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

Double Rainbow, July 2020

For all the challenges that 2020 brought, it was also the year of double rainbows here at the Eagle River Nature Center. I captured a number of nice images that summer and this one was in use last year by AT&T Alascom on their 2021 poster calendar. I've now added it to my website and online store, available on canvas, metal, and high-gloss photo paper

Wishing you all double rainbows in the year ahead...

Colin


Double Rainbow at the Eagle River Nature Center, July 2020

Coastal Waterfall, Prince William Sound

I recently submitted some images to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for use in a project called the "Alaska Coastal Mapping Campaign" which will be viewed by the President, Interior Secretary, and other administration officials. It is a honor to have a number of images selected for the project and in the process of searching through my files I came across a few gems that I almost forgotten about, like this one.

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

Colin


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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

2020 Themes

If 2020 had any overriding themes for my photography I'd say it was owls, rainbows, and lynx, in that order. While it's been a challenging year in many ways, I am grateful for the opportunities I found in my backyard and look forward to what 2021 will bring.

I am hopeful that travel will resume before too long and while it's not likely that I will be leading another tour in Cuba this winter, I am looking to return in February of 2022. Michael L Haring and I have two tours scheduled for Iceland this coming August, both of which are already half full. For more information on the tours and to sign up for our e-newsletter, please visit our new website: https://naturalexposurestours.com/. We will also be launching a Facebook page for Natural Exposures Photography Tours, LLC, which I will announce in the near future.

Have a great weekend out there and, as always, thank you for following my adventures!

Colin


Juvenile great horned owl

Juvenile great horned owl


July double rainbow

July double rainbow


Female lynx

Female lynx


Saw-whet Owl Box Presentation

Hey Everyone! You may recall that last summer I was able to join local owl enthusiast, Andrew Fisher, while he checked the activity in nesting boxes he had built & placed around the Anchorage area. Later in the season, I went out with him again along with a biologist from the State of Alaska and documented the banding of saw-whet fledglings. I am excited to say that Andrew will be giving a presentation on his owl boxes for the Eagle River Nature Center via Zoom this Sunday at 2pm (AKST). I will be attending virtually and you can too! Follow this link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcOmvrjojHNDq1dYitqrPYzjmANokF3Hc?fbclid=IwAR3TTTGsXnx4F1vFSdAduHIA6-L5tWLDNlpsVsLfPGjfn7wIPmPRaMvp7RY

Thank you and I hope you can join us!

Colin


Sw-whet owl fledglings

Sw-whet owl fledglings



Kenai Brown Bears Instead of Iceland

I keep mulling over the fact that I should be in Iceland right now getting ready to lead a tour. I was scheduled to depart yesterday but since traveling there isn't possible right now, I made the best of a beautiful summer day and found some Alaskan brown bears fishing for salmon. All in all, it was a good alternative.

Have a great weekend out there!

Colin


Young brown bear fishing for salmon in the Kenai River

Young brown bear fishing for salmon in the Kenai River

July Photo Class

Hey everyone, I am going to be offering an introductory photo class next month at the Eagle River Nature Center! I will hold a Zoom presentation for all of the attendees on Friday, July 24 at 6 pm and schedule individual two-hour outdoor sessions with everyone on Saturday, July 25. Cost is $75 and there are only 6 spots so if you or someone you know is interested, please follow the link below to register and feel free to share!

https://www.ernc.org/courses/nature-photography-workshop

PS - I am looking into offering a more advanced photography class later in the summer for those who have attended one my intro classes, so stay tuned for that...

Thank you,

Colin


Summer Wildflowers, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Summer Wildflowers, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska


Hiding Among the Grasses

With the wild grasses and flowers reaching their peak seasonal growth, it's easy for large mammals to remain hidden from sight at close proximity. I took this yesterday morning as the sow black bear was grazing next to the trail. The cubs aren't yet tall enough to spot when they're on the ground so I watch for moving vegetation to monitor their whereabouts.

Colin


Black Bear, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Black Bear, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Moose Eating Fireweed

Good morning and Happy Monday out there, friends! I did some guiding over the weekend for a nice couple from Texas. They wanted to photograph wildlife and hadn't seen a moose yet, so our mission was to find Alaska's pervasive ungulate and I can say with confidence that my clients were quite thrilled with what we found, as was Iā€¦

Have a great week and thank you for following along!


Colin


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Cooler Days

Well, we have a reprieve from the heat and the air has cleared out a bit in Eagle River Valley but it looks like we are in for more high temps later this week with no rain in the immediate forecast.

These images were taken last week, during the warm spell. I don't recall a time when the heat persisted like it did after the sun dropped behind the mountains. If you look at Eagle Peak in the second photo, you will notice a large patch of snow that broke loose last week as well.

Anyway, I will enjoy the brief respite. Thank you for following along and a reminder that I have a few spots left in my summer photography class here at the Eagle River Nature Center(Alaska) on Sunday, July 21: https://www.ernc.org/courses/digital-photography-workshop

Colin


Sunset, June 27, 2019

Sunset, June 27, 2019


Eagle Peak

Eagle Peak


Sunset, June 30, 2019

Sunset, June 30, 2019

White Lupine

Buenas dias! Happy Monday and first day of July! Last week I ventured out in search of a small patch of white lupine, thanks to a tip from a good friend. I was successful in my quest, marking the first time I have encountered this rare wildflower.

Also, I have 4 spaces left in my summer digital photography class at the Eagle River Nature Center (Alaska) on Sunday, July 21. Cost is $75 and limited to 10 people. Follow the link to register: https://www.ernc.org/courses/digital-photography-workshop

Feel free to share and thank you for following along!

Colin


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