Stunning images show the beauty of Iranian mosques - PHOTO

The 24-year-old physics student, who lives in Babol in Iran's Mazandaran province, pursues his passion for photography on the side.Having no formal training whatsoever, Ganji has honed his eye by reading articles and watching Internet tutorial videos, and has a particular affinity for photographing historical architecture.Experimenting with panorama, monument, and landscape photography, Ganji embarked on a project to photograph Muslim places of worship around Iran from unexpected viewpoints over five years ago.He was inspired after seeing some shots taken from the interior of the Egyptian pyramids online and began to wonder if he too could take pictures of significant historical sites.From the kaleidoscope-like patterns of the famous Nasīr al-Mulk Mosque (also known as the Pink Mosque) in Shiraz to documenting the intricate ceiling detailing of the Seyyed Mosque in Isfahan, Ganji has travelled to the far reaches of Iran to show foreigners a side of the country rarely seen.Making the project all the more fascinating is the fact that, while many of these mosques allow for tourists to snap quick photos, most do not allow professional photography equipment through the doors.'To take professional photos, especially using a tripod, you require permits for most of these locations,' Ganji told MailOnline Travel.'I go through the paperwork process to obtain a permit a few days before my trip.'It’s not an easy process and there has been times when even with a permit, I didn’t receive the appropriate reception from the people in charge.' According to his website, Ganji's believes that the most important element in photography is light, a fact made evident in the images below as he often plays with shadow and streaming sunlight when framing his shots. 'Normally mornings are the best times for photography in any respect,' he told us. 'Specifically, for the lighting and [because] it's less crowded.'Ganji normally uses wide and fish-eye lenses to capture his stunning panoramic shots.'Wide lenses provide a larger angle, while panoramic photography offers an even wider angle when joining photographs together,' he said.'It allows me to show all of the area in one image. Many of my pictures are a combination of more than three images.'But no matter your lens of choice, Ganji's most important piece of advice? 'Always try to find the distinguishing elements of the place that you're going to photograph,' he told MailOnline. 'Imagine your final result before staring your panoramic shoot.' (dailymail.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az