You never know where life’s little learnings take you, For Manvi Gandtora, it led her to her true calling. An electrical engineering graduate from NIT Nagpur, Manvi initially built her career as a technical consultant for global multinationals. It saw her connecting with people, solving problems and building the right focus—the exact blueprint that now shapes her approach to luxury wedding photography.
Called 1Plus1 Studios, her Bengaluru-based venture is a globally recognised wedding photography and filmmaking studio, having documented 350+ destination weddings across 12+ countries!
Yet, for an artist who took a massive leap of faith away from the corporate grid—armed initially with nothing but an innate love for visual storytelling and a trusty Kodak 35mm—scale is never the metric for success. Instead, her philosophy remains beautifully intentional. "We take on a strictly limited number of celebrations each year so we can remain deeply, personally involved in each one," she says,
Whether capturing the high-profile union of South Indian actor, producer, and entrepreneur Sharmiela Mandre to Tamil film producer Sudhan Sundaram, or framing intimate, far-flung celebrations across the sun-drenched landscapes of Spain and California, every wedding tells a bespoke story through her lens.
Despite her global footprint, her home country remains her ultimate muse. "You can photograph ten weddings in India, and every single one will look completely different," Manvi tells Manifest.
We dive deeper into her creative philosophy in a candid chat with Manavi Gandotra, Founder and Creative Director of 1Plus1 Studios:
From engineering and the corporate world, you moved into photography. What inspired you to take that leap?
Manvi Gandotra (MG): Photography was never part of a five-year plan. In fact, when I started, I don't think I ever imagined it would become my career. My corporate background taught me to be structured, analytical and extremely detail-oriented, but photography gave me a completely different kind of fulfillment. It allowed me to observe people, understand emotion and create something that was entirely my own.
What began almost accidentally eventually became something I couldn't ignore. I realised that I wasn't just enjoying taking photographs; I was deeply interested in the process of telling stories through them. Leaving a stable corporate career was definitely a leap, but it felt like the right one because, for the first time, I was building something that felt completely mine.
How has 1Plus1 Studio expanded its footprint over the years?
(MG): 1Plus1 has grown into something far beyond what I imagined when I started it. We’ve now photographed 350+ weddings across 65+ cities and 12+ countries, and our work has taken us well beyond India — from Spain, Bali and California to some incredible destinations across Europe and Asia.
We’ve been fortunate to photograph celebrations across very different cultures and landscapes, and the international work continues to grow. We have weddings in Tuscany and Kenya in the coming season, which is incredibly exciting because they bring completely new visual landscapes and cultural experiences to the work.
At the same time, I’ve been quite intentional about keeping 1Plus1 a boutique, creatively led studio. We don't want to photograph hundreds of weddings a year just for the sake of scale. We take on a limited number of celebrations so that we can be deeply involved in each one.
What excites me most is that 1Plus1 is no longer defined by where we are based. We’re a Bangalore-born studio, but our canvas has become global. Every destination brings a different culture, architecture, light and energy, but our approach remains the same-understand the people first, and then create a visual story that feels unmistakably theirs.
Do share more on your storytelling-first approach. How important is this in photographing a wedding?
(MG): For me, storytelling starts long before the camera comes out. A wedding has so many layers: the couple, their families, friendships, traditions, personalities and all the little relationships happening around the main celebration. I want to understand those layers before I photograph them.
On the wedding day, we're constantly observing. Who is nervous? Who is emotional? Who is avoiding the camera? Who is making everyone laugh? Which parent keeps looking at their child? Those observations allow us to anticipate moments rather than simply react to them.
I also don't believe that every beautiful photograph necessarily belongs in the story. Sometimes the strongest narrative comes from a quiet, imperfect frame that tells you something about the people. For us, the photographs are not just a record of what happened; they should give you a sense of what it felt like to be there.
Amid the 350+ destination weddings you’ve shot, which remain the most memorable?
(MG): Spain would probably be the most memorable one for me. It was the first time I was photographing a couple who weren't Indian, in a completely different country and culture, and it felt like I was experiencing a wedding through an entirely new lens. Everything added another layer to the story — the food, the music, the way the celebrations unfolded, the people, the architecture, etc. I wasn't just photographing a wedding in a beautiful location; I was stepping into a culture that was unfamiliar and learning how to observe it without imposing my own visual expectations on it.
That experience really stayed with me because it reminded me of why I love destination weddings. The location isn't just a backdrop, it changes the story. The culture, the people, the food, the music, the light and the landscape all become part of what you're documenting.
We've also been fortunate to photograph weddings across Bali, California, Spain, Rajasthan, Kerala and the mountains, and each one has brought its own visual character. But Spain remains particularly special because it pushed me creatively in a way I hadn't experienced before. After 350+ weddings, I think that's what I still look for experiences that make me see weddings, and photography itself, a little differently.
What really makes a wedding photograph feel timeless? Is it spontaneity, imperfection or something else?
(MG): I think a timeless photograph is one that doesn't need context to make you feel something. Trends will always change like editing styles, fashion, compositions, colours. But emotion doesn't really date. A photograph can be technically imperfect and still be incredibly powerful if it captures something truthful.
