April 1, 2026 Aurora - No Fooling!

The April 1 geomagnetic storm wasn't foolin' around! It truly was one of the best nights I've had guiding for Alaska Photo Treks. The guests were in awe, and I was reminded why chose this life path, or maybe it chose me. The date also marked 30 years since I first left Minnesota and drove to Alaska sight-unseen.

The activity continues, so keep an eye on the sky tonight and through the weekend. As always, thank you for following!

Colin

Alaska Photo Treks van

Aurora and moon over the Chugach Mountains

Aurora over the Kenai Mountains

Aurora over Portage Creek

Aurora over Portage Lake and the Chugach Mountains

Second Printing of "Seasons of the Nature Center" Books and 2027 Calendars!

Hello everyone,

This is the first of two big announcements, and sort of two in one...

First, I am happy to announce that after selling nearly all 1,500 copies of my "Seasons of the Nature Center" books in two years, I will be printing another 1,000 copies! Publishing this book was a very fun and rewarding project, and I look forward to working the local markets and book signings again!

Since I am printing more books, I also decided to print 1,000 2027 "Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" calendars! As in previous years, the calendars will be signed and numbered 1-1,000.

The books and calendars are due to arrive around June 1 and will be shipped/delivered after that time. Both are available for preorder on my site: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Books are $30. Calendars are $15 for one, two or more = $10 each (unlimited), or get a book and a calendar for $40. Domestic shipping applies or local pickup option.

As always, thank you for following along and supporting my projects, and feel free to share!

Colin

Note: Calendar #1 has been claimed. Thank you and congratulations, Patti!

 

Spring is Here!

Well, spring sure announced its presence with authority!

This is the best time of year for solar activity and hence, aurora viewing. I was happy to capture this image of the corona overhead as it burst with energy. I was shooting between 1/2 and 1 second exposures to capture the fast movement. Moments like this are brief, and you need to be ready before it dissipates.

As always, thank you for following and please stay tuned for some big announcements this week...

Cheers!

Colin


PS - can you spot the Big Dipper?

Aurora borealis at the Eagle River Nature Center during the early morning hours of March 22, 2026.

 

Happy Spring, 2026!

Happy first day of spring, everyone! The Vernal Equinox is a very active time of year for the aurora borealis and if you have clear skies tonight, keep an eye out for lights as the activity is elevated. These were taken last month at the Eagle River Nature Center.

In other news, I will have a couple big announcements in the coming days, so please stay tuned...

Cheers and happy aurora chasing!

Colin

 

February 21 Auroras!

The sky sure came alive on Saturday night! The show started early and continued for hours with brilliant coronal displays overhead and stretched across the sky to the south. I love that I can walk from my door to a scene like this in just a few minutes.

More to come!

As always, thank you for following...

Colin

Aurora Borealis at the Eagle River Nature Center on Saturday, Feb 22, 2026.

 

Happy Winter Solstice 2025

Happy Winter Solstice! Today in Anchorage the sun rose at 10:15 am and will set at 3:42 pm. This day marks the shortest amount of daylight and the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Like my Norwegian ancestors, I embrace winter and the cold, dark days.

This image was taken along Turnagain Arm around 4 pm on Dec. 12 while guiding a custom private tour for Alaska Photo Treks. Fact: Turnagain Arm has the second highest tides in North America, reaching more than 40 feet around a full moon! Using a 6 second shutter, one can sense the movement and power of the outgoing tide.

 

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