#lensglare

GuruShots vs Lensglare: Which Online Photography Platform Is Right for You?

A quick point - These are photography challenges / games - photographers ‘downtime, time out’ - fun.

If you've ever wanted to share your photography with a wider audience, challenge yourself creatively, or simply connect with other photographers from around the world, you've probably come across GuruShots and Lensglare.

At first glance, these two platforms might appear to serve the same purpose. Both allow photographers to upload images, receive feedback, gain exposure and become part of an online photography community. But once you spend some time using each platform, you'll quickly discover they offer very different experiences.

The question isn't simply which platform has more members or which one looks better. It's about what kind of photographer you are, what motivates you, and where your time is best invested.

Whether you're a complete beginner looking to improve your skills or an experienced photographer wanting your work appreciated on its own merit, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each platform can help you decide where you belong.

GuruShots – Photography as a Game GuruShots has built its reputation around making photography fun.

The platform combines photography with elements of gaming. Members enter themed competitions, earn points, unlock achievements, climb leaderboards and collect badges. There are rankings, levels and titles that encourage users to keep participating.

The challenges are varied and can be entertaining. One week you might photograph reflections, the next wildlife, architecture or black-and-white street photography. This variety encourages photographers to experiment with subjects they may never have considered before.

For many people, this makes GuruShots incredibly addictive.

Watching your rankings rise can be exciting, and receiving awards or progressing through the different levels gives a satisfying sense of achievement.

The social aspect is also very active. Thousands of photographers from across the globe participate every day, making it easy to discover new styles and connect with like-minded creatives.

For photographers who enjoy competition and regular motivation to get out with their camera, GuruShots certainly delivers.

The Downsides of GuruShots While the competitive format is entertaining, it does come with some drawbacks.

Success on GuruShots often depends on more than simply uploading a great photograph.

Many experienced users spend considerable time swapping votes with other members, joining voting groups, promoting their entries on social media, timing uploads for maximum visibility and using strategic "boosts" to increase exposure.

Because votes determine rankings, images that receive early momentum frequently continue climbing, while equally strong photographs can disappear quickly if they don't gain immediate attention.

As a result, winning isn't always a reflection of photographic quality alone.

The platform rewards activity just as much as artistry.

Some photographers love this challenge, treating it almost like a strategy game. Others eventually become frustrated when they feel they're spending more time managing votes than actually taking photographs.

Lensglare – A Community Built Around Photography Lensglare takes a very different approach.

Instead of focusing on gaming mechanics and leaderboards, Lensglare places the emphasis firmly on the photographs themselves.

The site has a much calmer, cleaner atmosphere where photographers can showcase their work in attractive portfolios without feeling pressured to constantly chase votes or rankings.

Browsing images feels more like visiting an online exhibition than playing a competition.

Photographers are encouraged to appreciate composition, light, storytelling and creativity rather than simply clicking through hundreds of images to earn rewards.

The community also tends to be smaller and more personal.

Comments often feel thoughtful and genuine, creating conversations about photography rather than simply exchanging likes.

For many photographers, this creates a far more rewarding experience.

Quality Over Quantity One noticeable difference between the two platforms is the pace.

GuruShots moves quickly.

Challenges begin and end constantly, encouraging frequent uploads and continuous participation.

Lensglare, on the other hand, encourages photographers to slow down.

Rather than uploading dozens of images to stay active, members often take more time selecting photographs that genuinely represent their best work.

This emphasis on quality rather than quantity appeals to photographers who see photography as an art rather than a competition.

Instead of chasing the next badge, many users concentrate on refining their portfolios and improving their craft.

Building a Portfolio If your goal is simply to have fun and participate in competitions, GuruShots offers plenty of entertainment.

However, if you're trying to build a professional online presence, Lensglare has several advantages.

Its portfolio layout is elegant, uncluttered and designed to showcase photography beautifully.

Visitors focus on your images rather than scores, rankings or game statistics.

This makes Lensglare particularly attractive for landscape photographers, travel photographers, wildlife photographers, fine art photographers and anyone wanting a clean presentation of their work.

For photographers hoping potential clients or buyers may view their images, presentation matters.

Lensglare understands this.

Learning and Inspiration Both platforms provide inspiration, but in different ways.

GuruShots encourages experimentation through themed competitions.

Lensglare encourages observation through carefully curated photography.

One motivates through excitement.

The other motivates through appreciation.

Neither approach is wrong.

It simply depends on what inspires you personally.

Many photographers actually use both platforms—GuruShots for creative challenges and Lensglare for displaying their favourite images.

Which Platform Suits You? If you enjoy competition, fast-paced interaction and collecting achievements, GuruShots can be enormously enjoyable.

If you appreciate thoughtful photography, artistic presentation and genuine community interaction, Lensglare may feel much more satisfying.

The good news is that both are free to explore, allowing you to discover which environment best matches your own photographic journey.

Every photographer is different.

Some thrive on competition.

Others prefer quiet creativity.

Neither choice is incorrect.

The important thing is finding a platform that encourages you to keep creating.

Final Thoughts While both GuruShots and Lensglare have earned loyal followings, they represent two very different philosophies.

GuruShots is, first and foremost, a game built around photography. Its scoring systems, voting mechanics and competitive structure create an energetic and entertaining experience that many photographers genuinely enjoy. If you're looking for frequent challenges and the excitement of climbing rankings, it can be a lot of fun.

Lensglare, however, feels more like a community built for photographers rather than players. It places far less emphasis on strategy and popularity, and far more emphasis on the photographs themselves. Images are presented beautifully, feedback tends to be more meaningful, and success isn't so heavily influenced by gaming the system or constantly chasing votes.

For photographers who value creativity, craftsmanship and authentic appreciation of their work, Lensglare offers an environment that feels more balanced and rewarding. While no online platform is completely free from subjectivity, Lensglare's approach allows photographs to stand on their own merits far more often.

In the end, the best platform is the one that keeps you inspired to pick up your camera. But if you're looking for a place where photography takes centre stage and where the experience feels calmer, more genuine and, in many photographers' eyes, fairer, Lensglare is the platform that stands out.

Lensglare is fantastic for photographers of all levels as just a bit of downtime and sporting fun - Plus its FREE

Join me on LensGlare - a photography challenge platform where you compete, vote, and earn credits!

Sign up with my link and we both earn bonus credits:

Which platform do I use? I play on both as they both inspire me to take better photos and give me ideas for that next shot. I do honestly think Lensglare is more about the photos while Gurushots is more strategy. But they are both fun.

Until next time, Keep getting those beautiful shots!