Nagender Chhikara 

Photography found me when I least expected it.

I was born in New Delhi, India, and until my late-twenties I had never imagined becoming a photographer. I worked as a porter in a steel shop in the bustling streets of Old Delhi, carrying heavy loads and earning just enough to get by. Then one unexpected encounter changed the course of my life forever.

I met the German travel journalist and adventurer Andreas Pröve, who was preparing for another expedition across Asia. Although I had never held a camera before, I persuaded him to take me along as his photography assistant. During that journey I picked up a camera for the very first time. It was the beginning of a lifelong passion.

Within a few years I had established myself as a commercial photographer, photographing Bollywood actors, business leaders and advertising campaigns. While the work was exciting, I gradually realised that I was searching for something more meaningful. I wanted to tell stories that mattered—stories about people, cultures, traditions and the challenges they face.

Leaving the commercial world behind, I dedicated myself to documentary and travel photography. Since then, my work has taken me across India and many other parts of the world, documenting lives, landscapes and cultures with honesty and respect. My photographs have been commissioned by organisations including Amnesty International, WWF, Oxfam, Terre des Hommes and The New York Times.

Today I live in Wiesbaden, Germany, where I continue to work as an independent documentary photographer, visual storyteller and photography educator. I also lead photography workshops and cultural journeys, sharing not only techniques but also the importance of building trust, patience and genuine human connections while photographing people.

Photography has given me opportunities I could never have imagined. It has allowed me to meet extraordinary people, witness inspiring stories and experience cultures from the inside rather than as an outsider. Every project reminds me that a photograph is much more than an image—it is a bridge between people.

I believe the strongest photographs are created not with the camera, but through curiosity, empathy and respect. That philosophy continues to guide every journey I take and every story I tell.