This Baby Taylor guitar is well traveled. I picked it up in 2013 before I embarked on my journey to Southeast Asia & India. So far it's been played in seven countries outside the US (Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia) and four states (Alaska, California, Oregon, and Hawaii). It is the perfect travel companion - always there for me when I have some down time or just need to be creative.
Crater Lake was the final stop on my road trip through Oregon and this will be a jam space to remember. I found a little spot to pull over and get away from the crowds, rolled out my yoga mat on a picnic table, loosened up and then played my guitar on the rim of the crater, looking down over the blue water thousands of feet below me. This has been whirlwind trip that began with no real itinerary or plan. I just went with the flow, followed the sunny skies, and trusted my instincts. I got a few nice shots, saw many amazing sights and made a new friend along the way but this two hour period of solitude and quality time with my guitar was where I finally found my moment of Zen.
Hello from Minnesota! While it's balmy & raining in Alaska, winter has arrived early in my home state where everybody, including Alvin here, is stocking up for the season ahead.
I'll be back in Alaska next week and hopefully the winter wonderland will return with me. Until then, I will be soaking up the homeland and making lefse with Mom!
Colin
Good morning, America, how are you? Today is Election Day, so be sure to cast your ballot and when you do, vote for more auroras! Here are a few more images from Sunday night/Monday morning's display, taken at the the Eagle River Nature Center.
I am getting ready to travel to Minnesota later this week. If you are in the Minneapolis area, I will be working two travel shows with KB Tambo Travel & KB Cuba. The Star Tribune Vacation & Travel Experience is this Saturday & Sunday at the Minneapolis Convention Center and the second show is the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Expo on Nov. 17 & 18. Please stop by if you are in the area. I'll be promoting KB's tour packages and hopefully filling the remaining spots in my second February 2019 Cuba Photo Tour (https://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes/). I have 4 people registered for the second tour and the first tour is full, so if you are interested in joining me in Cuba, please contact me ASAP!
Cheers!
Colin
It was a beautiful night to be out under the stars. After a couple days of waiting, the geomagnetic storm arrived later than anticipated last night but the lights actually kicked up much earlier in the evening than I had expected. I was scrambling to get ready but made it out for the second wave of activity.
Happy Monday!
Colin
According to the Farmer's Almanac, Alaska has another mild winter in store. With that forecast in mind, I am going to enjoy this landscape while it lasts.
Happy First of November!
Colin
I had a visitor on my snowy walk yesterday - I observed this bald eagle for more than an hour in our freshly winterized wonderland, snapping frames when I could and waiting for the right moment. Focusing can be difficult in heavy snow as the lens will often pick up on the large flakes rather than your subject but thankfully I caught this takeoff while maintaining a sharp focus on the eagle.
Have a great day out there and remember to soar!
Colin
Can a snowflake carve a valley? Today is a good day to ask this question. The answer is yes, with enough snowflakes and enough time to form a glacier.
Our first snowfall of the season has delivered more than a foot thus far and it's still coming down. Now I am contemplating whether to risk life & limb on these roads to get my skis out of storage...
Happy Monday!
Colin
Happy Alaska Day! Today marks the anniversary of the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States in 1867 under Secretary of State William H. Seward. What was once referred to as "Seward's Folly" and "Seward's Icebox" has proven to be one of our nation's greatest investments. Here is an aerial view of Anchorage - our state's largest city but not our capitol.
Cheers!
Colin
If you were driving north on the Glenn Highway yesterday afternoon, your commute may have been a bit more magical. Judging from this week's weather forecast, there should be plenty more “magic” (rain) in the days ahead...
Have a great Wednesday out there and thanks for riding along!
Colin
Bold Peak in all its autumn glory. Happy Monday out there! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'm getting around to editing through more of my recent aerial photos. I'm glad I got out when I did as most of this vibrant color has since faded.
Reminder that I still have signed & numbered 12x18" lynx photos available (along with a signed 2019 aurora borealis calendar, both for $95): https://www.colintyler.com/…/signed-amp-numbered-12x18-lynx…
And...my February photo tour in Cuba is full and it looks like I may add a second tour that will begin on February 16 or 17! More details on the Cuba tour here: https://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes/
Cheers!
Colin
"Dirás que soy un soñador pero no soy el uńico." (You may say that I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one). There is a park in Havana with a statue of John Lennon and a stone with the above words inscribed. In 1964, Beatles music was banned in Cuba, which led to the formation of an underground society for those who wanted to appreciate their songs. This ban was eventually lifted and in 2000, Fidel Castro participated in the unveiling and dedication of the Lennon statue. With all of that said, I would like to wish 'Feliz Cumpleańos' or Happy Birthday to John Lennon, who was born 78 years ago today.
