A conversation with Pankaj Anand
Pankaj Anand's photographs first caught our eye while researching a private residence nestled in a leafy neighbourhood of Hyderabad. Designed by AD100 architect Sona Reddy, what struck us in Anand’s shots of this home was the balanced energy that defined each frame, his lens capturing the creative essence of each space with apparent ease. An emerging talent, Anand began his career by gaining experience with award-winning photographer Michael Turek and working at Condé Nast Traveller India and Architectural Digest, all before carving out a distinct visual language of his own.
Today, he stands as the only Indian photographer who is currently contributing to two Condé Nast titles simultaneously, his photography having been published everywhere from The Wall Street Journal to Wallpaper*. We caught up with him between shoots to dive into his latest work and uncover a personal project that came to light serendipitously.
Above and below Villa Giulietta in Goa shot for AD India. © Pankaj Anand
Your work has taken you across five of the seven continents of the world - could you share a highlight from each continent visited, and why it was a highlight for you?
Asia - I absolutely love shooting in India. The variety of landscapes, ethnicity of people, food, culture, heritage that the country has to offer is unimaginable. Although I was born here and spent most of life in India, I am still amazed at how much the country has to offer.
North America - Texas was my first ever location to visit and I was taken by the large ranches, outdoor living and humongous art and design show at Round Top. Living in a Teepee for a week is an experience that will always remain a highlight as it was my first time ever in North America.
South America - Colombia was a great country to photograph their people, dance and culture. The hospitality and vibrant lifestyle remains fresh in my memory years after the visit.
Europe - Sweden's Ice Hotel stay, attending St Lucia festival, meeting the Sami tribe and riding snowmobile under the glowing night sky with the northern lights is and shall always be a highlight of shooting in Europe.
Africa - Seychelles gave me a unique memory for life to meet Mr George, a 120+ year old Tortoise that freely roams on Desroches Island. It felt surreal to interact with someone so old.
Let's talk a little about your personal project - the NOVENA shoot in Goa - how did this shoot come to be, and why does it resonate so closely with you?
During a shoot in Goa last year our schedules were a bit lighter in the evening to step out and explore the place a bit. A Goan friend who very warmly agreed to show me around and while driving around we happened to see an old chapel lit for a celebration that caught my eye. We entered the chapel to see a small group of locals cleaning up and re-decorating the space. Upon enquiry we got to know that they were in the midst of celebrating NOVENA. A novena (from Latin: novem, "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks.
It was a unique moment to visit as there were remnants of celebrations that had happened and glimpses of the celebrations about to take place the next day. Women and Men busy with setting up the altar, girls and boys practicing singing while everyone in a mood of being happy radiating a sense of contentment of different age groups coming together. Not once did they make me feel like an outsider and one of them actually smiled when they saw a camera in my hand. This encouraged me to ask them if I could do some photos to which they agreed. Little did I know that this simple conversation would lead to me coming back for the next five evenings and photograph this centuries old tradition of devotion and community life in the small quiet village chapel called Our Lady of Rosary chapel, Grand Morod Saligao Goa.
You're currently the only Indian photographer contributing to two Condé Nast titles at the same time. Do you have any words of advice for emerging photographers in both India and Asia generally who are looking to break into the editorial scene with their work?
It is important to study what the magazines are publishing and the kind of feature stories and style of imagery they are publishing. This will help you refine your style to be platform ready. One must always be clear what they are going to shoot for - money, portfolio, or a bit of both. It should help set your priorities during the project.
The cantilevered balcony of a South Mumbai home shot for AD India. © Pankaj Anand
Isla’s Ridge in Western Ghats, shot for AD India. © Pankaj Anand
What is on the horizon for you in 2026?
A lot of hospitality and wellness projects are in the pipeline for 2026, one of them being Soukya - a holistic wellness center in Bangalore that is regularly visited by a whole host of notable personalities, including members of the British Royal family.