We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Himanshu Pandya a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Himanshu, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is deeply personal and multifaceted; it’s essential to take the time to understand and define what it truly means to you. One person’s triumph might be another’s disappointment. The first step in the journey to success is to avoid shortcuts or mimicking someone else’s achievements without deeper introspection. Instead, I believe true success comes from digging deep and discovering what brings you genuine joy and fulfillment—that’s your unique definition of success.
I always advise pursuing your passion and making it your profession. No matter what happens in life, your profession is where you’ll spend most of your time and energy. Choosing something you’re passionate about turns effort into enjoyment, transforming work from a chore into a source of personal joy and growth. When you approach your work with this mindset, success becomes a natural outcome, not just a goal.

Himanshu, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Himanshu Pandya, and my journey as an award-winning photographer has spanned nearly two decades, specializing in automotive, lifestyle, and tourism photography. Over the years, I’ve focused on capturing stories that resonate across cultures, industries, and continents, always striving to bring authenticity and depth to each project. Based in both New York and Mumbai, my path began with a deep-rooted curiosity and an itinerant childhood in India, filled with diverse sights and experiences. This early exposure ignited a passion for storytelling through photography, setting me on a journey that seamlessly blends art, exploration, and human connection.

I’ve collaborated with esteemed publications such as Lonely Planet Magazine and BBC Top Gear, producing over 100 stories that celebrate cultures, landscapes, and the spirit of adventure. My services span commercial and editorial photography, visual storytelling for tourism boards, automotive brands, and lifestyle industries, as well as conducting photography workshops for aspiring photographers. My work bridges the gap between audiences and experiences, whether through the excitement of automotive shoots or the serenity of travel scenes.

My approach to photography combines technical expertise with a focus on authenticity and emotional depth. I strive to approach each project with a thorough understanding of the subject, crafting stories that reach beyond visuals to evoke genuine responses. With a background as a certified yoga teacher and practitioner of yogic philosophies, I bring a unique perspective to projects centered on faith, spirituality, and rituals. This blend of skill, artistic insight, and human connection shapes my work and allows it to resonate on a deeper level.
To me, achievements go beyond the number of awards and the honor of participating in prestigious solo or group exhibitions. While these accolades are significant and meaningful, my greatest achievement is the ability to pursue my passion daily and make it my profession—a true testament to my definition of success. Beyond technical skills, my commitment to infusing my work with heart and depth truly defines my journey. I am proud to conduct workshops and mentor aspiring photographers, guiding them to see their passion’s potential and transform it into meaningful work. I believe that the joy and fulfillment from working on what you love is the most profound success one can achieve.
When clients, followers, or fans think of my work, I want them to recognize that it’s driven by a desire to capture more than just images—it’s about telling stories that resonate and remain memorable. Through My Travel Gigs, my platform for photography adventures and workshops, I aim to inspire others not just to travel but to experience and share the world with an authentic and passionate eye.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

My journey into photography began with two pivotal incidents during my teenage years. At the age of 15, my uncle gifted me a film camera with a piece of duct tape covering the ISO dial and strict instructions not to remove it. This small mystery sparked my curiosity and introduced me to the world of photography. Around the same time, a close friend of mine, who struggled with English due to his vernacular background, wanted to learn photography through Better Photography magazine. He asked me to translate the content for him, giving me the magazine a week in advance so I could prepare. This friend, who worked in a photo lab, was deeply passionate about photography, and helping him led me to unintentionally learn the craft myself—and fall in love with it.
As my passion for photography grew, I seized an opportunity to shoot images for a friend’s architecture thesis. He had difficulty sourcing images, so I rented a film camera, bought rolls of film, and completed the project. My photography was acknowledged in the preface of his thesis, and the jury appreciated the visuals, which was an early moment of recognition for my work.
Despite earning a degree in business and a postgraduate focus on marketing, and even securing a quick promotion with good pay in the marketing field, I realized I was not truly happy. I had a strong inclination toward the arts, with architecture being particularly close to my heart. This realization led me to pursue a two-year study in interior design and work in that field while continuing photography as a side pursuit. However, I found myself yearning for even more creative freedom, prompting me to make a course correction and step into the world of editorial photography.
Editorial photography offered the freedom of expression I was searching for and allowed me to develop my own style. This transition paved the way for a successful career in the field, eventually leading me to choose commercial work with more creative autonomy. My professional journey began with Autocar magazine, and within a few years, I was freelancing for BBC Top Gear and Lonely Planet magazine—two publications I never imagined contributing to, even in my wildest dreams. Over a decade later, my continuous contributions to these magazines and my evolving journey stand as milestones of passion turned profession.
My journey from side hustle to full-time photography wasn’t without challenges—there were moments of uncertainty and financial strain. Yet, I kept going by following my gut feeling, which has never led me astray. Deep down, I’ve always believed that every experience, whether rewarding or difficult, is part of a larger process guiding me toward a bigger picture. This perspective has kept me grounded and focused, helping me see each step as a piece of my growth. I’m not entirely sure how I arrived at this mindset, but I feel that my background in yogic philosophy has influenced it, shaping my ability to trust in the journey and stay open to what lies ahead.
Building My Travel Gigs as a platform for photography adventures and workshops was another milestone that diversified my career and allowed me to merge my love for travel and teaching with my passion for photography. This evolution from side hustle to full-time career is a testament to following what truly excites you, putting in the effort, and being open to opportunities as they come. Each image, project, and connection along the way has contributed to where I am today pursuing a career that feels fulfilling and aligned with who I am.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Building a reputation within my market has been more than just showcasing quality work; it’s about maintaining unwavering consistency and reliability that clients can trust. While high-quality work is essential, in the professional world where clients invest significant time and money, they expect that same level of quality to be delivered consistently within the given timeframe of each project, and with full dedication and involvement.
As a freelancer, I know that one negative incident can potentially erase years of hard-earned reputation and impact future work opportunities. This awareness pushes me to give my best in every project. For example, during my typical one- to two-week-long travel shoots for magazines or tourism boards, where the investment can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars covering flights, accommodations, and detailed itineraries planned with minute precision, there is no room for error. Missing even one part of the itinerary can be nearly impossible to recover.
My process reflects this commitment: each night, I make it a priority to download and back up my work into three separate copies to ensure data security. I also clean and charge my equipment, often leaving me with only 3-4 hours of sleep per night. Despite the demanding schedule, what fuels me is my passion for photography combined with discipline and dedication.
While other factors like building relationships, adaptability, and storytelling play significant roles in developing a strong reputation, I believe the foundation is built on being consistently reliable and fully committed to each project. This level of professionalism ensures clients trust me, knowing that their investment is in safe and capable hands.
These qualities, coupled with authenticity, personal connection, and a deep love for storytelling, have been key to building and maintaining my reputation in the market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.himanshupandya.com
• Instagram: @mytravelgigs @himanshu_pandya
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshu-pandya-49426a9/

Image Credits

Himanshu Pandya