El Malecón, Havana, November 2025

As I mentioned in a reel last month, I made a pit stop on my way back from Africa and spent a week in Havana. Aside from visiting friends, I had our guide, Yasel, take me to photograph some rougher parts of the city. I wanted to see and document the current realities of life in Cuba, off the beaten “tourist” path. I am still editing photos and video interviews and will share some of those in the coming days. My last day was spent along the Malecón (sea wall), where locals gather in the evenings to mingle. It was particularly windy on this day, creating massive waves that spilled over the wall and onto the street. I have witnessed this several times and it always makes for dramatic images. This time, I had a willing participant for portraits with the crashing waves as a backdrop, Mariela.

We are taking reservations for our annual Cuba tour this winter with Nat Expo Tours. The trip includes both urban and rural culture experiences as well as hiking, waterfalls, birdlife, and more, all in direct support of the Cuban people. More info here: https://natexpotours.com/2026-cuba/

Please contact me if you are interested!

Colin 

Dick Griffith, Alaskan Legend

The world lost a legend yesterday, and I am honored to have called him my friend. In his more than 98 years, Dick Griffith logged adventures that most of us couldn’t fathom undertaking. He was among the first to raft the Grand Canyon, he skied/traversed from western Alaska to eastern Canada and helped introduce the sport of packrafting to Alaska. He finished the Alaska Wilderness Classic 17 times, the last was in 2008 at 80 years old. He also completed the Crow Pass Crossing several times, a grueling 23-mile running race that includes ascending & descending a mountain pass and crossing a glacial river. Rather than arranging a ride at the other end, he would immediately turn around and go back to the start to get his car.

I knew Dick through his involvement and decades of support for the Eagle River Nature Center. He always appreciated a cigar when I returned from a trip to Cuba, and one of my bear photos is proudly displayed in his home. He loved that photo and was happy to offer a nice endorsement for my book, “Seasons of the Nature Center.” His story and the many ventures he undertook are truly fascinating and inspiring. I highly recommend his biography, “Canyons and Ice – The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith” and there is a PBS documentary of the same title. His biographer, Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan, also wrote the foreword for my book.

Fare thee well, sir. Thank you for being a source of inspiration and lighting the way for those who have tried to follow in your adventurous spirit.

PS - Dick is currently a candidate for the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. You can see all the candidates and cast your votes here: https://alaskasportshall.org/

 

Dick Griffith on his 90th birthday in 2017.

Dick Griffith outside his home on his 90th birthday in 2017.

Dick's favorite bear photo.

Dick's endorsement on page 9 of my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center - A Photographic Journey of Seasonal Transitions at the Eagle River Nature Center."

Birthday Owl

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have much to be grateful for on this day - family and friends around the world who follow and support my journeys, recent travels to Africa, Miami, Cuba, and Minnesota, and all the incredible moments I get to experience and share, including this little saw-whet owl that I photographed a few days ago (on my birthday).

All the best to you and yours, and thank you for following along.

Colin

Northern saw-whet owl

Southern Lights

While geomagnetic activity certainly has been elevated in recent days, I missed the big display on Tuesday evening as I was still in a tropical locale. However, on our second night in Namibia last month, while staying at a lodge in the desert near Namib-Naukluft National Park and having not yet adjusted to the 10-hour time change, I was awake very early and decided to go outside to photograph the Milky Way. After looking at my first image, I immediately recognized the faint green glow of aurora, something I never thought I'd capture in Southern Africa. This time it was the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. I managed to catch a few bright meteors in the frame as well!

Interested in exploring Southern Africa? We are taking reservations for the October 2026 tour. Email me or visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/2026-namibia/

Cheers!

Colin

 

Matriarchal

I'm finally back stateside and catching up on some editing after journeying to Southern Africa to lead our 4th tour of Namibia (and now Botswana) with Nat Expo Tours. On our last day in Etosha National Park, we visited a waterhole near the east gate that had been frequented by herd of elephants. Our timing was perfect as we observed the herd, one by one, falling into a single file line behind their matriarch as they left the water. This was my favorite moment, showing the reverence they hold for their queen, along with the wisdom and confidence she displayed as she led them to find sustenance and safety in a harsh and very dry landscape.

We have two back to back Southern Africa Adventure tours booked next year - a private group of 10 people in November and our usual timeframe (Oct 16-30, 2026). We have begun taking reservations for the October tour. Please contact me if you are interested in joining us. Full itinerary here: https://natexpotours.com/2026-namibia/

As always, thank you for following,

Colin

PS - I spent another week abroad after Africa, in a familiar location. More on that later...

 

Another Southern Africa Adventure in the Books!

We just wrapped up our fourth annual tour of Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls! We had a great group of people who experienced the wonders and wildlife of Southern Africa and created memories to last a lifetime. I will have more to share in the coming days and weeks, but for now here is one my favorite elephant images from Chobe National Park, Botswana.

As always, thank you for following and please let me know if you are interested in joining us in Africa next October, or any of our upcoming 2026 tours, including Cuba, Norway, Nepal, and Iceland.

Colin

 

Recent Guiding Moments

A few highlights from recent guiding ventures in Alaska. I am now on my way to Southern Africa where we will be leading our 4th consecutive tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours, LLC, which now includes a few days in northern Botswana. Stay tuned for photos of the Namib Desert and the array of Africa wildlife!

