Signed “Seasons of the Nature Center” books and 2025 calendars are available in my online store. Books are $30; calendars are $18 or 2+ for $15 each. Get a book and a calendar for $40, or the Stocking Stuffer Special - 5 calendars for $50. Local pickup available
Take advantage of 10% off metal prints with a book purchase. Use the code SEASONS23 at checkout
Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
Happy Summer Solstice! With 19 hours, 21 minutes, and 18 seconds of daylight in south central Alaska today, the pendulum of light now swings the other direction until December 21, at which time we will have approximately 5 and a half hours of daylight.
This is Glacier Lake, the headwaters of Eagle River. I took this one year ago today on the Crow Pass Trail using the "Big Stopper" 10-stop neutral density filter from LEE Filters to obtain a 60-second exposure.
One year ago my good friend Tyler Howie and I set off trekking on the Crow Pass Trail Pass Trail with his dog Freija leading the way. It was pouring rain when we started, which continued for the first 8 miles or so, eventually clearing off for a spectacular midnight sky. We are planning to do the hike again this year with pack rafts and float most of the way back to the Eagle River Nature Center. Traveling in a pack raft with my camera gear is going to be a new experience for me, so I've been spending some time on the river to get used to maneuvering before we depart.
Ever get the feeling you're being watched? Great horned owl, taken this mornin at the Eagle River Nature Center.
After a break in the weather, it is apparent how quickly summer is drawing to a close. Since June 21, we've lost nearly 4 hours of daylight. During the longest days, evening sunlight bathes the valley until almost midnight, now the sun drops behind the mountains to the west shortly after 8 pm. This was taken around 9:45, with the last rays of light entering the valley.
Moose antlers are 95% grown by the first of August, which stands to reason since they will soon be shedding the velvet tissue layer that nourishes them as they grow throughout spring and summer. In other words, this guy isn't going to get much bigger this time around. He should drop these antlers in mid-to-late winter and will perhaps be sporting more impressive headgear at this time next year.
I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen Eagle River this high before. What was dry land just a few days ago is now completely underwater. When I saw this partially submerged dwarf fireweed, I instantly envisioned a photo. As usual, getting the shot in my mind’s eye meant getting my feet wet. By using a two-minute exposure, I was able to accentuate both the moving water and the flowers bouncing in the current.
I was enjoying a coffee this morning, overlooking the Homer Boat Harbor and getting ready to hit the road when I saw this sea otter trying to catch a few winks in the calm water. Homer never disappoints, see you next time!
Well, I got my limit of annual limit of salmon dip-netting on the Kenai River so I decided to head down to Homer and camp on the beach for a couple days. Good evening from the Homer Spit, one of my absolute favorite places on the planet!
With just the right amount of moisture and atmospheric conditions, the magic hour was a bit more magical this evening. I bid you a late goodnight from Eagle River Valley.
This is my peaceful little corner of the world, where I go to ease my mind and ponder life. Sometimes I return with new images to share, other days I just go out to breathe and let go of residual stress. Either way, I always gain a sense of calm and feeling of gratitude, which keeps me in balance and ultimately enhances my artwork.
Our hearts are heavy today, after recent events in this country and around the world. For the life of me, I do not understand why we, as a species, simply cannot get along and learn to live together in harmony. I encourage all of you to find your own happy place, your own little corner of the world and spend just a few minutes there each day to unwind and find solace. If everyone did this, we would have a much more peaceful existence. Have a great weekend everybody. Be safe, be peaceful, and be the change you want to see in the world.
Coli
Keeping your feet dry on the Crow Pass Trail can be a chore, to say the least. Here are some of the various water crossings on the Eagle River side. Since I was carrying a lot of precious camera gear, I opted not to use on the logs at both Icicle and Thunder creeks and instead found shallower water to ford across. Have a great 4th of July, and be sure to get outside! Remember, all canvas prints at my online store are marked down 25% this week, use the promo code "JULY42016" at checkout.
