Zak Kolar Photography https://www.zgk.photos Zak Kolar Photography en-us Favorite (unposted) photos of 2024 https://www.zgk.photos/posts/favorite-unposted-photos-of-2024 https://www.zgk.photos/posts/favorite-unposted-photos-of-2024 Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In 2024, I posted fewer photos than in previous years. I carried my camera with me more often, but I didn’t always use it with purpose. I thought that I “should” be taking photos, which led to many halfhearted shots that didn’t turn out well. These vastly outnumbered the good ones, leaving me dissatisfied with most of my library and feeling like I had little worth sharing.

I finally sat down and culled to just the ones I like. They aren’t all post-worthy, but many are “almost great”. These don’t bother me - they inspire and motivate me to go back out and improve. With a higher concentration of photos I love, my library gives me pride and joy instead of anxiety and doubt. In fact, narrowing down to just 10 favorites was difficult.

In 2025, I want to prioritize intentionality. Carrying a camera is just half the equation; I need to use it with purpose. If I’m not feeling creative or have competing priorities, it’s ok not to use it. Forced pictures are not necessarily good pictures.

A weathered, black rectangular metal piece with two circular holes lies on a bed of smooth stones. Two fallen signs in a wooded area. One is an upside-down “STOP” sign with graffiti, and the other is an overturned “NO TRESPASSING, NO DUMPING” sign. Both are surrounded by fallen leaves and branches. Two large wooden spools of blue rope are surrounded by stacked wire lobster traps. A garden scene with a white wooden sign labeled “SIMON,” surrounded by marigold flowers and soil edged with red bricks. A green plastic watering can featuring embossed tulip designs is nearby. In the background, there are rows of plants. A red and white lifebuoy is attached to a white post marked with the number 13. The background includes tall grass, a palm tree, and part of a building. A traffic light with a red left-turn arrow stands against a backdrop of the ocean and a clear blue sky. There are some plants and coastal scenery visible at the edge of the road. A coastal town with houses on a hillside, palm trees, and a marina filled with various boats. Hills are visible in the background under soft, diffused lighting. Three people wearing colorful tie-dye hoodies and hats are walking through a parking lot. They are carrying bags and one person has a hat in hand. The sun is setting, casting a warm glow over the scene with palm trees and a bridge in the background. Three white wildflowers with yellow centers surrounded by green leaves and curly tendrils, set against a blurred natural background. Close-up of assorted padlocks and combination locks, including a blue dial lock and a textured metal key lock, arranged together. ]]> Sunrise Walk in New Suffolk https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-walk-in-new-suffolk https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-walk-in-new-suffolk Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I took this same walk a year ago and got some shots I really liked. This year, I felt pressure to capture new, equally interesting pictures. I left disappointed, feeling I hadn’t met my goal. When I finally went back to edit, I was surprised to find some photos that I liked. I realized I captured these during moments between the pressure. Overthinking led to underwhelming images - I just needed to react to what caught my eye.

A life preserver attached to a wooden post on a dock at sunrise. The background features moored sailboats and calm water reflecting the colorful sky. A serene waterside scene at sunrise featuring a weathered wooden dock with rusty, metallic containers and stacks of fishing traps. In the background, calm waters reflect the soft hues of the sky, with a distant shoreline and a few anchored sailboats. A sailboat docked at a marina during a sunrise, framed by two vertical wooden posts. The boat’s name “Fortuna” is visible on the stern. The sky is painted with warm hues of orange and pink, with purple clouds scattered above ]]> Afternoon Walk in Waltham https://www.zgk.photos/posts/afternoon-walk-in-waltham https://www.zgk.photos/posts/afternoon-walk-in-waltham Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I like finding things people have left behind. Some leave a mark, others are pauses waiting to be resumed, and many are simply forgotten artifacts. All are reminders that we're surrounded by more people and stories than we'll ever know.

Two blue sheds enclosed by a chain-link fence with rusted metal frames leaning against them An empty yellow excavator with "McCourt" written on the arm, parked on a gravel surface with trees in the background. A small, worn, tattered American flag hanging on a street sign that reads 'VETERANS'. Yellow police caution tape entangled in branches on the ground outdoors in front of a small pine tree A stop sign with black markings lying on the ground with brown leaves around it. ]]> Morning Walk in Waltham https://www.zgk.photos/posts/morning-walk-in-waltham https://www.zgk.photos/posts/morning-walk-in-waltham Sun, 31 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Cloudy sunrise walk in Waltham, MA. Shot on Fujifilm X-T30.

A lot of my photos come from weekend day trips. Each week, I pick a spot from my ongoing map of beaches, forests, and mountains. Most are places I’ve never been, so each feels like an adventure. By comparison, waking up before sunrise and driving 5 minutes to an industrial street I pass every day sounds less glamorous. But that’s what I did today, and now my map will include more local places.

A cluttered array of electrical wires and boxes on the corner of a multi family home. The building shows signs of weathering. A sidewalk passes the front of the building. A white van parked in an alley with a chain-link gate, framed by buildings on either side, and a church spire visible in the background. An upward shot of an industrial brick building with large windows and a sign that reads "IRA B. GORDON CENTER” framed through a wooden structure A tall red brick industrial building with large windows against a cloudy sky. A two-story red brick building with the signage "92 FELTON MARKETPLACE" and the year "1894" displayed near the roof. The building features large wooden double doors, rectangular windows, and decorative brickwork along the edges. ]]> Sunrise at Marginal Way https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-at-marginal-way https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-at-marginal-way Sun, 04 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Sunrise walk at Marginal Way in Ogunquit, ME. Shot on Fujifilm X-T30

I’ve lived in New England almost ten years and hadn’t been to Maine until today. After twelve days of clouds, the sunrise was worth waking up in the dark and braving the cold. I was sleepy, couldn’t feel my face, and still felt more energized than I have in weeks.

