Waiting for the Aurora at Paradise Haven Cabin, Eagle River Nature Center

Last night I set up at a familiar locale in hopes of catching the aurora borealis. As it often goes, the lights did not come out and hence, the image I had in mind did not materialize. After struggling to keep a fire going in the wood stove at -20˚F and no activity in the sky, I decided it was best to wait for another opportunity...

There is more potential activity in the coming days and I am scheduled to guide an aurora tour for Alaska Photo Treks this Saturday, so hopefully we will have better luck.

Cheers,

Colin

 

"Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 calendars are off to press!

It's official - my "Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 calendars have gone to press!

I signed off on the proof & paid the balance for design & printing yesterday (I designed the front cover, the rest of the layout was done by Todd Communications of Anchorage). The calendars will arrive in Alaska this summer and be mailed out in July, after I return from leading our Iceland tour with Nat Expo Tours, LLC. Last year I printed 500 calendars and sold out by the first week of October, so I ordered 1,000 calendars this time, all of which will be signed & numbered..

I've pre-sold almost 50 calendars so far. Cost is $18 each and I am currently running a special of two calendars for $30 (+$5 shipping or local pickup/no shipping). Click here to reserve yours today!
Cheers!

Colin

 

"Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 Calendar Preorder Special

Happy New Year, everyone!

2023 was a monumental year that, among other things, included the release of my first book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." I am happy to report that I have now sold over 900 copies - more than half of my stock. Considering they just arrived in June, that is a remarkable pace! Signed copies are still available in my online store: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

I also produced a 2024 calendar, which sold out (500 copies) by the first week in October. Based on that success, I am happy to announce my "Seasons of the Eagle River Nature Center" 2025 Calendar with a sneak peek at the cover below (photo taken during a strong geomagnetic storm last April). I will be printing 1,000 calendars this time, once again all signed and numbered and priced at $18.

The calendars should be delivered by July 2024, and I am currently offering a preorder special of two calendars for $30 + $5 shipping or local pickup/no shipping. They will be numbered in the order that the preorders are received. In other words, the first person to order today will get #'s 1 & 2, and so forth. Who will get the first calendars??? The link is live, you can reserve your copies today: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/two-2025-seasons-of-the-eagle-river-nature-center-calendars-signed-numbered

Thank you for following, and all the best for 2024 and beyond!

Colin

 

Happy Winter Solstice, 2023

Happy Winter Solstice to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere!
(Photo taken at the Eagle River Nature Center's annual Solstice Ice Lantern Walk last Friday)

I truly love this time of year - the snow, the peace, the low angle light, and the rest...

It is also my day to reset, let go, and welcome the year ahead. This is my New Year, and I look forward to ringing it in and honoring the returning light with my tradition of completing 108 sun salutations at Namaste North Yoga Studio in Anchorage.

Have a great day, however you may choose to honor the shift in light and seasons.

Namaste 🙏

Colin

PS - I have one last book signing of the year at Odd Man Rush Brewing in Eagle River tomorrow, (12/22) from 5-8 pm. Please stop by, grab a local brew and get a signed copy of "Seasons of the Nature Center"

 

From one year to the next, this brown bear cub seems to be growing up nicely. The first image was taken in 2022 and appears on page 17 of my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." The second photo was taken earlier this fall.

Speaking of my book, I will be at Title Wave Books in Anchorage tomorrow, Saturday Nov 25, from 1 to 3 pm for a book signing along with 3 other Alaskan authors. Please stop by if you can!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday and look forward to the season ahead. A big thank you to Title Wave for hosting the event tomorrow and I hope to see you there.

Cheers!

Colin

PS - Signed copies of "Seasons of the Nature Center" are still available on my site, please allow 2-3 weeks for shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

 

Great Horned Owl in Autumn Foliage

A master of camouflage, the great horned owl is easy to miss without closely analyzing the environment for patterns and shapes that begin to stand out. This recent sighting was the first I've had in a while, but something tells me they've been observing me...

I depart on Sunday to begin the long journey to southern Africa, where we will be leading our second tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours: https://natexpotours.com. I will fulfill any incoming book, calendar, and print orders when I return in mid-November. Note: I only have 4 calendars left out of 500!

"Seasons of the Nature Center" books & calendars are available here: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Thank you for following along and I look forward to sharing new images and experiences from Namibia!

