This year marked my third visit to Namibia, and my first encounter with meerkats ("Timon" from the Lion King).
Before we began our October Namibia tour, Mike and I drove to a game park south of Windhoek for a few days in hopes of finding them, but they proved to be elusive. Lo and behold, when we arrived at our first destination with the tour, Neura’s Winery Estate, our guide pointed to an area on the lodge grounds and said, "Oh yeah, there are meerkats right over there." Sure enough, they emerged from their burrows just before sunset...
We've got the dates & details for our October 2024 Namibia Tour with Nat Expo Tours, please visit our site or message me if you are interested in joining us: https://natexpotours.com/2024-namibia/
Cheers!
Colin
Auroras over Knik River Valley, Alaska
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
Cape Buffalo in the Rain
The cape buffalo, one of Africa's "Big Five" species, taken on our third day in Kruger National Park and one of my favorite photos from the trip.
I was happy to see the rain and cooler temps during our first few days in Kruger. Rather than seeking shade from the midday sun, wildlife was active and moving about. A shutter speed of 1/400" accentuated the falling rain in this image and an aperture of f/10 rendered the buffalo's face sharp from its snout past the rain-slicked horns.
Hope you enjoy, and thank you for following along!
Colin
The Dry Season in Etosha
At the end of the dry season in Etosha National Park, it is common to see hundreds of individual animals congregate at the remaining waterholes, with several different species all vying for their share of hydration. The scene is chaotic as zebras fight amongst themselves or chase off the impala, giraffes extend their legs laterally to carefully lower their necks, always looking side to side out of caution before vulnerably taking a drink, and prey is ever wary of lions. The elephants are clearly dominant, and always shown deference.
I often prefer monochromatic images when shooting in Namibia's harsh midday sun, and here I employed a panning technique to accentuate the movement and convey the chaos that ensues at the waterholes.
We've got the details posted for next year's Namibia tour with Nat Expo Tours on our website (Oct 11-25, 2024): https://natexpotours.com/2024-namibia/
Please message me if you are interested in joining us and feel free to share.
Cheers!
Colin
From one year to the next, this brown bear cub seems to be growing up nicely. The first image was taken in 2022 and appears on page 17 of my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." The second photo was taken earlier this fall.
Speaking of my book, I will be at Title Wave Books in Anchorage tomorrow, Saturday Nov 25, from 1 to 3 pm for a book signing along with 3 other Alaskan authors. Please stop by if you can!
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday and look forward to the season ahead. A big thank you to Title Wave for hosting the event tomorrow and I hope to see you there.
Cheers!
Colin
PS - Signed copies of "Seasons of the Nature Center" are still available on my site, please allow 2-3 weeks for shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
Cool & Rainy Kruger NP
Our first few days in Kruger National Park were cool and rainy, a nice respite from the heat in Namibia. This allowed the wildlife to be more active during the day, and the overcast skies created a nice mood for black & white images.
The dates are set for our 2024 Namibia tour with Nat Expo Tours (Oct 11-25, 2024). Please message me if you are interested…: https://natexpotours.com/2024-namibia/
Cheers!
Colin
Eye of the Elephant
Here's looking at you!
We had a numerous elephant sightings this year, both in Namibia and Kruger National Park, South Africa. When given the opportunity, I enjoyed focusing on closer details like skin textures, eyes & ears, trunks, and feet.
Have a great weekend and thank you for following along! If you are interested in joining the October 2024 Namibia Tour with Nat Expo Tours, please email me or visit our site: https://natexpotours.com/. We've added a couple days to include a visit to Victoria Falls.
Cheers!
Colin
Lion Eyes
🎶"You can't hide,
your lion eyes..." 🎶🦁
On the drive from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, SA, we heard the Eagles song "Lyin' Eyes" and I guess it stuck with me. It's been playing in my head over & over, and seems fitting for this image taken on our second day in the park. We had the good fortune of seeing lions every day in Kruger, including several large males like this handsome beast.
I've still got thousands of images to edit through and I look forward to sharing more moments like this one. Have a great Monday out there and thank you for following!
Colin
PS - we've got the dates & details for the October 2024 Namibia tour posted on the Nat Expo Tours website and it looks like we're close to half full already. Please contact me if you are interested in joining us: www.natexpotours.com
The Oryx
The oryx has become one of my favorite animals in Namibia. Their signature face mask and unique markings together with spiraled horns give them an appearance unlike any other subspecies of antelope, and their ability to go a month without drinking water demonstrates their adaptability to this extreme environment. It is also this vast, dry environment that makes for stunning photos, showcasing the scale and barren landscape in which the oryx and other species have thrived, whereas most life forms would quickly perish.
I've got a lot to share from my three weeks in southern Africa, both from Namibia with Nat Expo Tours and Kruger National Park, SA, so please stay tuned...
Cheers!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
www.natexpotours.com
Elephants of Namibia
I returned from southern Africa on Sunday after leading our second tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours followed by a week in Kruger National Park, South Africa. This was my third trip to the continent and each time is a little different; this year bringing us several opportunities to view and photograph elephants engaged in different behaviors.
After visiting two cultural sites near Twyvelfontein (Namibia) on Day 6, our drivers took us on an adventure to find a herd of local elephants. We drove up a dry riverbed, past two small villages, and located the herd after an hour of bumpy backcountry travel. Here are a few of my favorites from that day.
