Zaak Barnes Photography

08/19/2026

Happy World Photography Day!

I’m celebrating this year with a photograph that took nearly five years to plan and shoot. Back when I was new to nature and Milky Way photography, I thought Timberline Falls would make a great spot to check out the night. What could be cooler than long exposures of the sky and the water??

I would say that “life got in the way,” but really the biggest obstacle was the Recreation.gov website. Getting this shot required an overnight camping trip deep into Rocky Mountain National Park, with reservations in scarce supply. It took years for the moon phase and campsite availability to align with my personal schedule.

Hauling fifty pounds of gear up 1,200 feet and 4 miles into the mountains was tough, but made much easier with great company. Huge kudos to my astrophotographer friend, for being willing to accompany me on this years’ long pursuit.

The theme for World Photography Day this year is “Home.” And if you are open to artistic interpretation, I think this one counts. Our cosmic home is a wonder of rock and stone, water and ice, light and dark. Views like this make me happy to get to witness it – and privileged to get to share it.

Thanks for looking at my shot, “Nightfall and Waterfalls.”

08/07/2026

Nothing better for than clouds above... and below!

I shot this a few weeks ago during a visit to Colorado's iconic Mt. Blue Sky. Heavy smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest obscured the sun for much of the ascent, but cleared just in time to watch this cloud layer roll up the mountain.

Special thanks to the fine folks at for developing this roll of Ektachrome!

07/17/2026

New blog post alert!! Check out some previously un-published photos and read my thoughts about leaving Colorado!

Late last year, my girlfriend and I visited her parents in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “I could see us living here,” I told her.

07/15/2026

Took a selfie in my new dining room - in Santa Fe!

I don't think I have shared on Facebook yet, but I've moved from Colorado to New Mexico! Blog post to follow soon!

06/10/2026

I've been quiet for a while... That's because I've moved to Santa Fe!

When I moved to Colorado in 2021, I never thought I would leave. After all, what could possibly beat mountains?

Well, my girlfriend does :)

The past couple months have been a whirlwind of homebuying, packing, driving, and maintenance (yay for hot water and working AC!). But now that I'm settling in, I finally got a chance to share with everyone here on Facebook.

If you ever find yourself in the Land of Enchantment, ring me up! But for now, I’ll get back to exploring this beautiful place and sharing photos with all of you. And of course, sharing from my backlog of photos from Colorado!

04/29/2026

Life's been crazy lately, but Milky Way Season is BACK!

04/13/2026

Trying a new thing today: a mini-post! One photo, a quick story, and the lessons I learned taking this shot. Happy Monday!

Commentaries on the work put into - and lessons learned - taking a photograph.

04/10/2026

Made a new friend during a recent visit to Santa Fe!