Cheers!
Colin
A telephoto view of Eagle Glacier from Glacier Lake, the headwaters of Eagle River. Next time I hike the Crow Pass Trail, I plan to camp at the lake and hike up to the glacier.
The most dramatic light is always on the edge of the day. Sunset over Eagle River, taken one week ago on my backcountry trek on the Crow Pass Trail with my good friend Tyler Howie. This was just before midnight as we were approaching Thunder Gorge, where we set up our camp. The rain let up and the sky was beautiful, so much that I chose to sleep on the gravel bar along the river rather than in the tent.
The sun set on the longest day of the year this past week and the pendulum now swings in the other direction. From now until December 21, we will be losing daylight in the Northern Hemisphere while the southern half of the planet begins to gain light each day - perfect for my journey to Australia in November! After looking through my images from the backcountry camping adventure, I feel vindicated in adding 25 pounds of camera gear to my pack and lugging it nearly 30 miles over two days on the Crow Pass Trail. This is a two-minute exposure, taken just after midnight with a Nikon D700 camera body and 17-35mm lens, using a ten-stop neutral density filter system ("The Big Stopper") from Lee Filters. Happy summer to everyone north of the equator!
Glacier Lake - the headwaters of Eagle River. This was the final destination on our trek into the valley. The glacier is visible in the background, roughly 2-3 miles from this point. Originally, Tyler Howie and I planned to hike the Crow Pass Trail over from Girdwood but a portion of the trail is currently closed due to a dead moose lying next to the trail, which creates a potentially dangerous situation if a bear should be guarding the kill. Instead, we decided to hike from the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center, where I reside, up to the lake and back.
Returned from backcountry trip into Eagle River Valley late last night, exhausted and sore from hiking nearly 30 miles with fifty pound packs. We made it to Thunder Gorge on Monday evening and up to the Glacier Lake on Tuesday. Freija was an excellent traveling companion, crossing turbulent glacial rivers and leading the way for much of the trek. More photos to come...
Colin
11 pm and the sun hasn't set - this time of year is exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time. I wouldn't have it any other way. Goodnight from Eagle River Valley.
This humpback whale image (Prince William Sound, 2014) was making a splash on my National Geographic Your Shot page last week. Speaking of making a splash, my Colin Tyler Photography Facebook page just passed 2,000 likes! I would like to thank each of you for following along and sharing my posts so that I reach a wider audience. As long as I continue to explore, create and share with the world, I am right where I need to be.
Cheers!
Colin
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If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of camera functions and nature photography, I am offering a class on Saturday, June 25 from 9 am to 5 pm at the Eagle River Nature Center. The first two hours will be spent in a classroom setting, where we will learn how to shoot in manual mode, we will then go outside for the rest of the day to put these principles to use in the field. Cost is $95 and limited to the first ten people who register. Please call the Nature Center at (907) 694-2108 to sign up.
Cheers,
Colin
For the past couple weeks, both morning and night, under varying light and backgrounds, I have been trying to capture an image of a great-horned owl taking flight. Focusing on a bird in flight is challenging enough in broad daylight but when the sunlight has retreated and your subject is nothing more than a silhouette against a cobalt sky, it is quite literally a shot in the dark.
This evening, as I watched one of the owls perched in a usual spot waiting for its mate to show, I heard the tell-tale screech directly behind and turned around to see the second owl in a tree barely 30 feet away, looking directly at me. Knowing this particular owl tended to move around frequently, I reasoned that it would take flight again momentarily. As I set up and waited, something told me this would be my moment. My face was glued to the viewfinder for several minutes until the owl fell forward and spread its wings for me. I had but one shot at nailing this as the flash takes a moment to recharge after firing at full power, and that one shot was all it took.
Shortly afterward, a sow black bear with three little cubs showed up, followed by a moose. I smiled with gratitude, knowing I'd come away with the image I wanted.