I'm very drawn to spontaneity and imperfection because they make an image feel lived-in. A slightly blurred frame, an unexpected expression or a moment that wasn't planned can sometimes say much more than a perfectly constructed portrait.
For me, timelessness comes from authenticity, emotion and restraint. The photograph should feel like it could only have happened to those particular people, at that particular moment
What are the biggest trends you have witnessed over the last decade?
(MG): The biggest change I've seen is that couples are becoming much more conscious of their wedding having its own identity.
Wedding photography has moved from simply documenting events to becoming a much more considered visual form. There is a strong influence from fashion, editorial photography, cinema and documentary work. Couples are thinking about the visual language of their entire celebration, from the venue and styling to the way their photographs and films will tell the story.
At the same time, I think there has been an interesting return to authenticity. People are increasingly tired of photographs that feel overly produced. They want images that have atmosphere and personality.
The most interesting work, for me, happens somewhere between the two, when you have an editorial eye but don't lose the unpredictability and honesty of a real wedding.
What are the unique challenges of shooting a destination wedding? Can you share an anecdote of a time you faced a major hurdle and overcame it?
(MG): Destination weddings require you to be extremely adaptable. You’re dealing with unfamiliar locations, changing weather, difficult light, tight timelines, travel logistics and sometimes very large teams—all while the wedding itself continues to move whether you're ready or not.
One of the biggest challenges we've faced is when weather completely changes the plan for an event. You may have visualised a particular photograph in a particular location, but suddenly the light disappears or the rain comes in. I've learnt that the worst thing you can do in that situation is become attached to the original plan. You have to look at what is actually happening and find the photograph there.
That mindset has saved us many times. Some of the images we're most proud of have come from situations that initially felt like they had gone wrong. The ability to stay calm, adapt quickly and trust your eye is a huge part of photographing destination weddings.
Please share some key lessons learnt when photographing weddings over the years.
(MG): The first is to observe before you photograph. The second is that you cannot manufacture emotion. You can create the conditions for a moment to happen, but you can't force it.
I've also learnt that patience is incredibly important. Some of the best photographs happen when you wait an extra few seconds rather than immediately pressing the shutter. And perhaps the biggest lesson has been about restraint. When you've photographed hundreds of weddings, you realise that you don't need to photograph everything. You need to understand what matters and tell that story well.
Which destinations have been the most scenic to you?
(MG): I genuinely think India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world for destination weddings, simply because of how dramatically the landscape and visual character can change from one wedding to another.
A wedding in Kerala, surrounded by the backwaters and lush tropical landscape, feels completely different from a mountain wedding in Mussoorie, Dehradun or Shimla. Then you have the desert landscapes of Jaisalmer, especially at sunset when the dunes become this incredible sea of gold; the grandeur of Udaipur and the Udaipur hotels, or the feeling of being inside a living palace at Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur. And then there’s Goa, with its beaches and much more relaxed, tropical energy.
That diversity is what I find so exciting. You can photograph ten weddings within India and each one can look completely different.
Outside India, I’ve loved the sunset weddings in Bali. There is something incredible about that light and those skies, and the vineyards and expansive landscapes of California are beautiful to work with. Spain has a completely different character again, with its old-world architecture, warm Mediterranean light, beautiful countryside and that wonderful sense of history in the surroundings.
But ultimately, I think what makes a destination beautiful photographically is not just the location. It’s the combination of light, landscape, architecture, people and the energy of the celebration. When all of those things come together, you have an incredible canvas to work with.
What should couples keep in mind when it comes to briefing their wedding photographer—from visual language and creating the right timeline to working with light?
(MG): I would start with the visual language. Before briefing your photographer with a list of photographs you want, spend some time understanding what you actually like. Is it documentary, editorial, cinematic, fashion-led, intimate? Your photographer should understand that instinctively.
Then, build the timeline with photography in mind. You don't need to spend your entire wedding taking photographs, but you do need to create pockets of time for them. Even 15–20 minutes of breathing room can make a huge difference.
Light is another important consideration. If portraits or couple photographs are important to you, speak to your photographer about when and where the best light will be rather than simply fitting them into whatever time is left in the schedule.
And finally, tell your photographer about the people who matter to you. A shot list can tell us what you want photographed; understanding your relationships tells us why.
After a decade of building 1Plus1 Studio, what still excites you about photographing weddings?
(MG): Honestly, the unpredictability.
After hundreds of weddings, I still walk into every wedding knowing that something will happen that I couldn't have planned for.
I also love the fact that no two families are the same. Every wedding comes with a completely different set of relationships, personalities, traditions and dynamics. That keeps me curious.
And then there is the privilege of being invited into such an intimate part of people's lives. We arrive as photographers, but over the years we've had clients become friends, and we've sometimes been invited back to photograph other chapters of their lives.
That continuity is incredibly special.
If you could give one piece of advice to a couple planning their wedding photography today, what would it be?
(MG): Don't plan your wedding around the photographs. Plan a wedding that feels like you, and choose a photographer who knows how to see that.
The photographs should be a reflection of the experience, not the experience itself. Years from now, I don't think you'll care whether every photograph was perfectly posed. You'll care about whether looking at those photographs takes you back to how that day actually felt.
That's what I think great wedding photography should do.