Editorial Team at WallMag Updated on Aug 14, 2026 3 min read

Through the Lens of a 16-Year-Old: An Interview with Photographer Dhairya Desai

How did your journey into photography begin?

I'm a 16-year-old photographer with a deep interest in capturing moments, places, and stories through my lens. My journey began in 2020, during the Covid lockdown, when I was 10 years old. What started as curiosity quickly turned into a passion, and since then, I haven't looked back.

When was the first time you captured something that amazed you?

I captured my first Milky Way image in 2024 with a phone, and it amazed me.

How has your experience grown over the years in astrophotography, landscapes, street photography, and history?

I had my first real experience using a camera in 2022, and in 2024, I got a camera of my own. I currently shoot with a Sony A6400 paired with a Sony 18-135mm lens.

What drives you to explore these different genres?

The curiosity to learn new things drives me to explore different genres of photography.

Tell us about your best astrophotography image and the story behind it.

This photograph was taken during a night at the Little Rann of Kutch, beneath one of the clearest skies I had ever seen. Watching the Milky Way become visible above the empty landscape was unforgettable; it was one of those moments when everything around me felt completely still. I wanted the photograph to connect the vastness of the night sky with something familiar on Earth, so I used the car and red light trails as the foreground. Creating the glowing outline required patience and several attempts, but seeing the final frame made the entire process worthwhile. It remains my favourite astrophotography image because it captures not only what the sky looked like, but also the excitement and wonder I felt while standing beneath it.

What's the story behind your favorite landscape photo?

I captured this photograph in Pahalgam as the last sunlight of the evening fell across the snow-covered mountain peaks. Most of the landscape had already entered shadow, while the summit was still glowing with a warm golden light, creating a beautiful contrast between the illuminated snow and the darker forest below. The light lasted only briefly, so the photograph felt like capturing a moment that was disappearing in front of me. What I love most about this image is its calmness—the mountains felt powerful and dramatic, yet the entire scene was incredibly peaceful. It reminded me how quickly natural light can transform an ordinary landscape into something unforgettable.

This photograph was taken near Sursagar Lake, where a large group of pigeons suddenly took flight while others remained scattered across the road. I was drawn to the movement, the long shadows and the contrast between the chaotic birds and the everyday activity continuing around them. I chose black and white because it removed the distractions of colour and allowed the shapes, light and movement to become the main focus. The moment happened very quickly, so the image was largely about observing the scene and reacting at the right instant. To me, it captures the energy of the city—unplanned, crowded and constantly changing, yet capable of producing a strangely beautiful moment.