All it takes to make a shadow is an object and some light—but shadows can be used in so many different ways to create incredible photos. Whether you’re shooting in black and white or color, or going for a minimalistic look or a vibrant photo, shadows are a great way to transform a simple subject into something incredible.

For our recent Shadows Quest, we asked photographers to submit photos that featured shadows in all kinds of shapes and locations. The winning photo was taken by Peter Fischer. This lucky winner received an EACHSHOT® 55cm Portable Handheld Magic Light.

Bushman kid in Namibia by Peter Fischer on 500px.com

The judge liked that the shadows not only were an important part of the composition of the image, but also that they gave context and told a story.

Peter captured this photo during his first photo tour trip to Namibia. “The fantastic evening light and the lighthearted play of the children let to this unique moment,” he explains. Peter became interested in photography at age 12, after he got his first camera. Though it was a hobby of his, he didn’t start doing it professionally until later: “After a career in airline software development companies, I turned my hobby into a profession. About seven years back, I took over a photo tour business and now guide many groups to lots of wonderful places around the world.”

Want more inspiration for how to incorporate shadows into your photos? Check out the runners up:

Sunset by Enes Emin Bahad?r on 500px.com

Untitled by Carlos Esparducer on 500px.com

Walk by Claus Dreßler on 500px.com

Man dog & shadow by Korneliusz Moczko on 500px.com

Fitness by JF Photography on 500px.com

Wichita Art by Matt Katzenberger on 500px.com

s h a d o w p l a y by Jonhy Blaze on 500px.com

Fresh Powder by Jure Batagelj on 500px.com

The real creator by Pedro Dias on 500px.com

Splitting hairs-from my series "Shadows" by Carlos Caicedo on 500px.com

Sunset at West lake - Hanoi by Quang Vu on 500px.com

Under the bridges by Marc Bidoul on 500px.com

Morning Haze by Julia & Thomas Pictures on 500px.com

The Shadow by Subhash Saha on 500px.com

Shadow Of The Man He Used To Be by I am Bad Photographer on 500px.com

Yosemite Sunrise God Rays by Shuo Seal on 500px.com

Frozen Lake Bled by Aleš Krivec on 500px.com

Natural shadows by Pieter Bos on 500px.com

tree shadow by Zsofia Zsemberi on 500px.com

If you missed this Quest, don’t worry—there are plenty more coming up! Check out our newest Quests for a fun challenge and a chance to win a great prize.