We are currently taking reservations for next year's Southern Africa Adventure (Oct 16-30, 2026), Experiencing Cuba (Feb 18-27, 2026), Arctic Norway Aurora Adventure (March 15-25, 2026), Exploring Nepal (May 13-26, 2026) and Exploring Iceland (June 17-27, 2026). Please message me if you are interested in joining any of our guided adventures to some of the world's most renowned photographic destinations! You can view all of our itineraries here: https://natexpotours.com/

Cheers!

Colin

 

Aurora borealis & Big Dipper, Palmer

Brown bear in the rain, Lake Clark National Park

Young bull moose, Chugach State Park

Surprise Geomagnetic Storm!

Wow, what a storm last night!

It truly was one of the best displays I've witnessed in my years of chasing auroras, which date back to the days of film. Never did I imagine back then how digital technology would allow one to capture images of the aurora with such detail and vibrance, using a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the rapidly dancing lights.

Geomagnetic storms are more common and can arrive unpredicted around both the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, due to a phenomenon known as the Russell-McPherron Effect. Click here to learn more…

Cheers!

Colin

 
 

Aurora Season!

The aurora season is upon us! I've already guided 5 tours with Alaska Photo Treks in the past month, with this vibrant display taking place on Sunday, Sept 14 (see the shooting star in the third photo). Check out their page if you'd like a guided aurora or photography adventure in the Anchorage area - maybe I'll be your guide!

Colin

 

Bears in the Rain

The September rains have been persistent, but that doesn't put a damper on guiding wildlife photography tours. Last week I made my first trip to Lake Clark National Park with two clients. It rained the entire day, yet we still had a great time and since the weather is out of one's control, all you can do is make do with the light you have, and rough weather often makes for dramatic images.

Colin

 

Aerial Photos of Knik & Colony Glaciers

An aerial view of Knik & Colony glaciers, taken on a doors-off helicopter tour with Outbound Adventures in May. The first image is one of my favorites, with the pools of blue water leading toward the Chugach Mountains. I returned for another flight later in May with a tour client. Observing the patterns and textures in the ice, crevasses, and glacial blue water from above is mesmerizing! We also made three separate landings - one next to Lake George, one on Knik Glacier next to a pool, and the last was on a ridge above Knik Glacier.

Colin

 

Knik Glacier

A pool next to our landing on Knik Glacier

Knik Glacier

Knik Glacier

Lake George and Colony Glacier

 

Moose Swimming in Turnagain Arm

Last month, while guiding a client for Alaska Photo Treks, I witnessed something I had never seen before. We made a stop to photograph the coastline and incoming tide when I spotted what looked like a log floating in Turnagain Arm. Upon closer inspection, we realized it was a moose swimming away from shore toward the mudflats. It walked along the flat briefly, then returned to the channel and swam around a rocky point before returning to the beach.

As I was expecting to photograph moving water and tidal zones, I left my telephoto lens behind. Looking back, the wider angle probably gave it a better sense of place and scale. It was a very unique opportunity for both the client and me!

Colin

 

Turnagain Arm Reflection

In a place notorious for wind and rain, moments like these don’t happen often. I’ve been driving along Turnagain Arm 3 - 4 times per week this summer while guiding for Alaska Photo Treks and have had some beautiful and unique experiences (see my post of the moose swimming in Turnagain Arm), but this might be my favorite. It was taken yesterday morning when the low tide and calm weather provided a perfect composition. I was leading a tour and told the guests that it’s a subjective statement and can’t really be quantified, but this is the nicest day I’ve seen on the arm yet this year!

As always, thank you for following,

Colin 

Turnagain Arm, Aug 3, 2025

Annual Eagle River Nature Center Fireweed Saison at Odd Man Rush Brewing

If you are a regular visitor to the Eagle River Nature Center, you've probably noticed some changes in recent years. First, the Salmon Viewing Deck was beautifully rebuilt in 2022 and now offers the same stunning views from a sturdier structure with excellent interpretive signs. Second, the local beavers dammed the creek (pictured here) the following year and created a much larger pond, which now hosts a variety of waterfowl.

I took this on a golden evening in early June when the reflection was too perfect to resist. If you enjoy the photograph and are a fan of local brew, you will soon find it on the labels of the annual "Eagle River Nature Center Fireweed Saison" from Odd Man Rush Brewing. Stop by and grab some cans to go, maybe add one to your mantel...

Cheers!

Colin

 

Great Horned Owl, Stealthy and Elusive

I recently had the opportunity to observe a great horned owl near my place. It was in the same tree for several hours, allowing me to try numerous angles and compositions with a variety of lighting conditions. After getting some dramatic poses, I decided to intentionally camouflage the owl in its surroundings to convey the elusive nature of these birds. Notice how the feathers blend almost perfectly with the birchbark in the second photo, and you soon realize you've probably walked right past these stealthy creatures on many occasions…

 

Natural camouflage

Beaver & Morning Reflection

Another gift from last week's calm, frosty morning...

I'd been trying to get a unique photo of the beavers working on their dam for a while now and having lived in this valley for more than a decade, I've learned to use (and sometimes prefer) reflected light vs. direct. In this case, the still water held a vibrant reflection of the mountainside in morning sun, creating a perfect canvas for the image in my mind’s eye.

Thank you for following,

Colin

www.colintyler.com