PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMS
MAYANK SONI
Mayank Soni is a photographer and filmmaker whose work chiefly focuses on documentary and conservation photography. In 2023 he received the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award for his documentary for BBC Reel on the Re-Opening of the Trans Bhutan Trail. Another feather in his cap is the Smithsonian Award (2021) for his photograph titled ‘Lockdown Diaries’.
Mayank is deeply invested in the art of capturing the very soul of the moment, whether they are the Sufi Shrines of Srinagar or the daily life in the remote valley of Gurez at the Indo-Pak border, his portraits and landscapes reveal the true essence of his subjects — their strife, their smiles and their spirit.
Over the past decade he has shot extensively for National Geographic Traveller India and Lonely Planet Magazine India. He has contributed documentary films for BBC Reel and BBC Travel. Another dimension of his work includes working on campaigns for humanitarian organisations like UNICEF, Terre Des Hommes, Free a Girl, and Save the Children.
He has also undertaken commercial assignments for clients including Amazon, Tata Group, FSC International, and Oppo.
TESTIMONIALS
Evelien Hölsken
(Founder, Free a Girl)
"Mayank Soni skillfully merges despair and hope in his photographs. Tackling the challenging subject of child sexual exploitation is not easy, yet Mayank excels in capturing its essence like no other. He fearlessly confronts every challenge, demonstrating a deep respect for the subjects. His photographs narrate a compelling story, transitioning from darkness to light. Mayank's ability to convey such powerful messages through his lens is truly commendable."
Anna Bressanin
(Senior Editor, BBC, New York)
Mayank is a great filmmaker. He’s extremely talented, creative and a wonderful team player. I had the pleasure of working with him for several years, producing award winning videos and digital documentaries for the BBC. I can’t recommend him more.
Sona Bahadur
(Editor, Good Food Magazine, India)
"I've had the pleasure of working with Mayank as a writer for Lonely Planet India and then as editor of BBC Good Food India. He is a brilliant visual artist as well as documentary photographer. His images stand out for their striking composition, sense of colour and a certain rawness. I continue to see and admire his images and look forward to his upcoming work."
Nilesh Nikade
(Communication & Documentation Manager, Save the Children, India)
“We work for the development of the people, especially children and Mayank has helped us capture and represent our work with his humane camerawork. With a very little brief, he has wandered in to marginalised communities we work in and captured the process of change with detail. He has the patience and the good heart to see the innocence around and reflect it well.”
Priya Sugathan
(Assistant Editor, Bombay Times)
"Mayank Soni's captures have a kind of lyrical quality and innocence it. I, sometimes, feel that being a closet explorer he tries to touch the Himalayas by capturing the soaring nature of the human spirit. It's almost spiritual - be it in the creases of an aged nomad, the wonder on a child's face or the zen calm of a Leh landscape. Now here's the twist to his tale - did you know that till six years ago, he was a crime reporter? Yes, he once covered the dark side of human nature. And now this.. Chew on that!"
Sree Nandy
(Editor, Saevus Magazine)
"Mayank has been a regular contributor to Saevus. His work reflects his passion for travel and a discerning eye for photography."