ABOUT
Sej Saraiya is an interdisciplinary visual artist, acclaimed photographer, and filmmaker known for her ethnographic and fine art photography documenting Indigenous cultures across the globe. She earned her MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California in 2009 and has since undertaken immersive photographic journeys throughout Asia and the Americas, creating portraits that offer intimate windows into remote communities and their deep relationships with the natural world.
Her work has taken her to some of the most remote regions on earth, where she has spent time with tattooed headhunters in Northeast India, medicine women in British Columbia, shamans of the Venezuelan Amazon, and globally respected leaders and humanitarians. At the heart of Saraiya’s practice is a commitment to preserving cultural heritage, ancestral wisdom, and fragile ecosystems through visual storytelling.
A dedicated leader in her field, Saraiya serves on the board of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP–LA) and the Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival (GIIFF), and contributes to the Topanga Film Festival (TFF). She is also a Professional Member of American Photographic Artists (APA) and a lead facilitator for the BRIDGE photography mentorship program. In 2024, she founded and directed the World Culture Film Festival for the Art of Living Foundation.
Saraiya regularly participates in speaking engagements, workshops, and panel discussions at universities, museums, and film festivals. Her work has been featured in publications including ELLE, LA Yoga Magazine, Deadline, and Luxury Lifestyle Magazine. A published author, she wrote the book Becoming Still, and her essays have appeared in national publications and peer-reviewed journals such as USA Today, STEAM Journal, and Hindustan Times. Her photography has been exhibited internationally in galleries, museums, and public venues such as John Wayne Airport, and is held in private collections worldwide.
Her award-winning short fiction film The Curious Woods (2021), exploring the essential connection between humans and nature, has screened at numerous festivals and received over 30 awards, including Best Environmental Film and Best Director. Her earlier short The Language They Spoke (2019), a meditation on the overlooked power of silence, received accolades including Best Experimental Film.
Based in Topanga, Saraiya continues to work across photography and film, using visual storytelling to advocate for the preservation of the world’s diverse cultures, landscapes, and ecological futures.
The reason I photograph is to experience and share human existence beyond the precinct of words. It takes an adventurous spirit to venture out to the farthest corners of this earth, but those handful who do are obliged to bring back the stories that haven’t been heard, to shine light on the responsibilities that come with sharing a planet—the importance and urgency of which I portray through my photographs.
What drives my photography is a thirst to tell the stories that haven’t been heard and share uplifting perspectives on the world that haven’t been seen. At least in the dominant cultures. I have lived in places with no running water, climbed active volcanoes, walked for days to reach a spiritually significant glacier 12,000 ft. above sea level, spent years communicating with people who don’t speak my language, photographed in scorching deserts; all to bring back stories that can create a positive impact on this planet. With each new environment, my innate ability to navigate unfamiliar cultures has allowed me to make connections with people of all backgrounds and enabled me to obtain images that connect with viewers at the same deep level I connected with.
EXHIBITIONS & TALKS
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 — Interconnecting Lines — Cur. Bisa Bennett — Artio Gallery, New York, USA
2026 — Beyond Borders — Cur. Bisa Bennett — European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
2026 — Atlas of Humanity — Cur. Martin Vega — Galerie Joseph le Palais, Paris, France
2026 — Atlas of Humanity — Cur. Martin Vega — One Art Space, New York, USA
2025 — International Photo Awards (IPA) Winners (Juried) — House of Lucie (Projection), Athens, Greece
2025 — Things We Carry: A Contemporary Asian Experience — Cur. Andrea Marshall — Studio Montclair, New Jersey, USA
2025 — Coastal Reflections (Juried) — Malibu City Gallery, Malibu, USA
2023 — 2022: A Year of Duality — Jur. ASMP — Photo Impact Gallery, West Hollywood, USA
2023 — APA Chicago: Artist’s Perspective — Jur. Natasha Egan — Fulton Street Collective, Chicago, USA
2023 — Bold Beauty Project — Jur. Nancy Kaye — The Art Room, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — Aging as Art — Council of Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2022 — KAPWA: A Communal Spirit — Cur. Hon Huang — Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — A World From Home II (Virtual) — Cur. Nancy Kaye — American Society of Media Photographers
2021 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Kate Kincaid — Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga, USA
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Newport Beach Central Library, Santa Ana, USA
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2021 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Alison Zavos — Foley Gallery, New York, USA
