Mathias Depardon

Last updated: March 18, 2026
MATHIASDEPARDON
Photo: © Benjamin Girett

The photographer grew up in France, Belgium and the USA. After studying communication and journalism, he worked for the Belgium newspaper Le Soir, before turning to reportage photography. His immersive approach led to the production of comprehensive projects in volatile regions, dealing with ecological and social themes. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The New Yorker and other international magazines.

Website: https://www.mathiasdepardon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mathiasdepardon
MATHIASDEPARDON
Photo: © Benjamin Girett

Publications

LFI_EN_0326 WEB_Seite_01

Magazines

LFI 03.2026

Mathias Depardon, Jeanne Taris, Luis Casadevall, Craig Semetko, Walter Schels, Leitzphone

MD_SAND-CHINA-1

STORIES | May 5, 2026

Sand and Power in Megacities

Mathias Depardon

The French photographer speaks about sand as a political tool, inaccessibility in China, and the common visual thread that ties together his long-term project Moving Sand.

PortfolioLeica SLReportage
...
LFI_Print_0326_Depardon01

STORIES | April 4, 2026

Moving Sand

Mathias Depardon

After water, sand is the most used resource on the planet – and one of the least regarded. Since 2021, the French photographer has been documenting the devastating consequences of its extraction across continents, revealing a global system of exploitation.

Print StoriesLeica SLReportage
...
MSAND_MALDIVES_Seite_36_Bild_0001

STORIES | April 4, 2026

On the cover photo

Mathias Depardon

The sea as a workplace: every day, men dive to the seabed to mine sand off Meemu Atoll in central Maldives – one tonne a day, which sells for less than a euro per sack. The French photographer went along with them.

One PhotoLeica SLPortraiture
...
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