Dimpy Bhalotia (born 1987) is an award-winning photographer and creative director based between London and Mumbai. She is internationally recognised for her distinctive approach to street photography, portraiture, and documentary work, marked by emotional depth, strong visual rhythm, and an unwavering sensitivity to human presence.
Born into a lineage of artisans from Rajasthan, Dimpy was raised in Mumbai before moving to London in 2005. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design Technology Womenswear from the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. Her background in design deeply informs her photographic practice, shaping a visual language rooted in composition, movement, and intuition.
Dimpy is regarded as a pioneer of mobile street photography and is the first woman photographer to establish the medium as a serious and influential form of artistic expression. She began photographing with a Samsung SGH-D500 in 2006, followed by the Nokia N95 in 2007, and moved to the iPhone 4 and 5s in 2010, continuing through every generation of the iPhone to the present day. This uninterrupted practice across evolving mobile technologies places her among the very earliest and most experienced pioneers of mobile photography. Alongside her smartphone work, she uses Leica cameras and a range of film cameras for commissioned projects, making her fluent across both digital and analog photographic traditions.
Her work has received global acclaim, earning over 24 major international awards. In 2020, she became the first Indian photographer to win the Grand Prize and Photographer of the Year at the IPPAwards for her photograph Flying Boys. The image was widely celebrated, with Apple CEO Tim Cook calling the results “extraordinary,” and L’Officiel describing it as “the most famous photograph.” She is also the recipient of the Female in Focus Award from the British Journal of Photography, and served as President of the Photography Jury for the Art Directors Club (ADC) 103rd Annual Awards at The One Club for Creativity.
Dimpy’s photographs have been featured in major international publications including The Washington Post, Forbes, The Guardian, National Geographic, BBC News, GQ, The Telegraph, and many others. Her work has been exhibited across more than 15 countries and housed in leading galleries and museums worldwide.
She is the founder and producer of Light Wanderers, a creative agency and production house delivering bespoke photographic and visual storytelling projects for global clients including Apple, Penguin Random House, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, and Leica collaborations.
Dimpy is also the founder and curator of Pure Street Photography®, an internationally respected platform dedicated exclusively to street photography. Founded in 2020, PSP has grown into a global movement with hundreds of active members across more than 39 countries. Through its awards, grants, exhibitions, and curated programs, PSP has redefined how street photography is seen, supported, and preserved worldwide.
In addition to her photographic practice, Dimpy writes widely read articles on photography, curation, and creative growth, and regularly serves on international photography juries, contributing to the recognition and development of emerging talent. Her work continues to expand into new forms, including large-scale installations and sculptural explorations that bring photographic moments into physical space.
Dimpy Bhalotia’s work stands as a celebration of the voices shaping some of the most groundbreaking and innovative photographic works of our time. Her photographs have played a significant role in the evolution and recognition of mobile street photography as a serious artistic medium. Widely regarded as a pioneering force in the field, she has inspired a generation of photographers through her distinctive perspective, originality, and unwavering commitment to visual truth. Her work continues to be recognised for its power, clarity, and lasting influence within the global photography community.
Solo Exhibition :
Dimpy Bhalotia: Small Lens, Big World
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMoPA)
15 January – 5 April 2026
Selected Clients :
Apple
Xiaomi
Leica
OnePlus
AquaTech Imaging x Axis Go
Oppo
Penguin Random House UK
Notre Dame Magazine
• Grand Winner - PIPA
• Winner - Female in Focus Award, British Journal of Photography
• 1st Place - The Independent Photographer
• 1st Place - Concurso de Fotografia Alicante
• 1st Place - StreetFoto San Francisco
• 1st Place - Monovisions Awards
- 27 Most Influential Street Photographers 2025
- 31 Most Influential Street Photographers to Follow in 2024
- Top Female Photographers to follow 2023
- 23 Influential Women Photographers 2023
- 31 Most Influential Street Photographer 2023
- 12 Best Street Photographers in London 2023
- 31 Most Influential Street Photographer 2022
- 12 Top UK woman photographers to follow 2022
- 21 most influential female photographers 2022
- Top 10 Contemporary Urban Photographers
- 32 Famous Street Photographers 2021
- Best Street Photographer of 2019
- 27 Street Photographers capturing the best of London and the UK 2023
Exhibited at :
- APRE Art House Gallery - Mumbai, India - Dec to Jan 25'
- Bridge and Tunnel Gallery - New York, USA - Nov to Dec 23'
- Virtual Exhibition, Women Street Photographers - 23'
- British Journal of Photography - London, England - Oct to Nov 22'
- International Centre of Photography - New York, USA - 20' to 21'
- Billboard Exhibition - Los Angeles, USA - April 21'
- Berlin Foto Exhibition - BarTur Photo Awards - Berlin, Germany - August 21'
- At Unesco Heritage, Logo Photo Fest - Alpago, Italy - July 21'
- Posters on the Streets of New York (8 locations in Manhattan & Brooklyn) - August 20'
- Venice Fashion Week - Venice, Italy - October 20'
- The State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals - Chelyabinsk, Russia - August 20'
- Treviso Photographic Festival - Treviso, Italy - September 20'
- Kolga Awards - Virtual Exhibition - 20'
- Format Festival - Virtual Exhibition - 20'
- Brussels Street Photography Festival, WSP - 2019'
- Indian Photo Festival - Hyderabad, India - 20'
- Flickr Headquarters - San Francisco, USA - 19'
- Berlin Photo Week - Berlin, Germany - 19'
- El Barrio Art Space PS109 - New York, USA - December 19'
- Photo Box Exhibition - London, UK - 19'
- Italian Street Photo Festival - Rome, Italy - 19'
- PHOS Sofia Photo Festival - Sofia, Bulgaria - 19'
- San Francisco Street Festival - San Francisco, USA - 19'
- Documenting Humanity - New York, USA - 19'
- Montage - Calcutta, India - 19'
- Retro Kolkata - Calcutta, India -19'
- Foto Art Festival - Poland - October 19'
- BSP Festival - Brussel - November 19'
- Toshiba Exhibition - Dubai, UAE - 18'
Jury :
- President of the Art Directors Club, 103rd Annual Awards Photography Jury 2024
- Pure Street Photography Awards 2025
- APOY by AP Magazine UK 2025
- Brussels Street Photography 2025
- The Capture Awards 2025
- URBAN Photo Awards 2025
- Pure Street Photography Grant 2025
- Young Ones,The One Club of Creativity 2023
- Monogram Asia Awards 2024
- Rome International Photo 2024
- Italian Street Photo Festival 2022
- Lensart 2024
- ADC 101st Annual Awards Members' Choice Award 2022
- Art Directors Club of New York Awards 2021
- NIT Trichy Festember 2023
- IIT Kanpur 2023
- Kaaf Photo Contest 2024
- Kaaf Photo Contest 2023
- Zeaous Co 2022
- Fa! Foto Awards 2021
- MPA Awards 2020
- Fa! Foto Awards 2020
• "There are no rules in photography. Photograph what makes you happy." - Dimpy Bhalotia
Publications :
• Dimpy's energetic photographs were used in the book cover for the novel Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara. Published by Penguin Random House UK.
• #ICPConcerned: Global Images for Global Crisis. The book presents photographs showing daily life in the midst of the global pandemic. Exhibition was at The International Centre of Photography, New York.