Whale Watching in Northern Iceland

September 13, 2019

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.

Minke whale lunge feeding.

Humpback whale fluke.

"Íslensk Ást - Icelandic Love"

September 12, 2019

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

Vatnajökull Glacier

September 11, 2019

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

Seljiandsfoss Waterall

September 9, 2019

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

Gullfoss Waterfall

September 6, 2019

Halló frá íslandi! (Hello from Iceland). I landed in Keflavik early this morning and have been trying to reorient myself to the changes in both time and landscape. After soaking in thermal spring pools in Selfoss, I made my way over to the famous Gullfoss Waterfall - without a doubt the most impressive waterfall I have ever seen!

After Gullfoss I headed south and ended up in Hvolsvöllur for the night. Tomorrow I am scheduled to go out to the Westman Islands with a puffin & volcano boat tour on Sunday morning but the weather forecast is looking rough so the ferry may not be running.

This journey is a research mission to plan photo tours for next year. Stay tuned and, weather permitting, I'll continue to share images and experiences as I go!

Thank you,

Colin

www.colintyler.com

Photography Class at Prince William Sound College

September 5, 2019

Good morning, everyone! You don't have to call me "Professor Colin" yet but I will be teaching a one-day class at the University of Alaska's Prince William Sound College in Glenallen on Saturday, November 2. Cost is $150 and registration is here: https://pwsc.asapconnected.com/?fbclid=IwAR23ZKglD_T1KQMzwYel06wWK19IgXWIiTPRlVZwEtSmCsgGqXlEGpsGfpU

On that note, I'm off to Iceland! Have a great day out there and I look forward to sharing my images and experiences from this next adventure. As always, thank you for following along.

Colin

Alaska Magazine Spread

August 7, 2019

Starting with the festivities at Salmonfest 2019 this past weekend, it seems that salmon is the theme this time of year! If you pick up a copy of the September issue of Alaska Magazine, you will see one of my photos of canned salmon on pages 12 & 13. The motif is "Harvest" and I was happy to land an image on a two-page spread. Alaska Magazine is a great read for locals and visitors alike and a wonderful resource for planning trips in AK. For more information and subscriptions, visit their website: https://www.alaskamagazine.com/

Thank you and have a great day out there!

Colin

Salmonfest 2019

August 3, 2019

Hello and Happy Sunday, everybody! I'm checking in live from Salmonfest 2019. Here are a few photos from Friday evening - the edgy & talented powerhouse Ani DiFranco, one of my favorite singer/songwriters, followed by Minnesota's own festival favorites Wookiefoot! It's been years since was on stage photographing Wookiefoot and it brought back some fun memories from my days in Minneapolis. Plus it was their first show in Alaska and with the loving reception they received, hopefully they will be back next year!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend,

🤙✌️Colin

Ani DiFranco

Wookiefoot

Moose Eating Fireweed

July 22, 2019

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 I…

Have a great week and thank you for following along!

Colin

Wookiefoot!

July 16, 2019

Here's a blast from the film days of past...

I am a wildlife photographer at heart but as someone who plays guitar and appreciates music, I also enjoy concert photography. When I lived in Minneapolis, I started photographing a local band band named Wookiefoot in the summer of 2001. Their shows were always a spectacle of both music and theatrics, and there never was a shortage on-stage antics to capture. Many of the photos on the cover of their second album "Make Belief" were mine.

As the years progressed, I watched their music evolve as singer/song writer Mark Murphy grew as an artist while I simultaneously did the same. Now, eighteen years later, they are making their first trip to Alaska to perform at Salmonfest 2019 and I just secured a press pass to shoot all 3 days! In addition to my friends in Wookiefoot, I will also have the opportunity to photograph the lovely and talented powerhouse Ani DiFranco, Jason Mraz, and many more!

It seems this has come full-circle and after years of hoping that they would make it here to perform, I finally have the opportunity to welcome Wookiefoot to Alaska and appreciate how we have all evolved as both artists and human beings.

Colin

Wookiefoot at the Quest, Minneapolis circa 2002.

Wookiefoot at the Cabooze, Minneapolis, December 31, 2013.

