Zak Kolar Photography

Sunrise Walk in New Suffolk

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

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 compact 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

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

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.

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

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

A wooden stair railing 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.