Instagram is not just for selfie lovers. It welcomes all kinds of photo enthusiasts into its fold. Pair it with a photographer's delight like India and you have struck gold.
India (and its economic capital, Mumbai, in particular) has had a thriving photography scene since the mid-1800s. Today we bring you a selection of eight Indian photographers who're adept at capturing India's visually powerful landscape and culture. Their Instagram profiles are not always India-centric, but they are amazing nevertheless.
Pick your favorites from the list and follow them on Instagram!
Tanmay Bahulekar (@bombaybhukkad)
Want to find the best grub in Bombay (now Mumbai)? Looking for your daily dose of food porn? Follow Tanmay Bahulekar aka Bombay Bhukkad on Instagram and Facebook. For those of you who aren't familiar with Hindi slang, bhukkad means glutton.
Tanmay has sampled many culinary delights that Bombay's by-lanes offer and has the Instagram clicks to show for it. He posts drool-worthy photos of a wide variety of dishes, from kheema pav to onion pakodas to caramel custard. He also throws in recipes, snapshots of homemade food, and witty one-liners every now and then.
Followers: 8.5k
Siddhartha Joshi (@siddharthajoshi)
Pune-based industrial designer Siddhartha Joshi uses Instagram to share interesting images from his travels across the world. Storytelling through portraiture seems to be his passion as well as his forte. He has a penchant for photographing doorways.
For 2015, Siddhartha is on a mission to click 365 photos for his Tell Me Your Dream project. He picks one subject everyday, asks him/her the simple question, "What is your dream?", and features the subject's story on Instagram. You can also take part in the project by sharing a portrait and a story to go along with it. Find further details here.
Read about Siddhartha's globetrotting experiences on his blog, The Wanderer. You'll also find photography tricks and hotel reviews there.
Followers: 8.4k
Manjari Sharma (@manjee)
Manjari Sharma's Instagram feed is a delightful mixture of color and whimsy. It features beautiful views of her home and city, and gives a glimpse into her daily life. The photos of her adorable little daughter steal the show.
Manjari is a fine-art photographer who shuttles between Mumbai and Brooklyn. Various high-profile exhibitions and publications across the world have showcased her work. Check out some of her projects, such as The Shower Series and The Darshan Project.
Followers: 1.8k
Chandan Khanna (@khannachandan)
India is a feast for the lenses and Chandan Khanna, an AFP photojournalist based in Delhi, seems determined to gorge on every dish it serves up. His Instagram feed features candid snapshots of daily life from across India.
Chandan pairs these colorful photos with (often) monochrome portraits from his People of Delhi series. His images reveal an incredible sense of timing and attention to detail. They make you pause, linger, and appreciate the little Indian quirks that usually fascinate only foreigners.
Followers: 18.3k
Mansi Midha (@mansimidha)
Mansi Midha is a freelance photojournalist from Delhi. Her poignant shots depicting the plight of the girl-child in India have earned her much praise. Mansi's work has also made it to various exhibitions in India and abroad.
But her Instagram feed reveals just a tiny fraction of her involvement in social causes. It features everything from unusual patterns and decorations to photos with her friends. Mansi's Instagram clicks have a happy, dreamy vibe about them.
Followers: 1.4k
Gopal M. S. (@mumbaipaused)
With Mumbai Paused, Gopal M. S. hits the pause button on the city that's always on the move. His Instagram is a photojournal focusing on the streets of Mumbai and the workspaces of its citizens. Idols of gods and vibrant signs and posters appear often.
Gopal works for an ad agency in Mumbai and popularly goes by the name Slogan Murugan. Visit the Mumbai Paused blog to view more of his photos.
Followers: 8.2k
Devendra Purbiya (@devendrapurbiya)
Devendra Purbiya is a well-known wedding and fashion photographer, but his Instagram feed isn't about any of his work projects. Instead, it's an endearing collection of photos that portray him as just another fun-loving guy.
The images include selfies, posters, intriguing objects and arrangements, and short videos. Pictures of his nephew and his Persian cat, Bella, also pop in from time to time. Check out Devendra's photography website and his Facebook page.
Followers: 1.3k
Nameeta Prakash (@namabird)
One look at Nameeta Prakash's Instagram feed and you can tell that she loves to capture the play of light and shadow. Sunrises and sunsets, mountains and skylines, people and trees - Nameeta shoots them all. But the emphasis is on how light transforms the appearance of her subjects.
Followers: 2.3k
Take Your Pick
We have restricted our list to eight photographers for now, but rest assured that we will continue to bring you more creatives and photo gems. If you're looking to show off your photography skills, try these tips to get noticed on Instagram.
Which Indian photographers do you follow on Instagram ? Share their handles in the comments.