Highlights from Cuba

A classic car tour of Havana, exploring waterfalls & swimming in the cool waters, kayaking with pelicans and visiting the countryside on horseback; these are just some of the highlights from this year’s Cuba photo tour! I intend to return to Cuba ‘el próximo año’ (next year) and might kick off the tour on Sunday, February 14, 2021 - Valentine’s Day. Please stay tuned for details on that…

Colin

Classic car tour, Havana

Classic car tour, Havana

El Nicho National Park

El Nicho National Park

Kayaking in Guajimico

Kayaking in Guajimico

Horseback farm tour, Trinidad

Horseback farm tour, Trinidad

Horseback farm tour, Trinidad

Horseback farm tour, Trinidad


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

Cuban Skies

“I can always find my Cuban skies

In Rosalinda’s eyes…”

(Billy Joel, Rosalinda’s Eyes, 1978)

That song always transported me to Havana, long before I ever visited. Today it’s taking me back there as I edit through photos from this year’s tour and find myself missing those Cuban skies. This was taken on our first day along Havana’s famous Malecón (sea wall) - always a lively and social place at the end of the day with vendors of all kinds and street musicians beckoning you to join them (for a few pesos) and on this day, a turbulent sea at high tide!

More images to come, including fun shots from the tour as well as some very important reconnections with friends from previous visits to Cuba.

As always, thank you for following my journey!

Colin

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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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Subzero Musings

Here are a few musings from this week's subzero winter landscape. While I do enjoy these temperatures and the light they bring, I am also looking forward to returning to Cuba in just three weeks! Speaking of Cuba, I had another person join the tour this week and I still have space for a few more. It's coming up fast but if you are spontaneous like me, you can still register here: https://www.colintyler.com/february-2020-cuba-tour

Also, January 15 is the last day to register for our August 2020 Iceland Tour and take advantage of the early booking discount - $200 off for individuals and $500 for couples/pairs: https://www.colintyler.com/august-2020-iceland-tour

Thank you for following along and have a great weekend!

Colin

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Minnesota Surnise

Good morning from lake country! It's always nice to visit my home state of Minnesota and be welcomed by the Midwest skies, like today's vibrant sunrise.

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

Colin

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First Snow!

Good afternoon from Eagle River Valley. I haven't posted it a while and honestly, the lack of color has left me uninspired but we just received a foot of fresh snow in the last 24 hours! I had just enough time & light this morning to ski out to one of my favorite spots and enjoy the brisk morning while capturing a few images.

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

Colin

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Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Since owls seem to today's theme, I decided to jump on board and share a few of my nighttime images of great horned owls. I spent several hours trying to capture the third image of the owl taking flight, going out each evening and setting up, hoping that I'd be ready if & when the opportunity presented itself. My patience & persistence finally paid off after a couple weeks!

Have a safe & fun holiday and weekend!

Colin

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Moose Monday

Moose Monday was productive! This is one of two large bulls that I photographed - it seemed he was in the mood for love while the cow definitely was not.

On another note, I will be sharing the details for my 2020 Iceland Photo Tour in the coming days, so stay tuned for that...

Thank you for following along,

Colin

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Fat Bear Week

In honor of Katmai National Park & Preserve's "Fat Bear Week" here are a few images of rather large bruins taken around Brooks Camp in 1999 and 2002. In preparation for winter's slumber, brown bears can consume up to 90 pounds of food per day during this time of year, known as hyperphagia, in order to fatten up for months of fasting ahead wherein they can lose up to one third of their body weight.

So, an overweight bear is a healthy bear and a sign of a properly functioning ecosystem!

Colin

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September Morn

Autumn is off to nice start here. A week of much needed precipitation seems to have given the colors a little boost before the season fades. Last week we received more rain in one 24-hour period than we had all summer and more is on the way. I am grateful for that, as well as a misty morning to enjoy a day between showers.

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

Colin

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Happy Autumn

"We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been." (Tool, "Lateralus")

Happy Autumnal Equinox! Today marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. I created this image in camera - in other words, this is not a Photoshop filter. By zooming in while it was exposing, I was able to create the swirling motion. As I told my class yesterday, you do not have to duplicate reality when creating images. Mood is the most important element in any photograph or work of art, so don't be afraid to think outside the box.

Have a great day and season!

Colin

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Whale Watching in Northern Iceland

Hello from Akureyri, on the north coast of Iceland! I've had two successful days of whale watching up here. Yesterday I took a tour out of Húskavik with Salka Whale Watching, where we had some great encounters with a minke whale. Today I decided to give it another shot and see if my luck would continue on a cruise out of Hauganes with Whale Watching Hauganes. Within 30 minutes I spotted the first whale - a humpback! Again, we had some wonderful and very close interactions. I certainly plan to include cruises with each company on the August 2020 Iceland Photo Tour itinerary!

I will be posting details for the August 2020 Iceland Photo Tour later this year, once all the details are worked out. In the meantime, I am also leading a tour in Cuba in February 2020. If you or anyone you know is interested, please follow/share this link: https://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes

Thank you!

Colin

Humpback whale fluke.

Humpback whale fluke.

Minke whale lunge feeding.

Minke whale lunge feeding.

Humpback whale fluke.

Humpback whale fluke.


"Íslensk Ást - Icelandic Love"

On my way to explore a canyon in the highlands yesterday I took a short detour and came upon a group of horses along the road with a nice background and autumn color. I wasn't there long when this beautiful moment occurred, proving once again that timing is everything. For the record, these horses were not baited but they certainly were rewarded...with carrots.

Interested in joining me on an Iceland photo tour in August of 2020? Stay tuned for details later this year!

Colin

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Vatnajökull Glacier

Vatnajökull Glacier - Europe's largest glacier. I stopped here two days ago on a beautiful afternoon along the east coast of Iceland. Had the forecasts for aurora and weather looked more promising, I would have stayed in hopes of capturing the lights over the ice lagoon. Turned out I made the right decision by continuing northward but I will always keep this location in mind for future tours

More to come soon from the Eastern Highlands including massive waterfalls and naturally, Icelandic horses. As always, thank you for following along!

Colin

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Seljiandsfoss Waterall

Hello from Seljiandsfoss - another of Iceland's most popular and accessible waterfalls, not to mention one that you can walk behind!

I stopped here yesterday after ferrying back to the mainland from the Westman Islands, where I had a (mostly) sunny day to conclude my brief visit to Vestmannaeyjar. There were still a few puffins on the islands but many have left for the season.

I am currently driving the famous Ring Road around the entirety of Iceland. This evening I ended up in the town of Höfn in the Eastfjords and am continually in awe of the landscape, which makes it difficult to narrow down all the ideas for next year's tour!

As always, thank you for following my journeys.

Colin

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