2021 — Poetry of the Earth — Cur. Deja Cross — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Vi Smith Concourse Gallery, Orange County, USA
2020 — Untitled Group Exhibition — Cur. Alison Zavos — Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2020 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Newport Beach Central Library, Santa Ana, USA
2020 — Topanga Artists Studio Tour — Topanga Artists Studio Tour, Topanga, USA
2020 — Aging as Art — Council on Aging — Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, USA
2020 — A World From Home (Online) — Cur. Nancy Kaye — American Society of Media Photographers
2020 — Sacred Landscapes — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Tapovan, India
2018 — Animal Advocacy Through Art — Cur. N. Ford — Lois Lambert Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Non-Duality Among the Indigenous — Inv. Freda Sideroff — Electric Lodge Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Kapwa: A Communal Spirit — Cur. Hon Huang — Nous Tous Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — School’s Out Forever — Cur. Jalal Poehman — Legato Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Evoking the Unseen — Cur. Jeffrey Ainis — Venice Love Shack, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Beatles and the Indian Influence — Cur. Phil Goldberg — Santa Monica Assembly Hall, Los Angeles, USA
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Cur. Deja Cross — Shangri-La, Topanga Canyon, USA
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Cur. Tribhuvan Chauhan — Uttra Art Gallery, Rishikesh, India
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 — Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Conference — Inv. Ariela Goharik Kiradjian — Westlake Village Inn, Westlake, USA
2022 — Topanga Film Festival (Featured Artist) — Cur. Urs Baur — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2022 — Revel Silk: Indigenous Women — Cur. Monica Dogra — Houndstooth Studio, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — Indigenous Wisdom — Cur. Freda Sideroff — Electric Lodge Art Gallery, Venice, USA
2021 — A Taste of India (Garden Event) — Cur. Nicole Muyingo — MUY House, Culver City, USA
2020 — A Taste of the World — Inv. Graham Brooks — Froggies, Topanga, USA
2019 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Advaita — Inv. Jim Burklo — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Indigenous Peoples of the World — Inv. Prof. Mugdha Yeolekar — California State University, Fullerton, USA
2019 — Namaste India — Inv. Prof. Mugdha Yeolekar — Short Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Inv. Deja Cross — Rishikesh International Film Festival, Tapovan, India
2017 — Advaita or Non-Duality — Maharishi “Beatles” Ashram, Rishikesh, India
SELECTED TALKS, LECTURES, and PANELS
2025 — Photo Talk — Galerie 24b, Paris, France
2025 — Photo Talk — House of Lucie, Athens, Greece
2024 — Sacred Art of Storytelling (Panel Host) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — Environment in Film (Panel Host) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — Leveraging Film Festivals (Panelist) — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Film as a Tool for Decolonization (Panelist) — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Post-Colonial Philanthropy (Panel Host) — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2023 — BRIDGE Program (Assistant Facilitator) — American Society of Media Photographers & BKC, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — Creativity & Consciousness (Panelist) — Independent Program, Los Angeles, USA
2022 — The Indigenous Story (Panel Host) — Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
2022 — Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom (Lecture) — Big Bear Yoga Festival, Big Bear, USA
2022 — A Whole New World (Lecture) — Culture Journeys Kids Summer Camp, Hermosa Beach, USA
2022 — Learning from Ancient Cultures (Lecture) — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2021 — The Meditative Eye (Panel) — Rishikesh Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Shakti (Moderator) — Rishikesh Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
2021 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Non-Duality (Lecture) — Yangchenma Arts & Music, Topanga, USA
2021 — Photographing Remote Cultures (Lecture) — Learning Bird, Canada
2020 — Sociology of Globalization (Lecture) — Symbiosis School of Photography, Pune, India
2020 — Tales of the Desert Gypsies (Lecture) — Yangchenma Music & Arts, Topanga, USA
2019 — Individualism, Collectivism & Non-Duality (Lecture) — Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, USA
2019 — Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Advaita (Lecture) — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2019 — Infinite in its Silence (Panel) — California State University, Fullerton, USA
2019 — Journey Through India (Workshop) — Short Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, USA
2018 — Empowered Indigenous Filmmaker Masterclass — TELUS Storyhive & VoVo Productions, Canada
2017 — Storytelling, Filmmaking & Consciousness (Lecture) — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi “Beatles” Ashram, Rishikesh, India
JURY & JUDGING
2025 — Reflections Art Program (Juror) — Redondo Union High School, Los Angeles, USA
2024 — World Culture Film Festival (Juror) — Art of Living Organization, Los Angeles, USA