February 2020 Cuba Tours

July 10, 2019

Hola, amigos! I am happy to announce that I am planning to lead photo tours in Cuba again next February. I had intended to start promoting this earlier this year until the US government announced that new and more restrictive travel policies to the island would be coming. The new regulations have taken effect and the policies that my clients and I traveled under last year are still in place, so US citizens are still allowed to legally visit Cuba as long as the reason for travel falls under one of these approved categories. Rest assured that we will be abiding by these policies and for this reason, the tours will likely include more cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

As of now, I am looking at starting the tours on or around February 1, 2020 and people will have the choice of either a 7-day or 11-day tour, with an optional day of yoga and Thai yoga massage after the first 7 days. The tours will start in Havana followed by 2-night stays in the cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad before returning to Havana. Guests taking the extended tour will spend two extra nights in Havana with me and then travel to Viñales for two more nights. Once all the details are worked out, I will add the links to my website and share them here.

Please contact me if you are interested in joining me in Cuba or if you have any other questions and feel free to share this with your friends.

Gracias!

Colin

Vegas Grande, Cuba’s tallest waterfall

Farm Tour in Viñales

Classic car in Havana

Cooler Days

July 2, 2019

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

Eagle Peak

Sunset, June 30, 2019

White Lupine

July 1, 2019

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

Hazy Days

June 30, 2019

Happy Sunday, friends. What you are looking at here is Eagle Peak shrouded in the haze of wildfires. If you've visited the Eagle River Nature Center (Alaska) or perhaps if you live in the vicinity, you know how this peak looms large and prominently in the valley. It is the centerpiece in our backyard and today it is barely visible. The smoke is so pervasive that the stench is evident indoors and the temperature hit 90˙F yesterday with no relief in sight.

Uneasy times, for certain. Let's keep doing our rain dances and hope for a change soon!

Colin

New Perspective

June 28, 2019

Sometimes all you need for a change in scenery is a change in perspective. As many times as I've photographed from this spot, I've never quite looked at the valley from this angle before, using the cow parsnip flowers as a strong foreground element.

For the record, I took this from the Beaver Viewing Deck at the Eagle River Nature Center and no flowers were harmed in the making of this photo. I did not go past the sign and below the deck, which clearly states not to enter, and thereby ruin the scene for future visitors.

Have a great weekend and please don't trample the wildflowers!

Colin

Lupine Sunset

June 26, 2019

Last night I decided to take a drive out of Eagle River Valley and check out the lupine blooming along Turnagain Arm as the sun was setting through the haze of wildfires. While the smoke and dry weather is creating interesting sunsets, the air quality is poor and I hope the fires are under control soon.

Thank you for following, now let's get out and start doing some rain dances!

Colin

Bald Eagle in Flight

June 24, 2019

Wildlife closeups are great when the situation allows but I often find it more artful to include a dramatic backdrop to show the environment in which the subject lives. I captured this bald eagle in flight a couple nights ago after it flew from the top of a spruce tree. Shooting at the treetop from a low angle didn't produce any interesting images but it quickly took flight into a beam of golden light against the muted mountainside in the background and this is what I ended up with.

As always, thank you for following along and feel free to share my site with your friends.

Colin

Image taken with Nikon D850 and Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens, hand-held. ISO 400, 1/800" @ f/6.3

Summer Solstice Sunset

June 23, 2019

Sunset on the longest day of the year...

Now the pendulum swings back the other way and six months from now we will celebrate the winter solstice and the return of the light. On another note, the forest fire smoke has been creating some interesting light in the evenings, though I am grateful it's cleared out a bit today.

Happy Sunday out there!

Colin

Summer Solstice 2019

June 21, 2019

Happy Summer Solstice! Today marks the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere with the sun setting at 11:43 pm this evening in this part of the world.

This was taken two years ago through a haze of forest fire smoke, similar to what we are seeing now due to the fire on the Kenai Peninsula. The atmospheric particles diffuse the sun and if you look closely, you can see an active sunspot, which is the source of aurora borealis. The sun is "spot-less" right now and even if there were auroras, it doesn't get dark enough at night to see them this time of year. In any case, I hope the fire is extinguished soon.

Have a great weekend and get out & chase the light!

Colin

Moose Calves

June 20, 2019

Well, salmon fishing wasn't great and the river was far too crowded for my likes but on the other hand, the moose photography was very productive! I spent over an hour with these twins and their mother near Cooper Landing. As much as I was hoping for fresh salmon, I still have time to fill my freezer before summer's end while these moose calves only stay small and cute for a short time.

Colin