José, El Hombre de la Guitarra

José, El Hombre de la Guitarra, "The Guitar Man." José was a sweet man who always entertained us with his guitar at his restaurant in the countryside near Trinidad de Cuba - it's a regular stop on our horseback ride. In 2020, my good friend Joleigh Rainwater, who had traveled to Cuba with me the year prior, brought him two sets of guitar strings and a copy of her photo "José's Hands", which received an award at the Alaska State Fair in 2019.

 

During the pandemic years when I was unable to visit Cuba, José tragically passed away after an accident while working on the roof of his restaurant. When I showed my photo of José to his son, Andy, he became very emotional and told me the story of losing his dad. I was able to email the image to a guest in the second group this year (2024) to be photo printed and put into a frame, as a gift to Andy. Here is my tribute to José, with contributions from our tour guests, and Joleigh.

 

Black Bear Video

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

October 2022 Namibia Tour

Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I am excited to share this video we recently put together after last month’s trip to Namibia, as well as the details & itinerary for the October 2022 Namibia Tour with Nat Expo Tours!

Dates are October 17 – 28, 2022. Cost is $6,495 before discounts (based on double occupancy) and includes all transportation & lodging in Namibia (airfare not included), all local tours & park fees, plus breakfast & dinner most days (see full itinerary for details). We have made all the arrangements and hired drivers, which will allow us to watch more closely for wildlife & photo ops while offering more assistance to our guests. For more information, please visit our website: https://natexpotours.com/

Returning guests will receive a guaranteed 10% off this and all future tours. New guests can take advantage of the early-booking discounts of $250 per individual or $600 for a couple/pair who share a room. As of now, the tour is 50% full, so please contact us if you would like to register. A deposit of $1,500 will hold your spot with the remainder due in July, 2022.

Thank you for following. I hope you enjoy the video and please share!

Colin

Namibia with Nat Expo Tours

The Elephant Gauntlet, Kwando Core Area, Namibia

While visiting the far northeastern reaches of Namibia, we had the opportunity, or rather the circumstance, of driving through a herd of elephants on a single track road with very soft sand. Getting stuck would have proven dangerous as getting out to push wasn't an option. Other than a curious few, most of the elephants paid us little attention but we still took our time navigating through the herd. We were planning the October 2022 Namibia Tour and will have the tour dates and details posted on our website in the coming weeks: https://naturalexposurestours.com/2022-namibia-tour/

Elephant Herd, Kwando Core Area, Namibia

2021 Autumnal Equinox Time Lapse

Happy Autumn to those in the Northern Hemisphere! It was a brisk and beautiful morning to welcome the autumnal equinox. Here's a 15 second time lapse video taken over a 30 minute period as sunlight began to work its way down the Chugach Mountains and into the valley.

It's tough to imagine that in just a couple weeks I will experience springtime in Namibia!

As always, thank you for following...

Colin

Short Winter Video

There's something magical in the solitude of a quiet winter day, with only the sound of water rushing past. We've gotten another 6 inches of fresh snow and it's still falling. I was able to put a few miles on my skis today and explore the video features of the Nikon D750. I am by no means calling myself a videographer, but please enjoy a few seconds of solace.

Colin

Havana Tribute

Happy Hump Day, friends! I’m finally over the hump of editing the photos from my trip to Cuba. I spent much of yesterday organizing images and creating this video, a tribute to Havana with music by the lovely Camila Cabello. With the exception of the night shots and a few others, nearly all were taken my first afternoon. Shortly after arriving from an overnight flight and dropping my bags at la casa, I hit the streets to experience Havana - exploring, wandering, getting lost and soaking up the Cuban vibe. By the end of the week it was apparent how I could walk the streets and navigate traffic more easily and with greater confidence, and communicate with people more effectively; expanding my Spanish vocabulary in the short time I was there. In all honesty, I have not been this inspired and immersed in a foreign culture since I traveled to India more than four years ago.

Let me know how you like the video. I felt this made for a more heartfelt salutation than a photo album. From the classic cars to the people and street scenes, los perros y gatos (the dogs & cats) and even a few selfies and group pics, this is my compilation, my tribute to the city of Havana and its wonderful people who welcomed me with open arms.

Finally, many thanks to KB Cuba Tours and our guide Gelin for this incredible journey. I have every intention of returning and leading a group of photo enthusiasts, so please stay tuned for details on that if you or someone you know might be interested. Until then Cuba, mucho amor y hasta pronto!

Muchas gracias,

Colin

 

 

Trinidad Sunset Time-Lapse

Happy Presidents Day! I’ve been back in the states since Saturday night, still organizing my images as well as my thoughts from the entire Cuba experience. I’ve got more to share yet as I saw so much in just one week, from the culture to the scenery and everything in between. 

I would like to give a big shout-out to KB Cuba for arranging such a grand adventure. Traveling to Cuba and navigating your way around can be complicated, so I am grateful to have had everything arranged and run so smoothly so that I could focus on my tasks at hand – exploring, creating, and sharing my experiences. Please check out their page if you are interested in visiting Cuba or visit their other page, KB Tambo Travel, to see the trips they offer around the world. I am also communicating with them about leading a group of photographers to Cuba next year, so please stay tuned for that! 
Here is a time-lapse video I created of the sunset on the beach near Trinidad last Thursday - 700 still images and 40 minutes condensed into 30 seconds. I will be back with more  soon.

Cheers,

Colin

Here Comes the Sun Time-Lapse

Here comes the sun!! After a two-month absence, sunlight has returned to our little corner of Eagle River Valley. I created this time-lapse around noon today, approximately 25 minutes and 288 images condensed into a 12-second clip.

This is the first time I’ve shared a time-lapse video and speaking of firsts, I am going to be visiting a new part of the world in just a couple weeks.  I haven’t announced where I am going, just know that: 1) It is a tropical destination; 2) It is outside the US; and 3) I have not been there before. That being said, it is not a beach vacation but more of a cultural immersion, so please stay tuned and as always, thank you for following along!

Colin