Waiting for the Aurora at Paradise Haven Cabin, Eagle River Nature Center

Last night I set up at a familiar locale in hopes of catching the aurora borealis. As it often goes, the lights did not come out and hence, the image I had in mind did not materialize. After struggling to keep a fire going in the wood stove at -20˚F and no activity in the sky, I decided it was best to wait for another opportunity...

There is more potential activity in the coming days and I am scheduled to guide an aurora tour for Alaska Photo Treks this Saturday, so hopefully we will have better luck.

Cheers,

Colin

 

Happy Winter Solstice, 2023

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"

 

More February Auroras

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

 

February Aurora Selfie

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

 

February 2023 Aurora Borealis, Eagle River Nature Center

Mother Nature sure put on a brilliant display last night, and tonight could be very active as well!

We are going into what is typically the most active time of year for aurora borealis - late winter/early spring. I look forward to taking a group to arctic Norway 🇳🇴 in just two weeks with Nat Expo Tours, where we will be spending 6 nights above the Arctic Circle in Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands, home to some of the world's most renowned aurora viewing!

Fingers crossed for more clear skies ahead...🤞

Colin

 

Christmas Moose

Christmas Moose.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday! I was able to get outside to capture some moose photos in the deep snow (we still have close to 30" on the ground). This was one of three bulls that were feeding together and as you can see, he had a branch stuck in his headgear that wouldn't fall off. Two bulls still had their antlers and one had already shed his for the season.

Thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered copies of my upcoming limited edition book, "Seasons of the Nature Center" (cover photo in first comment). The orders keep coming in and my end-of-year goal is now 200 books! Cost is $30 + $10 shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book

I created a separate link for those in Southcentral Alaska who would like to arrange to get their books in person and skip the shipping fee: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center

For those in the area who have already ordered and paid for shipping, I will gladly deliver your books to you in person.

Thank you,

Colin

 
 
 

2022 Winter Solstice Ice Lantern Walk

Fire and ice at 10˚ below zero.

The annual Winter Solstice Ice Lantern Walk has always been one of my favorite events to photograph here at the Nature Center, and I'm glad I was able to get a few more images this year, my last as a resident staff member. With 3 feet of snow on the ground and subzero temps, conditions were perfect for this celebration of light.

I believe one of these new images is going to make it into my upcoming book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." This will be a limited edition, 9x12" coffee table book with more than 100 pages of my favorite photos from nearly a decade of residence at the Eagle River Nature Center. I am now taking pre-orders for signed copies, $30 + $10 shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book

Thank you for following,

Colin

 
 
 
 

December Morning

This is my favorite time of year for sunrises, when valley is frozen, the sun is hidden behind the mountains, and the morning sky is painted in pastel colors. Taken yesterday at the Eagle River Nature Center.

Have a great day out there and thank you for following along!

Colin

PS - I have now pre-sold 120 copies of my upcoming limited edition book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy! I look forward to sending them out in the spring. They are available for prepurchasing here: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book

Red Dawn

We sure had a colorful start to the day yesterday morning!

Being tucked away back here in the valley, we don't have an expansive view of the sky compared to being outside the front range (Anchorage) and are in fact halfway through two months of perpetual shade. As sunrise drew closer, the cloud layer grew thick and the color faded, right after I started shooting a time lapse video...

Colin

PS - if you received this via email, you’ll have to click “View in browser” to watch the short time lapse video

Winter's Tone

This is the start of my eighth winter here at the Eagle River Nature Center and it has undoubtedly been the best season we've had in terms of a snow-blanketed landscape, soft winter tones, and excellent skiing conditions. Wildlife activity has been slow recently but the scenery is breathtaking...

As always, thank you for following,

Colin

Taken from the Albert Loop Trail, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

"Best of Landscape"

Happy Earth Day, 2021!

This is a significant day to me for several reasons and each year I make it a point to explore someplace new on Earth Day. Before I head out the door, I wanted to announce that my December Sunrise image was named "Best of Landscape" in the AlaskaWild 2021 showcase that is sponsored by the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. My brown bear image received an honorable mention as well. It is an honor to receive this recognition and I encourage you to view all the stunning images from this year's gallery: https://asonp.photoshelter.com/gallery/alaskaWILD2021/G0000M8kvyKdYEjU/

Have a fantastic Earth Day out there and I hope you can find a bit of time to enjoy what the natural world has to offer this day and every day!

Colin

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

AlaskaWild 2021

Hello Everyone,

I am honored to announce that three of my images have been selected to the annual AlaskaWild exhibition sponsored by the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. I joined the organization last year and have enjoyed meeting other photographers and utilizing the great resources that ASONP offers. If you are in Anchorage, the show will be at Side Street Espresso beginning this Friday, April 2. From there, the photos will be displayed at various locations throughout the state over the next year. If you have a chance, I encourage you to see all the stunning images that have been chosen for this year's show. If you are interested in joining ASONP, you can find more information here: https://asonp.org/

Have a great weekend and thank you for following along...

Colin

Brown bear in autumn, Eagle River Nature Center

Brown bear in autumn, Eagle River Nature Center

Juvenile great horned owl, Eagle River Nature Center

Juvenile great horned owl, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

More Aurora from Last Weekend

Aurora borealis over Eagle River Valley, taken around 1 am on Sunday, March 14. I had to search to find a bit of open water and was happy to find this spot looking back toward Ram Valley & Prudhoe Bay Ave. It was a cold night out there but worth the effort to come away with a few images from out on the river. Ski boots aren't the warmest footwear but they do allow me to move around much more quickly than walking. I'm hoping for a few more nights like this before the aurora & ski seasons are over.

Have a great week and thank you for following along!

Colin

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Aurora Gazing over Mt. Cumulous

Hello everyone!

This year certainly has brought increased auroral activity in recent weeks– a welcome change after the past few seasons. I’d been waiting for the right opportunity to ski out to Eagle River to photograph and last night everything came together for me. It was cold out there and cross-country ski boots don’t offer much for insulation on a frozen river in subzero temps but in the “heat” of the moment when the lights are dancing, the discomfort tends to dissipate.

Stay warm out there!

Colin

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The Sun Returns, Briefly

After making a brief appearance between Polar Bear and Eagle peaks, the sun quickly drops out of sight while leaving a warm glow in its wake. This was taken just before noon on January 25, after two months without any direct sunlight in this part of the valley. Five months from now at the height of summer it will drop below the mountains directly opposite, approximately 12 hours later in the day. Living with these extremes of light is one of the many aspects that I cherish about residing in Alaska.

Warm wishes for a sunny day in your part of the world!

 Colin

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Big Snowfall

There's nothing like two feet of fresh snow to welcome me back from the tropics! Since early yesterday morning we have received 23 inches - a bit much for skiing right now but my snowshoes have been sitting idle for some time so I guess it's time to get those out and explore...

Colin

Almost three feet of accumulation!

Almost three feet of accumulation!

Eagle River Nature Center

Eagle River Nature Center

Iditarod/Crow Pass Trailhead

Iditarod/Crow Pass Trailhead

Sun Shadows

The sun has been making brief appearances in our end of the valley again, in select areas and only a few minutes at a time. I took this last week just after it had dropped behind Eagle Peak and cast shadows of the mountains onto the clouds.

I'll be back in Cuba on Friday and while I do look forward to the tropical weather, I hope to return to a still-snow-covered landscape - skiing has been wonderful on the river this season!

Thank you all for following along. I will soon be posting from Cuba!

🇨🇺

Colin

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