Colin
PS - It looks as though my February Cuba Tour might be full - I will know more in the coming days. If you are interested, please message me soon. More details here: http://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes/
Rainy days create foggy mornings; foggy mornings create dramatic light. This is one of my favorite times of year for morning photos in the valley. Once the clouds part it is clear that the snow line is working its way down the mountains a little more each day. Have a great Monday out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
When I first moved to Alaska in 1996 I'd wanted to learn how to fly. Later that year I survived a crash in a single engine plane with my then roommate, which pretty much killed my desire to become a pilot. Looking back, I realize I was better off to befriend people with airplanes rather than become a pilot & own a plane myself. That proved true again yesterday when I was able to get up & capture a few more aerial photos of the valley around the Eagle River Nature Center before the fall color vanishes. The second photo is directly over the visitor center (lower right) and the Rodak Trail - both viewing decks are visible along the creek. Many thanks to my neighbor and skilled pilot, Craig, for taking me up twice recently to photograph the valley from a new perspective.
Colin
Good afternoon from Eagle River Valley, AK. Hope everyone had a great weekend out there! I've been saving the best for last - here is my favorite lynx photo from last week. This certainly was a fortunate encounter and one I will always treasure. With the high numbers of lynx right meow, hopefully there will be more to come!
As always, thank you for following along and feel free to share my site with your friends.
Colin
Here's an aerial view of an obviously well-fed black bear eating berries at around 3,000 feet during my flight through Eagle River Valley last week. This was one of about a dozen black bears that we saw high on the slopes grazing on autumn berries. Black bears are typically forest-dwelling creatures but with brown/grizzly bears roaming the lower reaches of the valley in search of salmon, they may be seeking the safety and food supply of the higher elevations.
Colin
Good morning from Eagle River Valley, Alaska. Have a great weekend out there, wherever you are, and thank you for following my adventures.
Remember that next Saturday, October 6, is the October Nights: 22nd Annual Auction Fundraiser for the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center, where I reside. If you'd like to attend this event and help support the Nature Center and the various services we provide, follow the link above for ticket information. There will be a variety of items for both live and silent auction, including two spots on my February 2019 Cuba Photo Tour. Aside from these two spaces in the auction, there is only one spot left on the tour so please contact me if you are interested in exploring Cuba with me this February!
Colin
Yesterday I certainly had one of my more fortunate encounters as a wildlife photographer. Lynx are very elusive creatures, yet they are also curious (that's the feline nature), so if they are comfortable and want to show themselves, they will. I actually had one sneak into my campsite in Denali National Park, lie down next to my tent and watch me while I was eating dinner. With the cyclical increase in snowshoe hare populations, lynx numbers are also rising and sightings are becoming more common. I will have more to share in the days ahead.
Cheers,
Colin
Good afternoon, friends. I've got some exciting news - it seems that this week's theme is aerial photography as I just received word that one of my photos of the Kilauea Eruption taken from a helicopter in Hawaii last summer received an official Editor's Note and has made the Daily Dozen at Your Shot - National Geographic! You can view my photo and the others at the link below (click on the image), where you can vote for your favorite. The winner will be shared on their Instagram page.
Mahalo to the Nat Geo editors and the Your Shot community!
Colin
A bird's eye view of Eagle River Valley and Glacier Lake (the source of Eagle River). Last night I flew with a local pilot friend of mine to take some aerial of the valley where I live. It's always fascinating to see this area from a different perspective. Clouds were building over the mountains, blocking the direct sunlight over the areas I most wanted to photograph, so we will probably fly again in the next few days before the fall color is gone. Have a great Wednesday out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
I arrived in Hosfós, Iceland on the afternoon of what was my final day in-country and knew immediately that was where I would remain until nightfall, exploring the area and soaking up the north coast sunshine. One of my favorite subjects turned out to be the many horses in and around the town, something that Icelanders seem to take great pride in. I had envisioned an image with the ocean as a strong element in the background and am very pleased with what I captured that day.
Have a magical Monday out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
Images taken with the Nikon D850.
"Celebrating the Autumnal Equinox. Equal parts day and night. Striking balance, honoring the light and the dark in one's self and embracing both. Releasing, with love, all things, thoughts, actions, habits and feelings that no longer are a benefit. Embracing all that creates love, joy, abundance, laughter, music & magic. A multitude of blessings for all." (Carey Embry)
Today marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. It is time to celebrate both the changes and the brilliant colors that abound!
Colin
A palette of autumn colors and berries in Skagafjörður, on northern Iceland's Troll Peninsula.
Heritage Falls, Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park, Alaska