I'm currently in Minnesota adjusting to time & temperature changes while editing through 1,000's of images. I have a lot to share from my time in both countries, so please stay tuned for more...
As always, thank you for following.
Colin
Off to Namibia...
Today begins the long flight to southern Africa. I look forward to what Namibia has to offer this year, as well as my first visit to Kruger National Park, SA. This is our second tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours (https://natexpotours.com/) and we are already making reservations for next year's trip, which is going to include a visit to the famous Victoria Falls. Please message me if you are interested.
And it is official, I am sold out of my "Seasons of the Nature Center" 2024 calendars. 500 went pretty quickly, so I plan to print more 2025 calendars. Stay tuned for details...
Cheers!
Colin
PS - I still have "Seasons of the Nature Center" books available. All orders will be fulfilled when I return in November: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store...
Lions in Etosha National Park
Oryx in the Namib Desert
A Himba village in northern Namibia
Great Horned Owl in Autumn Foliage
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
Christmas in October, for Alaskans...
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
Eagle Peak in Autumn, Black & White
Eagle Peak emerging from the clouds on an autumn evening.
This is a new perspective on a familiar scene; a mountain I've photographed countless times, yet each time tells a different story...
Reminder that I am teaching a class titled "Storytelling with Photography" this Sunday at the Eagle River Nature Center from 1 - 4 pm. There are spaces available: https://www.ernc.org/public-programs.html
Thank you and feel free to share!
Colin
Moose Photo Safaris
Happy Wednesday out there, everyone! I've had a busy and successful week guiding moose photo safaris for Alaska Photo Treks (so much that I skipped the auroras Monday night after leading an evening tour followed by an early start the next morning).
These are some of my favorite images from this week's guiding adventures. Please check out www.alaskaphototreks.com if you are interested in experiencing Alaskan scenery, wildlife, or aurora borealis with local expertise!
Also, if you are in the area, I am teaching a "Storytelling with Photography" class this Sunday afternoon from 1 - 4 pm at the Eagle River Nature Center. What stories can you piece together from the photos here? Everyone will have an individual response just like every person has their own unique story to tell. You can register here: https://www.ernc.org/public-programs.html
As always, thank you for following...
Colin
Annual ERNC Benefit Auction
Aurora borealis and a nearly full moon over Harp Mountain, Eagle River Valley. This is one of my favorite aurora photos from the Eagle River Nature Center and is on the last page of the Winter chapter in my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center" - available in my online store.
I donated a 24x36" metal print of this image to the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center annual fall benefit auction. It will be a live auction item at this Saturday's event, starting at 6 pm at 49th State Brewing - Anchorage. There are still a few tickets available for those in the area who would like to attend, click here to purchase tickets.
There will be a number of wonderful items to bid on, and there is an online silent auction as well, open until this Sunday, Sept 17, 5:30 pm AKST.
Thank you!
Colin
AlaskaWILD 2023
Hello everyone,
I was honored to have two images selected to the 2023 AlaskaWILD traveling exhibition with the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. The show is currently at Jitters Coffee in Eagle River, AK - if you are in the neighborhood, stop by for a coffee and vote for your favorite photo!
Both of these images are featured in my "Seasons of the Nature Center" book and 2024 calendar, which are available on my website. I am also offering 10% off metal prints from my website through 2024 with the purchase of a book: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store
The books are starting to show up in local retailers as well, including Anchorage Barnes & Noble. All mail orders have been shipped, so if yours has not arrived, it is en route. I've now sold more than 500 books and there are roughly 100 calendars remaining, signed & numbered 1-500.
Have a great weekend and thank you for following!
Colin
Bull moose near the Rodak Trail, Eagle River Nature Center, AK
Trumpeter swan sleeping, Eagle River Nature Center, AK
Icelandic Horse in Lupine and Angelica Flowers
Icelandic horse in a field of lupine and angelica flowers with the Greenland Sea in the background. This day was the most inspired I'd been on the tour. I could have spent all afternoon photographing these beautiful horses surrounded by wildflowers along the coast. We will be back in Iceland next June with Nat Expo Tours. Stay tuned for tour details and please message me if you are interested!
Colin
Icelandic Horse in the North Coast Village of Hofsós (pronounced 'Hoof-shush').
When I arrived in Iceland and saw all the blooming lupine, I was hoping I'd get a chance to photograph the beautiful horses in the purple flowers. That opportunity finally came yesterday when we took the scenic route around the Troll Peninsula from Akureyri back to Reykjavik. I've visited Hofsós several times and knew exactly where to take the group to find horses along the coast.
We just wrapped up our fourth Iceland tour with Nat Expo Tours. We are planning to return next June and have added new excursions to the itinerary, including a glacial ice cave tour, fly fishing, and horseback riding. Please message me if you are interested in joining us.
Cheers!
Colin
Lupine in Bloom, Westman Islands
The lupine was blooming all over Iceland. What I love about these images from the Westman Islands is the juxtaposition with the volcanic rock. We were standing on a lava flow from an eruption in the early 1970's. The town was mostly spared, no lives were lost (everyone was evacuated to the mainland), and someone came up with the brilliant idea of spraying cold seawater on the lava to stop the flow, thus saving their harbor from being closed off...
We will be leading another Iceland tour next June. Please message me if you are interested or visit our site: www.natexpotours.com
Colin
