Mahesh Balasubramanian is a documentary and portrait photographer based in Chennai, India. His work focuses on people, culture, and everyday life, blending street photography with intimate, human-centered storytelling.

His long-term projects include the Mayana Kollai Festival (2013–present), the Kulasai Dasara rituals, ongoing documentation of Chennai Marina, repeated explorations of Varanasi, and stories from rural Tamil Nadu.

Mahesh’s work has been published and commissioned internationally. Adobe licensed eight of his photographs, including one featured as the Adobe Lightroom splash screen (2015). His image for TV5 Canada appeared in a nationwide rebranding campaign across billboards, bus wraps, and digital displays. He has also completed assignments for La Croix and for the Water As Leverage.

His photographs have appeared in National Geographic Traveler US, Digital Photo UK, BLUR Magazine, Wanderlust UK, and more.

He is available for documentary, reportage, and editorial assignments, and is a member of Diversify Photo.

Contact

maheshguild@gmail.com
(91) 9840743408

Chennai, India 600033

Awards

Nov - 2025 - LIFE FRAMER - BLACK & WHITE EDITORS’ PICK

Nov - 2025 - ND Awards 2025 - Honorable mention - people - travel / culture

Dec - 2024 - reFocus Awards - World Photo Annual 2024 - Honorable Mention - Portrait | Professional

Dec - 2022 - Shoot The Face December Finalist

Sep - 2022 - reFocus Awards - One Shot Photo Contest 2022 - Honorable Mention - Portrait | Professional

Jan - 2022 - Shoot the Face January Winner and 2 Finalists.

Feb - 2021 - Shoot the Face February Winner and Finalist

Jul - 2020 - Monovisions Photography Awards 2020 - Honorable Mentions - Street Photography Series

Oct - 2019 - Siena International Photo Awards - Remarkable Award in “ Fascinating faces and characters “

Mar 2019 - LIFE FRAMER - WORLD TRAVELERS - Editor’s Pick

Nov 2014 - 3 Honorable Mention Award - ND Awards 2014

http://www.ndawards.net/winners-gallery/nd-awards-2014/portrait/hm/987%22

http://www.ndawards.net/winners-gallery/nd-awards-2014/portrait/hm/1000%22

http://www.ndawards.net/winners-gallery/nd-awards-2014/portrait/hm/1041%22

Sep 2014 - 1 Honorable Mention Award - IPA 2014

July 2014 - Merit Prize Winner - The 2014 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-photo-contest-gallery/divine-makeover/

July 2014 - 3rd Prize in overall non-professional portrait category, 1 First (GOLD), 2 Second (SILVER) Prizes and 1 Honorable Mention in the PX3 2014 (PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS)

April 2014 - Shoottheface.com Finalist - International Portrait Award

Dec 2013 - Winner of 1x Photo Awards 2013

Oct 2013 - 1 Honorable and 1 Nominee in 2013 Black & White Spider Awards

https://www.thespiderawards.com/gallery/8th/amateur/portrait/winners/119040

https://www.thespiderawards.com/gallery/8th/amateur/portrait/nominees/117869

Sep 2013 - 2 Honorable Mention in IPA 2013

Apr - 2013 - WINNER of Shoottheface.com International Portrait Award

Dec - 2012 - Finalist in shoottheface.com international photo contest

Exhibitions

Mar - 2025, Banaras Lit Fest, Through the 100 masters lenses: Banaras

May - 2023 - NFT BALI 2023 Exhibition

Apr - 2023 - NFTNYC 2023 Exhibition

Sep - 2022 - Milana Photo Festival 2022 - LONELINESS: PHOTOGRAPHIC DIALOGUES WITH NON-PLACES

June - 2022 - NFT Liverpool Exhibition

June - 2022 - NFTNYC 2022 Exhibition

Publications

Aug - 2023 - Static Motion Vault

Dec - 2020 - Published in “100 [HUNDRED] Photographize Best Selected 2020 Vol. 01”

Oct - 2020 - Published in “All About Photo” - Marina Beach

Oct - 2020 - Published Interview in “Photographize Magazine Issue 44”

Aug - 2020 - Published in “121clicks.com” - Ghats of Varanasi

May - 2020 - Published in “121clicks.com” - Portraits

Nov - 2019 - Published in “Inspired Eye” Street Photography Magazine

July - 2019 Published in EyeEm - “Marina Beach”

July - 2019 Interview with in-street.com

June - 2019 Published in 121clicks.com - “Marina Beach”

May 2019 - Published in Life-Framer - “Marina Beach”

May 2018 - Published in Dodho Magazine - "Life at Marina"

Oct 2015 - Adobe Photoshop Lightroom's Splash Screen

Sep 2015 - Published in AirAsia Inflight Magazine "Travel3Sixty"

Aug 2015 - Published in Turkish Airlines Inflight Magazine "Skylife"

Dec 2014 - Published in National Geographic Traveller,  USA, Dec / Jan 2015

Dec 2014 - Published in Wanderlust Magazine, UK, Dec / Jan 2015

Aug 2013 - Showcase in http://phictures.co/?p=1770

Jun 2013 - Series of pictures published in Vieworld Magazine

Jun 2013 - Leading UK Based Magazine Digital Photo, published 3 of my pictures and 1 picture as a Cover Picture in July Edition

Jun 2013 - Showcase in 121clicks. http://121clicks.com/showcases/beautiful-showcase-by-mahesh-balasubramanian

Apr - 2013 - Featured in BLUR Magazine Issue 30 in CLOSEUP section

Feb - 2013 - Published in BLUR Magazine

Oct - 2012 Got Published in UK based Magazine "camerapixo.com Magazine"

Oct - 2012 Got Published in UK based Magazine "Photoplus Magazine" under Photo Of The Month

July - 2012 Got Published in International Magazine "Stark Magazine"

Dec - 2011 Got Published in UK based Magazine "Worlds of Photography" under Nature category (Dragonfly)

National Geographic Travel logo with yellow rectangle and black text.
nd_awards_hm_2025.png
Winner of the PX3 Photography Paris Award with website URL www.px3.fr
Black background with white geometric shapes forming the number '13' in a stylized design.
Logo for the Siena Awards with black and white design.
Award badge for the IPA International Photography Awards, Honorable Mention, 2013.
A circular logo for the IPA Photography Awards 2014, featuring the text 'Honorable Mention'.
A blue star surrounded by laurel leaves, with text indicating the NDA Awards for Honorable Mention, 2014, and a website link NDAwards.net.
A circular badge with the text 'Shoot the Face Winner 2013' and a silhouette of a face with a crosshair, promoting a face shooting competition.
The lowercase letter 'x' and the number '1' written in white on a black background.
An award plaque or trophy for 'Modifications Photography Awards 2020' with an 'Honorable Mention' label.
Circular black badge with a stylized logo in the center, surrounded by the text 'Shoot the Frame Winner 2021'.
Graphic with a blue and white design announcing an honorable mention for a portrait in the 2022 One Shot Photo Contest by refocus-awards.com.
Award certificate for Honorable Mention in the Portrait category at the 2024 World Photo Annual, by REFOCUS-US-AWARDS.COM, with a blue background and geometric design.