About

I was born in 1989 in Austria, and since childhood I had a strong intrest in animals. During holidays I visited my grandparents and caught crayfish and other crawling animals. After a closer look, I released them, which was very important to my grandparents. Instead of fairy tales my mother had to read various books about animals to me, especially “Faszination Tier & Natur – verstehen und schützen” was one of my favourites.
Later my focus was drawn to reptiles and amphibians, and finally I decided to study to become a teacher for biology and history, which I have now completed.

Together with my girlfriend, Chantal Cenker, I am traveling a lot to photograph the beauty of nature. Over time the quality of my photographs got more important to me and especially macrophotography got my attention. In the beginning I only photographed reptiles and amphibians but during the last year my focus got more into a more general approach to naturephotography, but still there is strong herpetological focus in my work.

Publications:

Kolodziej, Kai (2020): Eigenbau-Kamerafalle im Regenwald. In Naturfoto 10/2020

Kolodziej, Kai (2020): Herping in Italy & The hunt for the Walser‘s Viper. in Herpetoculture Magazine No. 11 Sepetember

Kolodziej, Kai und Chantal Cenker (2020): Unterwegs im Schmelztiegel der Arten – Herping in Marokko. in Elaphe 3/2020

Kolodziej, Kai und Chantal Cenker (2020): Thailand – herpetologische Beobachtungen im Süden. in Reptilia Nr. 142 April/Mai 2020

Kolodziej, Kai (2019): Heimische Eidechsen sicher bestimmen. in Naturgucker Nr. 44 September/Oktober

Kolodziej, Kai (2019): Giftige Schönheiten. In Naturgucker Nr. 43 Juli/August

Kolodziej, Kai (2019): Wer quakt denn da? Unsere heimischen Frösche erkennen. in Naturgucker Nr. 42 Mai/Juni

Kolodziej, Kai (2019): Heimische Kröten – Viel mehr als Warzen und Drüsen. in Naturgucker Nr. 41 März/April

Kolodziej, Kai (2019): Lebende Fossilien und neue Arten – herpetologische Highlights vom nordwestitalienischen Festland. in Reptilia 137 Juni/Juli 2019

Kolodziej, Kai und Cenker, Chantal (2019): Blinde Schlangen?! – Ein Leben ohne Augen. in Elaphe 1/2019

Kolodziej, Kai (2018): Moroccan Marvels. Herping among oases, sand dunes and places in between. in Reptiles Vol. 26 No. 5 September/October

Kolodziej, Kai (2018): Lauter Nattern. Ungiftige Schönheiten. in Naturgucker Nr. 37 Juli/August

Kolodziej, Kai und Prokosch, Philip (2018): Nordkroatien – ergiebiges Reiseziel für Reptilienfreunde. In Terraria Nr. 72

Kolodziej, Kai (2018): Iconic Diversity. Malaysia and Thailand field herping, where a herper’s dreams come true. in Reptiles May/June 2018

Kolodziej, Kai und Cenker, Chantal (2018): Smaragdeidechsen im Schnee. in Terraria Nr. 69

Kolodziej, Kai (2017): Urbanes Herping. Reptilien und Amphibien um eine Millionenstadt. In Terraria Nr. 66

Kolodziej, Kai (2017): Eine ungewöhnliche Beobachtung im Beutespektrum von Pelophylax sp. in Bulgarien. In Sauria 03/2017

Talks:

Kolodziej Kai (2020): Herpetologische Beobachtungen in Süd-Thailand. Vortrag am Reptilientag der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Herpetologie

Kolodziej Kai (2018): Südost asiatische Impressionen. Vortrag am Vereinsabend des Wasserstern Augsburg 1904 e.V.- Verein für Aquarien und Terrarienkunde und dem einschlägigen Naturschutz

Kolodziej Kai (2018): Herpetologische Highlights vom Festland Nordwest-Italiens. Vortrag auf der Jahrestagung der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Herpetologie am 20.01.2018

Kolodziej Kai (2017): Kroatien – der Wilde Norden. Vortrag am Vereinsabend des Wasserstern Augsburg 1904 e.V.- Verein für Aquarien und Terrarienkunde und dem einschlägigen Naturschutz

Photographic Achievements:

Milvus Photo Contest: Honorable Mention and Finalist

Amateur Photographer of the Year 2020: Fifth place and two Honorable Mentions in the category “Natural World”

Narava International Contest of Photography 2020: five accepted works in exhibition

BioPhotoContest 2020: 3 Honorable Mentions

DigitalPhotoMagazin 2020: 6th category “Wildlife”

Festival Camargue 2020: Finalist in the category „Portfolio“

Siena Creative Photo Awards 2020: Commended in the category “Nature and Landscape”

GDT „Naturfotograf des Jahres 2020“: Honorable Mention in the category “Mammals”

Fotoforum Contest 2020: Winner of the Kategorie “Wildlife” and first prize “Underwater”

Fine Art Photography Awards 2019/20: Nominee in the category „Wildlife“

VTNÖ Austrian Nature Photographer of the Year: First prize and one honorable mention in the category “Composition and Form”, second prize and two honorable mentions in the category “Other animals” , third prize and one honorbale mention in the category “Mammals”

Golden Turtle 2019: Finalist in the category “Portrait of the animal”

Concorso Nature InPhoto 2019: Finalist in the category “Wildlife”

International Nature Photo of Namur Competition 2019: First prize in the category “Other animals” and first prize in the category “Mini-Series”

International Contest of Photography Narava 2019: three accepted works in exhibition

Cadiz Photonature 2019: Second Honorable Mention in the category “Underwater world”

Amateur Photographer of the Year 2019: Honorable Mention in the category “Small Worlds”

Monochrome Photography Awards 2019: Honorable Mention in the category “Nature” and Honorable Mention in the category “Wildlife”

Monovisions Photography Awards 2019: Honorable Mention in the category “Nature and Wildlife”

Montphoto Photography Contest 2019: Honorable Mention in the category “Underwater World”

Photocontest “Amphibien und Reptilien in ihrem Lebensraum“ of the Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft e.V. (AKG) 2018: Honorable Mention

Photo Contest “Tiervielfalt in Parks und Städten” of the Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft e.V. (AKG) 2019: First Prize and Honorable Mention

Wild Planet Photo Magazine: Behind The Lens, Issue 61, November 2018

Wild Planet Photo Magazine: Photo of the month, Issue 67, May 2019