Meet Mathilda Otteman | Dallas Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mathilda Otteman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mathilda, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Photography holds a very high and sentimental place in my life. I lost my dad at a really young age and what I have left to cherish of him other than material things were stacks of photo albums and tapes of home videos. I remembered laying on the floor in my school uniform when I came home from school and flipping through the albums for hours, it was my way of staying connected to him. When I was around 9 or 10, I opened a box of my dad’s old camera and video equipment and they fascinated me so much. I loved toying around with them and then I went on to be the child who was always taking our family camera and taking photos of everyone and everything. Now that I’m older, I understand how photos tell so many stories without any words at all, that’s the part that fills my soul. I’d like to think I’m doing something my dad would be so proud of.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One of the best things about being an artist or creative is that you get to do whatever you want to do! When I was starting out there were so many things I thought I was so sure how I wanted to do them and I was so focused on trying to do what people who had years of experience were doing, which was incredibly hard on myself. The biggest lesson I learned is to do everything at your own pace and to trust yourself. The less I tried to compete with other photographers in the industry and in the area, the better I felt about myself and my work. I changed my editing style so much from when I started out and it took me 3 years to finally figure out how I loved to edit! I started to invest more in myself and more learning opportunities like attending styled shoots and content days, taking courses from other photographers to educate myself more and I watched my success grow along with it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the fact that there is so much good food in DFW some of my favorite places are Yoshi Shabu Shabu for Japanese hot pot, The Port of Peri-Peri, and Knox Bistro. I’m a huge coffee shop girl so I’d definitely take them to La La Land Kind Cafe, Haraz Coffee House, and Arwa Yemeni Coffee to get our caffeine fixes. An ideal day to walk around would be in Arts District going to the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Art, stopping by Klyde Warren Park and eating by the food trucks. It’s such a pretty area for me to take photos of them as the photographer friend! I also can’t resist a pastry or a sweet treat so there would definitely be a stop at Emporium Pies, Village Baking Co Boulangerie, or Tongue in Cheek Ice Cream.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe everything to my mom. She is my pillar of strength, she is the guidance for my faith, and she has always shown me what hard work looks like. I hope to be able to have enough success to give back to her in every way that she’s poured her heart and soul into me, there aren’t enough words in the world to express my gratitude for all that she’s sacrificed for me. My partner has also been my support system through my entire journey. He has been there from the beginning, supports me at photoshoots, and he always cheers me on. I’m eternally grateful to have a partner that supports me in taking a risk like starting my own business.

Website: http://www.shotbymath.com/

Instagram: @shotbymath

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@shotbymath