2023 — 2022: A Year of Duality (Juror) — American Society of Media Photographers Photography Awards, Photo Impact Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2023–2024 — BRIDGE Photography Mentorship Program (Juror & Student Selection Committee) — ASMP-NY, Sony Alpha & Capture One, USA
2018 — Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival (Juror) — Electric Lodge Gallery, Venice, California, USA
MEDIA & PUBLICATIONS
AUTHORED ARTICLES & BOOKS
2026 — Hindustan Times — “Why Travel Needs Humility Again” — Op-Ed
2026 — Becoming Still: A Tale of Wild Places and Inner Reckoning — Literary Nonfiction Book
2022 — USA Today Magazine — “Legends of America’s Sacred Landscapes” — Article + Cover Feature
2022 — USA Today Magazine — “Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom” — Article
2021 — STEAM Journal (Claremont Graduate University) — “Donyi Tolo: Apatani” — Peer Reviewed Journal EssayEDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY & VISUAL FEATURES
2022 — Belili Magazine (Belize) — Cover Photograph — 2022 Issue
2021 — Moevir Magazine (Paris) — “26 Shades of Red” — 12-page Photography Feature — 2021 Issue
2020 — Nomadict Magazine (Spain)— Featured Photography in “The Intercultural Nomad” by Aletta Bredewold — April 2020
2019 — Kendall Hunt Publishing (USA) — Photography included in textbook: An Introduction to World Music
2019 — LA Yoga Magazine (USA) — Featured Photography in “Meditation Becomes Empowered on Mahasivratri” — Feb 10 2019
2018 — The Journals of Micah (Australia) — Cover Photograph — Literary Memoir by Daniel Nesher
2018 — Silence in Bloom — Cover Art — Music Album by Eman Attallah
2018 — Malibu Times (USA) — Photography featured in coverage of SAADA (South Asian Digital Archives) EventINTERVIEWS, PRESS & MEDIA
2024 — DEADLINE — “Inaugural World Culture Film Festival in Los Angeles to Open With ‘The Monk and the Gun’” — Matthew Carey — July 2024
2024 — DEADLINE — “Tom Holland, Oscar-Nominated Director Pawo Choyning Dorji Earn Awards at Inaugural World Culture Film Festival” — Matthew Carey — July 2024
2024 — American Kahani — “Inaugural World Culture Film Festival to Celebrate Uplifting and Unifying Global Cinema in Los Angeles” — July 2024
2023 — ELLE Magazine — “Conservation Photographer Sej Saraiya and Her Dedication to Cultural Preservation” — July 2023
2023 — Film Daily — “Female Filmmakers Chronicle the Rise of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation” — Callum Bradshaw — July 2023
2023 — Luxury Lifestyle Magazine — “Photographer Sejal Saraiya Captures the Powerful Stories of Indigenous Elders” — James Nottingham — June 2023
2023 — Mashable — “Sej Saraiya’s Conservation Photography Shines Light on Indigenous Tribes and Climate Action” — Pau Castillo — February 2023
2022 — Roswell Daily Record — “Santa Fe Film Festival” — Christina Stock — January 5 2022
2022 — Albuquerque Journal — “The Curious Woods Filmmaker Found Inspiration in the Healing Power of Nature” — Adrien Gomez — January 10 2022
2022 — The Basic Cinephile — “Indigenous Story Panel: 17th Annual Topanga Film Festival”
2019 — The Daily Titan — “World Religions Seen Through a Photographer’s Lens” — Kim Pham — November 16 2019
2018 — LA Yoga Magazine — “Animal Advocacy Through Art” — Jeffrey Ainis — November 20 2018
AWARDS
PHOTOGRAPHY
2026 — Second Place — Artio Gallery Art Prize Competition, New York, USA
2026 — Nominee — 1839 Awards
2025 — Honorable Mention — World Street Photography Awards (WSPA)
2025 — Second Place Award Recipient — International Photo Awards (IPA)
2025 — Bronze Winner — Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA)
2022 — First Place — Perspectives — American Photographic Artists (APA Chicago)
FILM
2023 — Best Film (February Award) — Reale Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Short Film — Great Message International Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Short Film — Global India International Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Nature & Environment Short (Achievement of Excellence) — TMIF Awards — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Costume Design — New York International Women Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2022 — Best Director (October Award) — International Motion Picture Awards — The Curious Woods (2021)
2021 — Nominee: Best Female Director — Montreal Independent Film Festival — The Curious Woods (2021)
2020 — Best Editing (shared with Pavel Safonov) — Global Taj International Film Festival — The Language They Spoke (2019)
2019 — Best Experimental Film — L’Âge d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival — The Language They Spoke(2019)
AFFILIATIONS
2023–2024 — Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director, Head of Programming — World Culture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
2023, 2024 — Facilitator — ASMP-LA BRIDGE Photography Mentorship Program
2022–Present — Board of Directors — American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)
2018–Present — Board of Directors — Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival
2018–Present — Professional Member — American Photographic Artists (APA)
2017–2018 — Creative Director — Rishikesh International Film Festival, India
EDUCATION
2007–2009 — Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Screenwriting — University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2008 — Writing for the Screen — University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
2003–2007 — Bachelor of Science, Information Technology — Mumbai University, Mumbai, India