Colin

 

Christmas in October, for Alaskans...

Happy Monday everyone and Happy PFD Week to all the Alaskans out there! If you are an AK resident and qualify to receive the Permanent Fund Dividend, this is like an early Christmas bonus. A few people are waiting to receive their PFDs to purchase a copy of my "Seasons of the Nature Center" book and/or 2024 calendar, so I'd like to mention a few things...

First, I am happy to say I have sold more than 600 books now, and out of 500 calendars, I have fewer than 10 left, so don’t hesitate if you’d like to get a copy!

Second, I have teamed up with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, an organization that works to safeguard Alaska’s wildlife, to promote my book and raise funds to support their mission. I will donate 25% of each sale generated from the following links to AWA, so if you would like to support them and get a signed copy of my book, please use the following links (there is an option for local pickup or mail delivery at checkout):

Click here to order a signed book only.

Click here to order a signed book and 2024 calendar.


Finally, I will be leaving for Namibia later this week to lead our second tour of that country with Nat Expo Tours, so all mail orders received after Thursday, Oct. 5 will ship when I return in mid-November.

Thank you for following along and have a great week!

Colin

https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

 

Eagle Peak in Autumn, Black & White

Eagle Peak emerging from the clouds on an autumn evening.

This is a new perspective on a familiar scene; a mountain I've photographed countless times, yet each time tells a different story...

Reminder that I am teaching a class titled "Storytelling with Photography" this Sunday at the Eagle River Nature Center from 1 - 4 pm. There are spaces available: https://www.ernc.org/public-programs.html

Thank you and feel free to share!

Colin

 

Annual ERNC Benefit Auction

Aurora borealis and a nearly full moon over Harp Mountain, Eagle River Valley. This is one of my favorite aurora photos from the Eagle River Nature Center and is on the last page of the Winter chapter in my book, "Seasons of the Nature Center" - available in my online store.

I donated a 24x36" metal print of this image to the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center annual fall benefit auction. It will be a live auction item at this Saturday's event, starting at 6 pm at 49th State Brewing - Anchorage. There are still a few tickets available for those in the area who would like to attend, click here to purchase tickets.

There will be a number of wonderful items to bid on, and there is an online silent auction as well, open until this Sunday, Sept 17, 5:30 pm AKST.

Thank you!

Colin

AlaskaWILD 2023

Hello everyone,

I was honored to have two images selected to the 2023 AlaskaWILD traveling exhibition with the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. The show is currently at Jitters Coffee in Eagle River, AK - if you are in the neighborhood, stop by for a coffee and vote for your favorite photo!

Both of these images are featured in my "Seasons of the Nature Center" book and 2024 calendar, which are available on my website. I am also offering 10% off metal prints from my website through 2024 with the purchase of a book: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

The books are starting to show up in local retailers as well, including Anchorage Barnes & Noble. All mail orders have been shipped, so if yours has not arrived, it is en route. I've now sold more than 500 books and there are roughly 100 calendars remaining, signed & numbered 1-500.

Have a great weekend and thank you for following!

Colin

 

Bull moose near the Rodak Trail, Eagle River Nature Center, AK

Trumpeter swan sleeping, Eagle River Nature Center, AK

Advance Copies of "Seasons of the Nature Center" Books and Calendars...!

Well, this is pretty exciting - after all the time & effort, creativity, and financial investment, I finally got to see my "Seasons of the Nature Center" book and calendar in print, and soon you will too! I received two advance copies of the book and six calendars last week and have to say I am very happy with the finished products. This is such a great feeling of accomplishment, as well as relief and anticipation. The rest are en route and due to arrive in Alaska in June!

Also, Sunday was my last day as Assistant Manager at the Eagle River Nature Center. After more than eight years it is bittersweet, but I will be living very close by and still serve as a volunteer for the center, so I will remain part of the ERNC community and this book will be a lasting tribute to my time here.

I look forward to signing the books and calendars and sending them out this summer! I am still taking preorders on my site. Books are $30 and calendars are $18 or $15 with the purchase of a book (local pickup and international shipping options available): https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Thank you for following along and supporting my endeavors. I've sold well over 200 books, which helped fund these projects that were years in the making.

Cheers!

