DIA MEHTA, 23, photographer
Buzz: Distinctive style on and off the camera
Make it mantra: Passion and patience
If she had to pick any one person to shoot, Dia Mehta would love to train her lenses on Andy Warhol. His energy and larger-than-life personality present a fascinating challenge to this Mumbai-based photographer whose compositions are a visual tool for communicating her thoughts and ideas. For Dia, photographs, whether whimsical or provocative, need to be able to depict a captivating story. She says they are a reflection of her life and feelings – both tangible and intangible. “My personality defines my style of photography.”

At 23 she is considerably younger than most of her contemporaries but has managed to get noticed with her fashion shoots for Satya Paul – her first commercial shoot – and the images she created for a show titled Spy, curated by artist Bose Krishnamachari and held at the Museum Gallery. What’s the secret of her success? “Patience, ability to communicate intellectually as well as visually, and of course sheer passion for image making.” Dia believes it’s not just her creativity but her ability to not be too egoistic as well as being able to deal with and shrug off rejection that have contributed to her success. She describes her personal style as simple yet chic and lists Dolce & Gabbana, Chloé and Marni as her favourite brands. In the new year she hopes to add some international assignments to her portfolio while continuing with her fashion and fine art work here. And yes, in her leisure time, she’d love to just travel.