPED THE WAY YOU SEE AND CREATE ART?

My father is Haitian and also a photographer. We both share that sensitivity toward our community and a desire to capture the love within it. Living between New York and Paris has also inspired me a lot. Living in two cities with such strong identities and personalities pushed me to want to tell these stories in a very cinematic way.

WHAT ROLE DOES VULNERABILITY PLAY IN YOUR WORK?

It plays a big role. I don't feel like I get the shot I want until I'm able to really see my subject in their true light, whatever that may feel like. It can be a certain position, a gaze, or the environment.

ARE THERE ANY ROUTINES, RITUALS, OR HABITS THAT HELP GROUND YOUR CREATIVE PRACTICE?

Doing research through life experiences helps me stay grounded. I also find inspiration in watching other photographers and directors at work, going to see art shows, and paying attention to the people around me. Paying attention to what drives people and sitting with those feelings feels like a ritual.

WHAT DOES DISCIPLINE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU WHEN INSPIRATION DISAPPEARS?

I think my most recent discipline has been just sitting with myself and not forcing inspiration to come. Being more intentional about what I do when I'm not feeling inspired and pushing myself to create in other ways than photography. I think having different outlets is very important. The inspiration will always come eventually.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE HAD TO UNLEARN IN ORDER TO GROW CREATIVELY?

I had to unlearn trying to please people and capturing things in a way that I felt others wanted to see, rather than how I wanted to capture them. Not focusing so much on the beauty in a photo but more so the truth. I've learned to be more honest with myself about the things I want to create and to see creating for myself first, rather than for the masses.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A PIECE IS TRULY FINISHED?

I know a piece is finished when it feels whole, like it has its own story and world, and I can see myself existing in it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CURRENT CHAPTER OF YOUR CREATIVE LIFE, AND HOW IS IT REFLECTED IN THE THEMES OR EMOTIONS EMERGING IN YOUR WORK?

I'm stepping into a more honest space, where I'm trusting myself and my choices. I think that trust is adding more depth to my photos. I'm building new worlds and opening more internal doors, and it feels like a bigger world is unfolding within my work at the same time.

IN AN ERA OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONSTANT VISIBILITY, HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOUR CREATIVE VISION WHILE ENGAGING AN AUDIENCE?

I take breaks. I try to pay attention to what I'm digesting, the conversations I'm having, and surrounding myself with real-life interactions. I spend more time in nature, go to bookstores, and visit museums.

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR PRACTICE, AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO EXPLORE NEXT?

What excites me most right now is all the ways I can expand and bring my work to life beyond the digital space. I want to connect with people in real life more than through social media, and I'm looking forward to discovering what that can look like through books, live shows, and physical experiences.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE EMERGING ARTIST'S ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR FAIR COMPENSATION AND PROTECTING THE VALUE OF THEIR WORK?

Surrounding yourself with people you trust and can turn to for advice is very important. Having a strong circle that inspires and pushes you, while also not being afraid to communicate your needs and boundaries within a workspace, allows you to create from a safe and grounded space. Having that clarity within yourself is just as important to make sure you're always creating from a place of truth rather than simply being reactive.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE YOUR WORK HAS ON THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE IT?

I hope to inspire people to express themselves more freely and to be more honest with themselves about the worlds they want to see and create, whether those worlds are internal or external.

“I’ve learned to be more honest with myself about the things I want to create and to create for myself first, rather than for the masses.”

— MIA ANDRÉ