Originality is more important than ever in photography – and this drone shot of the Golden Gate Bridge is unlike any other I’ve seen

Golden Gate Bridge.

Social media has flooded the internet with countless regurgitations of the same compositions of the same picturesque places, so much that very rarely do I see an image of these locations that impresses me.

One such landmark which, for me, fits this description is the Golden Gate Bridge. Arguably the most famous bridge in the world, the 1.7-mile suspension-clad structure connects San Francisco to Marin County, California, and has been photographed extensively since opening in 1937.

However, Marcin Zając, a US-based Polish photographer, has been commended by the International Aerial Photographer of the Year Awards (IAPOTY) for what is easily the most unique shot of the iconic bridge that I’ve ever seen.

Instead of the cliché sun setting behind the bridge, or a long exposure of waves enveloping the rocks at Baker Beach with the bridge in the background, Zając did something wholly original.

The Golden Gate Bridge framed by its own iconic steel and suspension cables, overlooking the San Francisco Bay at dawn (Image credit: Marcin Zając / The 2nd International Aerial Photographer of the Year)

“[…]My challenge was to find a truly unique way to present it [the bridge],” said Marcin. “By positioning the drone precisely within the massive opening of one of the main Art Deco towers, I could use the bridge's own architecture to frame the view.”

With a DJI Air 2S drone (settings ISO 100, f/2.8 and 1/160s), Marcin captured the “massive, gritty steel” structure in the foreground to create a sense of scale. And the sweeping curve of the cables formed a “perfect visual corridor” leading the eye towards the distant headlands, he explained.

The San Francisco skyline in the background is dominated by the Salesforce Tower, while the Transamerica Pyramid sits neatly visible between the bridge tower pillars (Image credit: Marcin Zajac)

The Northern California resident has snapped many a unique take on the famed bridge, including the above image, in which he elegantly combined shadows and golden sunlight to render the silhouetted structure against the San Francisco skyline. In this shot, the Transamerica Pyramid can be seen perfectly framed between the bridge tower pillars.

For his latest and fantastically original take on the Golden Gate Bridge, Marcin was selected as one of the 101 finalists from over 1,800 entries at the IAPOTY 2026. His image will be featured in the printed book celebrating all those which made this year’s final cut.

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