Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
Before leaving for Africa I spent two full days guiding a couple photographers from Florida for Alaska Photo Treks who were hoping to observe moose rutting behavior. We had two very successful days, and it doesn't get much "ruttier" than this!
Please stay tuned for photos from Namibia in the coming days…
Cheers!
Colin
These were taken while guiding a couple on a 3-day private custom photography tour. It was their first visit to Alaska, and the first tour I led under the new collaboration between Nat Expo Tours and well known, highly regarded photographer, Jeff Schultz (longtime official photographer of the Iditarod and founder of Alaska Stock Photo Agency). I had a wonderful time showing them some of the best fall scenes in this part of the state, despite the helicopter/glacier flight being grounded due to low visibility. Next time…
Jeff contacted me last summer to see if I would be interested in leading some of his tours. These will be custom tours for small groups and individuals. We are honored to have formed this partnership, and look forward to more opportunities!
As always, thank you for following.
Colin
Virgin Creek Falls, Girdwood
Turnagain Arm
Surfing the incoming tide in Turnagain Arm
Granite Creek
Pioneer Peak in fog
Knik River Valley
Autumn is in full swing here in Southcentral Alaska, and I have been chasing colors and fall scenes over the past couple of weeks. I took this yesterday evening while guiding a tour for Alaska Photo Treks as the setting sun illuminated a wall of rain along Turnagain Arm.
Have a great weekend!
Colin
Hello everyone,
I hope you've been able to catch some of the recent auroral activity! This season is starting out to be very active and should continue as we are in the Solar Maximum.
These were taken last Friday while guiding for Alaska Photo Treks. The show continued through the night, and all of our 17 guests were thrilled! Click here to visit their site if you're interested in booking a local tour.
In other news, at Nat Expo Tours we are excited to announce a new partnership right here in Alaska that will allow our business to expand to include my home state in addition to our international destinations! These will be custom, private tours for small groups. I led my first multi-day tour last week. More to come on that…
Happy skywatching!
Colin
It's nesting season for saw-whets and other smaller owl species. I am curious to see how two consecutive winters with massive snowfalls will affect the populations, as prey can be harder to find in the deep snow...
Colin
Here is a moose with a lot on his mind...
He tangled with the wrong branch but eventually shook it loose and went about his day. Taken near Anchorage, AK September 2023.
Happy Monday out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
April 23, 2023 - maybe the most intense geomagnetic storm I've experienced in Southcentral Alaska. I wish my lens was just a little wider to capture the full display that was overhead. This was also the night that I took the cover photo for my 2025 “Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center” calendars (available for preorder on my site by clicking on the image at the top).
I'm catching up two years’ worth of editing and continue to find winning images like this one. Stay tuned for more...
Have a great weekend!
Colin
Northern saw-whet owl, Alaska.
I've been catching up on editing & organizing my image library since the end of aurora tour season. It's amazing what gems you find when you have a couple years' worth of photos to look through…
Colin
It's official - my "Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 calendars have gone to press!
I signed off on the proof & paid the balance for design & printing yesterday (I designed the front cover, the rest of the layout was done by Todd Communications of Anchorage). The calendars will arrive in Alaska this summer and be mailed out in July, after I return from leading our Iceland tour with Nat Expo Tours, LLC. Last year I printed 500 calendars and sold out by the first week of October, so I ordered 1,000 calendars this time, all of which will be signed & numbered..
I've pre-sold almost 50 calendars so far. Cost is $18 each and I am currently running a special of two calendars for $30 (+$5 shipping or local pickup/no shipping). Click here to reserve yours today!
Cheers!
Colin
Happy New Year, everyone!
2023 was a monumental year that, among other things, included the release of my first book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." I am happy to report that I have now sold over 900 copies - more than half of my stock. Considering they just arrived in June, that is a remarkable pace! Signed copies are still available in my online store: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
I also produced a 2024 calendar, which sold out (500 copies) by the first week in October. Based on that success, I am happy to announce my "Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 Calendar with a sneak peek at the cover below (photo taken during a strong geomagnetic storm last April). I will be printing 1,000 calendars this time, once again all signed and numbered and priced at $18.
The calendars should be delivered by July 2024, and I am currently offering a preorder special of two calendars for $30 + $5 shipping or local pickup/no shipping. They will be numbered in the order that the preorders are received. In other words, the first person to order today will get #'s 1 & 2, and so forth. Who will get the first calendars??? The link is live, you can reserve your copies today: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/two-2025-seasons-of-the-eagle-river-nature-center-calendars-signed-numbered
Thank you for following, and all the best for 2024 and beyond!
Colin
Happy Winter Solstice to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere!
(Photo taken at the Eagle River Nature Center's annual Solstice Ice Lantern Walk last Friday)
I truly love this time of year - the snow, the peace, the low angle light, and the rest...
It is also my day to reset, let go, and welcome the year ahead. This is my New Year, and I look forward to ringing it in and honoring the returning light with my tradition of completing 108 sun salutations at Namaste North Yoga Studio in Anchorage.
Have a great day, however you may choose to honor the shift in light and seasons.
Namaste 🙏
Colin
PS - I have one last book signing of the year at Odd Man Rush Brewing in Eagle River tomorrow, (12/22) from 5-8 pm. Please stop by, grab a local brew and get a signed copy of "Seasons of the Nature Center"
It's been just over a year since I launched this long-awaited project and began pre-selling my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." The response was overwhelming and surpassed my expectations, selling nearly 200 books in just a few weeks.