Sunrise over a rocky coastline with waves crashing against the rocks and a warm orange sky. Seascape at sunrise with waves crashing against rocky shoreline, pebbly beach in foreground, and large waterfront buildings in the distance under a pink-hued sky. A seagull flying over the sea at sunrise with rocks in the foreground and the sun low on the horizon. Seascape view through tree branches with waves crashing against rocks. ]]> Sunrise at Nantasket Beach https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-at-nantasket-beach https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunrise-at-nantasket-beach Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Sunrise walk at Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA. Shot on Fujifilm X-T30

I love winter beaches because they remind me of making theater. Like an unfinished set surrounded by lights waiting to be hung, they aren’t ready for an audience. Still, there’s anticipatory energy as the world of the story comes together. Soon, the temperature will warm, the beachgrass will revive, and the show will go on. But for now, I enjoy the backstage tour.

A wooden slat fence along a beach with blurry ocean and pale sunrise sky in the background. Dry grasses viewed through a narrow gap between two vertical fence slats, with a soft-focus background of a cloudy sky with a pale sunrise Wooden stairs leading down to a sandy beach with rocks in the foreground and the ocean in the background a pale sunrise. A close-up of a metallic pole with a number plaque reading "49" against a blurred background of a pale sunrise over the sea. A beachfront house with gray siding and white railings sits on sandy ground with sparse grass. An overcast sky looms above. ]]> NYC December 2023 https://www.zgk.photos/posts/nyc-december-2023 https://www.zgk.photos/posts/nyc-december-2023 Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Shot on Ricoh GR IIIx

A weathered yellow wall with cracks, hand drawn symbols, and various stickers along a sidewalk in an urban area A green box connected to a traffic pole mostly filled with various stickers. A person is partially visible walking on a nearby crosswalk A pedestrian crosswalk signal button with instructions. In the background a person walks along the sidewalk A sign attached to a brick building that reads “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” ]]> Aerial Tram to Cannon Mountain https://www.zgk.photos/posts/aerial-tram-to-cannon-mountain https://www.zgk.photos/posts/aerial-tram-to-cannon-mountain Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Trip up the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram in Franconia, NH. Shot on Fujifilm X-T30.

A red cable car with "Franconia Notch State Park" and "Cannon" written on it above mountains with autumn foliage. Industrial crane pulley with a thick steel cable, set against a backdrop of orange metal construction with visible rust and wear. A ski lift tower with a lone person standing on the observation deck, thick cables running diagonally across the frame, and a panoramic view of a mountainous landscape under a blue sky with clouds. A woman with gray hair looking out of the window of a red cable car, with reflection visible on the glass. A person wearing a red baseball cap, a red flannel, and glasses looking out the window of a cable car with a scenic mountain landscape in the background. A wooden sign with carved and painted text that reads "RIM TRAIL 1500 FOOT WALK TO SUMMIT OBSERVATION TOWER" with arrow symbols pointing upwards. The sign is mounted on rustic wooden posts. Tower viewer coin-operated binoculars on an overlook deck with expansive mountainous landscape in the background under a blue sky with clouds. A scenic view of a mountainous landscape with colorful foliage seen through a circular frame. ]]> Cog Train to Mount Washington https://www.zgk.photos/posts/cog-train-to-mount-washington https://www.zgk.photos/posts/cog-train-to-mount-washington Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Evening trip up Mount Washington on the Cog Railway steam engine train in Franconia, NH. Shot on Fujifil X-T30.

Over the shoulder photo of a person taking a smartphone photo inside a train carriage, capturing the view outside the window. Two passengers looking out through the windows of a train at a scenic mountain landscape. A view from inside a train looking up a steep railway track with passengers and the brakeman silhouetted against the sky. The image shows the exterior of the Sherman Adams Summit Building with its name sign displayed above a closed garage door. A frost-covered yellow Caterpillar (CAT) excavator next to an ice-encrusted building. A coin-operated binocular viewer covered with ice, with a backdrop of dense fog. An ice-covered signpost with the letter "S" carved into it, icicles forming, and frost clinging to the wood in a cold, wintry environment. ]]> Sunset at Von Bergen’s Sunflower Festival https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunset-at-von-bergen-s-sunflower-festival https://www.zgk.photos/posts/sunset-at-von-bergen-s-sunflower-festival Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Evening at Von Bergen’s Sun Flower Festival in Hebron, IL.

A sunflower close-up with numerous sunflowers in the background and a bee in flight on the left side, under a blue sky with light cloud cover. A field of sunflowers from behind at dusk with the sky painted in soft hues of pink and blue. Photo looking up at sunflowers against a blue sky with wispy clouds. A field of blooming sunflowers under a blue sky with light clouds. Close-up of mature corn stalks against a clear blue sky. Scattered fluffy white clouds against a bright blue sky during golden hour Two hands holding clear plastic cups with a red-colored frozen drink and straws against a blue sky background. ]]>