Colin

PS - thanks for the photos, Timothy Kane!

Aurora and Open River, April 23, 2023

Another photo from Sunday's epic aurora display!

I've had this image in mind for quite a while, I just needed everything to come together for a late season geomagnetic storm that brought lights far enough across the eastern sky to line up with the river and Polar Bear Peak, with the river ice opening up to expose the flowing water below. I used a Lume Cube to briefly illuminate the ice shelf during the exposure.

This image probably would have ended up in my book "Seasons of the Nature Center" if I'd captured it before press time. Speaking of my book - I am picking up two advance copies today! The rest are en route and should arrive in about 6 weeks. I am still taking preorders for books and 2024 calendars on my website and will be offering a discount on metal & canvas prints to everyone who has ordered a copy: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

As always, thank you for following!

Colin

Intense Geomagnetic Storm

After briefly subsiding around midnight on Sunday, the geomagnetic activity picked up again and produced one of the most intense displays I've seen in quite a while.

I'm still editing through images and will have more to share in the coming days...

Cheers!

Colin

Aurora Borealis over the Chugach Mountains. Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Aurora Photography Class

Hello everyone,

Hope you've been catching some of the recent aurora activity! If you or anyone you know is interested, I am teaching a photography class next Saturday night, April 1, at the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center (Alaska) starting at 8 pm. There will be an indoor portion followed by a short walk to the viewing decks to photograph the night sky. As of now, both the aurora and weather forecast look very favorable!

Cost is $75 for members and $85 for non-members, limited to 8 participants. You can register here: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTQzNzQ1

Thank you and feel free to share!

Colin

Photo taken on February 26, 2023...

More February Auroras

I love finding new locations to shoot auroras in my backyard..

Taken Sunday evening around 9:30 pm. My books and calendars "Seasons of the Nature Center" are going to press right now and should arrive in May. If it weren't too late, I may have added this image to the book.

I'm still taking preorders on my website - books are $30 and calendars are $18 or $15 (including multiples) with the purchase of a book: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

As always, thank you for following along!

Colin

 

February Aurora Selfie

Aurora selfie from Sunday night, using my headlamp and a Lume Cube Panel Pro for illumination. I have a couple more images to share from that evening's display in the coming days.

I am scheduled to lead an aurora tour this evening for Alaska Photo Treks, however the weather does not look conducive...

Cheers,

Colin

 

February 2023 Aurora Borealis, Eagle River Nature Center

Mother Nature sure put on a brilliant display last night, and tonight could be very active as well!

We are going into what is typically the most active time of year for aurora borealis - late winter/early spring. I look forward to taking a group to arctic Norway 🇳🇴 in just two weeks with Nat Expo Tours, where we will be spending 6 nights above the Arctic Circle in Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands, home to some of the world's most renowned aurora viewing!

Fingers crossed for more clear skies ahead...🤞

Colin

 

Christmas Moose

Christmas Moose.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday! I was able to get outside to capture some moose photos in the deep snow (we still have close to 30" on the ground). This was one of three bulls that were feeding together and as you can see, he had a branch stuck in his headgear that wouldn't fall off. Two bulls still had their antlers and one had already shed his for the season.

Thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered copies of my upcoming limited edition book, "Seasons of the Nature Center" (cover photo in first comment). The orders keep coming in and my end-of-year goal is now 200 books! Cost is $30 + $10 shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book

I created a separate link for those in Southcentral Alaska who would like to arrange to get their books in person and skip the shipping fee: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center

For those in the area who have already ordered and paid for shipping, I will gladly deliver your books to you in person.

Thank you,

Colin

 
 
 

2022 Winter Solstice Ice Lantern Walk

Fire and ice at 10˚ below zero.

The annual Winter Solstice Ice Lantern Walk has always been one of my favorite events to photograph here at the Nature Center, and I'm glad I was able to get a few more images this year, my last as a resident staff member. With 3 feet of snow on the ground and subzero temps, conditions were perfect for this celebration of light.

I believe one of these new images is going to make it into my upcoming book, "Seasons of the Nature Center." This will be a limited edition, 9x12" coffee table book with more than 100 pages of my favorite photos from nearly a decade of residence at the Eagle River Nature Center. I am now taking pre-orders for signed copies, $30 + $10 shipping: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book

Thank you for following,

Colin