We are thrilled to unveil the talented photographers of the GuruShot’s photo challenge, Inspiring Architecture. With creativity and vision, they have captured the essence of architecture in all its grandeur and beauty, and showcased breathtaking structures from around the world that truly inspire awe and admiration. 

Don’t miss the full slideshow gallery at the end of this article, featuring more exceptional entries.

Winning Images

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The marine iguanas of the Galápagos are truly remarkable creatures. Until my recent visit to the islands, I was convinced they inhabited only two worlds – the land, where they bask in the sun, and the ocean, where they dive for food. But earlier this week, I witnessed something that completely changed my perspective: iguanas can fly! Well, at least with a little help from a Great Egret. I’m just not sure if this particular individual will manage to pass its newfound aviation skills down to future generations. Time will tell. For now, though, let’s look back at what the past week brought to the world of photography.

For wildlife photographers looking to capture small or elusive animals in their natural habitat, a supertelephoto lens with a focal length of 600mm is an excellent tool. Currently, Nikon has two 600mm primes in their Z Series lineup: the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S and the Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S.

We’re going to wrap up the week with an insightful discussion from the Yorkshire Photo Walks Tube channel with four transformative questions that all photographers need to ask themselves whether they’re experienced or just getting started.

By reflecting upon the answers you’ll discover how to break free from the mundane, and craft creative images that reflect your unique vision. British pro Tom Marsh, AKA the Flat-Capped Photographer, is also a respected tutor whose popular YouTube channel has a unique emphasis full of inspiration and takes a philosophical approach to the making of photographs.

Tom explains why his quartet of questions is so illuminating, while sharing his personal answers and insights. The goal is to reflect upon your own thoughtful responses that he promises will represent “a great opportunity to redefine your creative journey and capture photographs that truly stand out.”

We all reflect upon what Tom Says are “generic” questions like What camera should I buy?” How should I compose this scene? Which settings are appropriate? Am I getting this right? His point is that these types of queries are of little value because “if you ask generic questions you’re going to get generic answers” that don’t really help expand your skills and creativity.

Tom says a more valuable approach begins by reflecting upon the type of photography you enjoy most. This may seem superficial, or even a bit obvious, “but what we’re going by asking this is really honing in on what is that interests us and why we pick up a camera in the first place.”

This could be a particular genre, a spectacular location, or a specific technique that always gets your creative juices flowing—even when you find yourself in an artistic rut. Once you identify a clear direction, the inspiration that follows will result in “photographs that are unique to you.”

This 10 minutes of introspection also involves pondering exactly who it is that you want to impress with your photos, whether it’s family and friends, Instagram followers, gallery owners, or potential customers at local events. Tom explains why the best possible answer may be “I want to impress myself.”

At this point you’re halfway through this interesting episode that can make photography more fun and enjoyable while significantly enhancing the quality of your work. It can be a very rewarding exercise. There are more thought-provoking videos on Tom’s instructional YouTube channel, so make it a point to visit soon.

We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who demonstrates seven straightforward techniques for capturing perfectly exposed available-light portrait photographs indoors or outside.