Award from National Geographic for Zadar’s Sunset

But those who step away a little will see where the people of Zadar themselves applaud the Sun. They look toward the beauty that will celebrate its 70th birthday in just two years. Standing through calm and storm, rain and sun, heat and frost. Solid, unwavering, marked only by a few wrinkles of time.

The diving platform next to the pool on the city’s most famous beach – Kolovare – has witnessed the best of Zadar. First loves, first swims, mid-air acrobatics. It has followed generations through life and sport and is now becoming one of the city’s most important symbols. The only true rival to the promenade and Sea Organ for watching Zadar’s legendary sunset.

Around this iconic platform, people fell in love, laughed, flirted, and celebrated summer. Generations who spent their youth on this beach now watch their children and grandchildren doing the same. The feeling Zadar locals associate with the Kolovare diving platform is unique. The DNA of the city’s soul is woven into every step leading upward.

Photographer Darko Kešnjer from Vukovar knows this well. He captured the most beautiful sunset photo at Kolovare and received the prestigious National Geographic award for Croatia. His photograph combines the power of the summer sun fading at the end of a long day with the lightness of youth diving into the sea. Between the strength of the setting sun and the endurance of the old platform, two essences of Zadar meet: the strength of spirit and the ease of being.

Kešnjer said the award-winning photo was created in a perfect moment. A moment that happens every day but is rarely remembered. Finding the perfect frame is every photographer’s obsession, marked by calmness and patience as time flows slowly.

“The secret to a perfect photo lies in love for the craft. I discovered mine about five years ago when I left all other jobs behind and decided to live from this passion. The time spent capturing a single perfect shot can hardly be described in words. That sweet anticipation, shallow breaths, and fast blinks as the moment threatens to slip away. To devote yourself to photography is to devote yourself to your own being because each photo is a part of me,” said Kešnjer, who has spent the last five years exploring Zadar’s streets for unforgettable frames no one else sees. He is attached to his native Vukovar but loves Zadar deeply: its narrow streets, the scent of the sea and salt, and its unforgettable sunsets.

“I often capture them because of their overwhelming intensity. Kolovare and the diving platform are not unfamiliar to me. I’ve shot some of my best photos there. Although I entered the National Geographic contest quietly hoping my work would be recognized, I never imagined it would be chosen as the best. I love photographing cities, their urban fabric, and shooting panoramic drone images. I work all over Croatia and can say from experience that our country is one of endless beauty,” said Kešnjer. He added that, although popular on social media, the National Geographic recognition was a tremendous honor.

“The most important thing is that the award was decided by the readers themselves. I thank everyone who took the time to look through all the submitted photographs and select mine as the best. It proves that art has meaning. Being singled out among artists who strive to express their craft with a single click is a great honor,” Kešnjer said.

He admitted he spent a long time deciding which photo to submit. The sunlit walk, the beauty of Zadar, and the atmosphere of the diving platform ultimately prevailed. And what a result. His photo gathered tens of thousands of likes in just a few days.

“The platform, no matter how well known and loved by the people of Zadar, is still a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. I hope this photograph will be remembered as part of the city’s history and its most beautiful landmarks,” Kešnjer concluded.

The old Zadar beauty has found a new admirer—and still holds the hearts of thousands of old friends who carry their fondest memories of youth with her.