Check Out Desire Lacap’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Desire Lacap.

Desire, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It all started in middle school, I was the kid with the camera just capturing memories and not thinking anything of it. I think the reason why I didn’t was because I grew up in a Filipino household, where the shows my grandma use to watch had struggling families who had the one son or daughter in the family sacrificing their dreams to become a nurse or doctor. I thought I had to take that route, so back then I never thought doing what I am today was possible.

After capturing terabytes and terabytes of memories, I knew deep down that I have a deep passion for film and it all started in post production. Something about being able to take simple clips and craft it into an entertaining video, compilation or story was something I’ve always been intrigued by. After attempting to go to college for business then Kinesiology, I ultimately decided that I wouldn’t be following my true calling if I went through with it. So in 2017, I went to a vocational art school to earn my Bachelors of Science in Digital Filmmaking but if I’m being honest, 90% of what I know now was by experiencing real opportunities on set and or self taught.

As the years went on, I developed an eye for cinematography and have worked on more than a hand full of productions. Including a feature documentary called ReEntrification, 2025 Tiny Desk Winner Ruby Ibarra’s Bakunawa music video, collaborated with so many filmmakers such as directors and writers to bring their stories to life, on top of working with a lot of my dream brands for content creation.

During the pandemic, I was able to really learn a lot about myself as a creator so that’s when content creation started for me. My career hasn’t been linear at all, it’s been such a journey to get to where I am today and a lot has to do with believing in myself and healing my inner world. I don’t think I would’ve experienced half the abundance I have so far if it wasn’t for really digging deep and fighting the fires of hell to become the version I am.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing is a smooth road, sometimes if it is ~ It’s a bit questionable to me. There’s always going to be struggles along the way, and each time I faced challenges I’ve only learned more about myself. Back in 2020, I was deeply depressed and I’m open about this story through because I do “soul speaking sessions” where I bring my camping chair, tea/coffee to a peaceful scenery and just chat about the curiosity of how life works.

How we see the world is a reflection of how our inner world is doing ~ if someone’s mad, internally they’re upset with something deep, if someone’s light/happy, they’re making peace with things that are out of our control. If I didn’t allow myself to do the “shadow work” and face my trauma, fears and doubts head on – I wouldn’t have made it this far. It takes a lot of emotional and mental capacity to be successful, it’s not just all the physical labor we do to bring the visions to life.

Struggles will always make an appearance on my path, but it looks different now. What use to be a challenge to fight off, is now something I tackle from an angle of curiosity. If imposter syndrome comes up, I’m asking myself why? Not fighting it off. And overall, being a woman in the creative industry is something I’m still navigating ~ I believe that there can be more representation for women of color or women in general because our voices matter just as much.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a filmmaker and a creator that shares film tips and tricks integrated with mental health all across social media and I also own a studio called @solstudio.la in DTLA that is served for artists to be themselves and for them to create a networking space for others to meet/thrive. I didn’t start out as a cinematographer but as an editor and overtime, that evolved into developing an eye for cinematography ~ understanding not just how to make an image look good but why a shot or a moment makes you feel something.

That perspective naturally carries me into the content I produce today, I’m able to break down the technical side of filmmaking in a way that’s approachable while also being hoenst about the emotional side of being a creative; the self doubt, burnouts, comparison, constantly figuring things out and learning when to keep pushing and when to give yourself permission to rest. I think thats what makes my platform feel different. I’m not just teaching people how to make better films or content, I’m talking about what it means to be the person making them.

And i bring that into everything I do which led me to working with the most incredible filmmakers, collaborating with brands like Adobe, Samsung, Mazda, DJI, Doordash, Canon, Nikon, Lumix, you name it ~ A LOT of my dream brands. And it’s especially great when people I work with value the creative process and trust me in bringing it to life. I think what sets me apart from others is the combo of technical filmmaking knowledge, lived experience and emotional storytelling ~ the way I blend film, story and mental health into one space because you truly can’t have one without the other here. I’m not just teaching people how to make something look cinematic, there’s depth and intention to the things that I produce.

What makes you happy?
OOOOO. So many LITTLE things in life make me happy. It might sound cliche, but I get excited about making my coffee in the morning with my moka pot. Whether that’s taking my portable gas stove and table, camping chair and coffee kit to a park or the beach to make it fresh while being in nature or making it at home and the aroma of fresh coffee lingers around.

Or, the way the sun hits my livingroom during the evening and that golden warm light casts shadows across my kitchen counter like WHAT! The little things that we may take for granted, I deeply appreciate. I feel like an old soul, cause it’s things like that ~ the simple ways of living makes me happy. Especially in a world where it’s become so tech-heavy, it’s nice to just be rooted in the grass, grounded with my notebook and being present.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacapturevisuals/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacapturevisuals/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DesireLACAPTURE
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lacapture