One year later, I can say that more than 700 copies have been purchased (roughly half of my stock), and today there is a wonderful book review in the Anchorage Daily News. Click here to read the article.
I am still selling signed copies in my online store and it is available at various Alaskan retailers, including Barnes & Noble, Title Wave Books, The Writer's Block Bookstore & Cafe in Anchorage, and the Bookshelf in Eagle River.
Thank you all for following along, and for helping to make this project a reality!
Colin
PS - I sold out of 2024 Eagle River Nature Center calendars (500 total), so please stay tuned for the 2025 edition...
There's been a bit of activity in the sky recently! Auroras have been spotted around Alaska as well as states in the lower 48, and it looks like the trend will continue in the coming days...
I was guiding a tour for Alaska Photo Treks along with Ben Traylor last Thursday evening/Friday morning and despite a very bright moon, our guests were treated to vibrant and colorful display!
Keep an eye out, sky watchers, and if you're visiting Alaska and interested in a locally guided tour in search of aurora, scenery, or wildlife, check out https://alaskaphototreks.com/
Cheers!
Colin
Aurora and moon over the Matanuska Range
Guests enjoying the intense display, for most of them it was their first time witnessing the aurora borealis
Ben Traylor capturing aurora portraits
A master of camouflage, the great horned owl is easy to miss without closely analyzing the environment for patterns and shapes that begin to stand out. This recent sighting was the first I've had in a while, but something tells me they've been observing me...
I depart on Sunday to begin the long journey to southern Africa, where we will be leading our second tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours: https://natexpotours.com. I will fulfill any incoming book, calendar, and print orders when I return in mid-November. Note: I only have 4 calendars left out of 500!
"Seasons of the Nature Center" books & calendars are available here: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
Thank you for following along and I look forward to sharing new images and experiences from Namibia!
Colin
Happy Monday everyone and Happy PFD Week to all the Alaskans out there! If you are an AK resident and qualify to receive the Permanent Fund Dividend, this is like an early Christmas bonus. A few people are waiting to receive their PFDs to purchase a copy of my "Seasons of the Nature Center" book and/or 2024 calendar, so I'd like to mention a few things...
First, I am happy to say I have sold more than 600 books now, and out of 500 calendars, I have fewer than 10 left, so don’t hesitate if you’d like to get a copy!
Second, I have teamed up with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, an organization that works to safeguard Alaska’s wildlife, to promote my book and raise funds to support their mission. I will donate 25% of each sale generated from the following links to AWA, so if you would like to support them and get a signed copy of my book, please use the following links (there is an option for local pickup or mail delivery at checkout):
Click here to order a signed book only.
Click here to order a signed book and 2024 calendar.
Finally, I will be leaving for Namibia later this week to lead our second tour of that country with Nat Expo Tours, so all mail orders received after Thursday, Oct. 5 will ship when I return in mid-November.
Thank you for following along and have a great week!
Colin
https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
Another photo from Sunday's epic aurora display!
I've had this image in mind for quite a while, I just needed everything to come together for a late season geomagnetic storm that brought lights far enough across the eastern sky to line up with the river and Polar Bear Peak, with the river ice opening up to expose the flowing water below. I used a Lume Cube to briefly illuminate the ice shelf during the exposure.
This image probably would have ended up in my book "Seasons of the Nature Center" if I'd captured it before press time. Speaking of my book - I am picking up two advance copies today! The rest are en route and should arrive in about 6 weeks. I am still taking preorders for books and 2024 calendars on my website and will be offering a discount on metal & canvas prints to everyone who has ordered a copy: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
As always, thank you for following!
Colin
It's getting to be that time of year again! Baby animals, including bear cubs, will soon be emerging and attracting photographers and onlookers alike.
I shot this series over the summer last year and waited to post it for a couple of reasons. First, it took a while to edit the clips and create the entire video. Second, and more importantly, I didn't want to draw any more attention to the bears. As a photographer who is continually building an online audience, I understand the desire for likes, comments, and overall traffic on my page. However, I have learned how this can draw crowds and ultimately, create a bad situation for the wildlife. I now wait to post content of unique and sensitive subjects until they have moved on, and unless there's a defining feature in the image, I don't give a location - if asked, I'll usually say it was "In the woods".
So remember, it's OK to be selfish and keep unique opportunities to yourself and still get the 'likes' when you post after the fact, and it might help prevent a dangerous and potentially tragic situation for both the animals and the observers.
Thank you for following, and please enjoy the bear cubs play fighting...
Colin
After briefly subsiding around midnight on Sunday, the geomagnetic activity picked up again and produced one of the most intense displays I've seen in quite a while.
I'm still editing through images and will have more to share in the coming days...
Cheers!
Colin
Aurora Borealis over the Chugach Mountains. Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska
I love finding new locations to shoot auroras in my backyard..
Taken Sunday evening around 9:30 pm. My books and calendars "Seasons of the Nature Center" are going to press right now and should arrive in May. If it weren't too late, I may have added this image to the book.
I'm still taking preorders on my website - books are $30 and calendars are $18 or $15 (including multiples) with the purchase of a book: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
As always, thank you for following along!
Colin
Aurora selfie from Sunday night, using my headlamp and a Lume Cube Panel Pro for illumination. I have a couple more images to share from that evening's display in the coming days.
I am scheduled to lead an aurora tour this evening for Alaska Photo Treks, however the weather does not look conducive...
Cheers,
Colin
