Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
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
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...
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
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
Today marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, though it has looked and felt like fall for a few weeks in Southcentral Alaska. I’ve been busy guiding and just had two very successful days of moose photo safaris with Alaska Photo Treks. This is one of the biggest bulls I’ve ever seen, with antlers that span around 70” across…
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
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
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
I had a brief but rewarding encounter with a juvenile great horned owl recently. The side lighting and soft greenery framed this little fuzzball perfectly...
Colin
I've had some version of this image in mind for a while. Last week it all came together perfectly. Trumpeter swans in morning sun with the Chugach Mountains creating a dramatic backdrop...
Colin
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
I am honored that my image "Paws and Reflect" was not only selected for alaskaWILD 2024, a traveling exhibition curated by Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers, but was also awarded "People's Choice" after receiving more than 400 votes from various venues around Alaska! This was revealed last night at the monthly ASONP members' meeting.
I belong to ASONP and also serve on the board of directors. If you are an avid photographer, I encourage you to visit their website and consider joining. It's a great organization for networking with other photographers and there are many opportunities for workshops and excursions, both in Alaska and abroad: https://asonp.org/
Cheers!
Colin
“Paws and Reflect”
Chobe National Park in northern Botswana is home to over 100,000 elephants, more than any park in all of Africa. I couldn't begin to tell you how many elephants we saw on the Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours last October. The evening boat tour on the Chobe River gave us some of our best viewing opportunities...
We have started to fill the October 2025 Africa Tour, please email me if you are interested.
We could still add a couple people to the Cuba tour next month, as well as Norway in March and Nepal in May. Visit our site for detailed itineraries and prices: https://natexpotours.com/
As always, thank you for following.
Colin
There is no misunderstanding when a hippo tells you to stay back!
Chobe River, Botswana, October 2024.
Are you interested in visiting Africa? We have spaces for the October 2025 Namibia/Botswana tour with Nat Expo Tours. Visit our website for more info on 2025 adventures, including Cuba in February, Norway in March, and Nepal in May.
Cheers!
Colin
Sunset on the Chobe River, Botswana.
This evening certainly was a highlight of the October 2024 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours! We went for an evening boat ride on the Chobe River and saw a plethora of wildlife including elephants, cape buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, and several bird species. As the sun began to sink toward the horizon and morph into an orange sphere, I asked our guide to position us so we would have an opportunity to photograph the animals against the quintessential African sunset.
Please message me if you are interested in joining one of our adventures this year - we still have a few spots open for Cuba in February, Norway in March, Nepal in May, and Africa in October. You can check out our page or visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/
Thank you for following my journeys and all the best for 2025!
Colin
Plains zebras and impala as seen from the ground hide in Onguma Private Game Reserve, Namibia.
The famous ground hide offers unique opportunities to photograph African wildlife from a low perspective. Of my four visits to the hide, this day was perhaps the most memorable (see previous posts of the bull elephants).
Our October 2025 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours is about half filled at this point. Please message me if you are interested in joining us and visit our site for more info: https://natexpotours.com/
Cheers!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
Scenes from Etosha National Park, Namibia. The giraffes and rhinos were at a waterhole bordering the Okaukuejo Rest Camp, with the quintessential African sunset. We always spend a night at the Okaukuejo Lodge on our tours with the hopes of having an evening like this.
The greater kestrel and lions were taken the following day. You may recognize the "Lion Tree" from an image I took in 2022, framed by the Etosha Pan.
Dates for the 2025 Southern Africa Adventure Oct 19 - Nov 2 and once again include Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls. Please give our page a follow - Nat Expo Tours, LLC - and visit our site for detailed itineraries: https://natexpotours.com/
We still have a few spaces open for Cuba in February and Arctic Norway in March - Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, and…🤞auroras!
As always, thank you for following my journeys. Please message me if you or someone you know might be interested in joining us in 2025!
Colin
Giraffes at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Giraffes at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Rhinos at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Greater kestrel
“The Lion Tree”
The southwestern black rhino - this photo was taken at the waterhole by the Okaukuejo Rest Camp in Namibia's Etosha National Park. Etosha is a stronghold for this critically endangered subspecies of rhinoceros. While the population is strong, the park does not release numbers as poaching remains a serious threat. We were fortunate to observe two rhinos interacting at the Okaukuejo waterhole on our first evening in Etosha.
The dates & itinerary for the 2025 Southern Africa Adventure with Nat Expo Tours are up on our site (Oct 19 - Nov 2): https://natexpotours.com/2025-namibia/
Please email me if you are interested in joining us - we have a few people on the roster already!
Colin
Salvin's albatross, Kaikoura, New Zealand. Taken on our recent excursion with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura.
I'm still editing through photos from both Africa & New Zealand and will have more to share in the coming days. We're also busy planning next year's adventures with Nat Expo Tours. Please give our page a follow on Facebook and Instagram and visit our site to see a list of 2025 destinations & itineraries, including Cuba in February, Arctic Norway in March, and Nepal in May: https://natexpotours.com/
As always, thank you for following my journeys!
Colin
www.colintyler.com
More images from our morning excursion with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura in New Zealand last week! The first is a giant northern petrel against the early morning sky. The second is a cape petrel, also called the pintado (painted) petrel. The third image is a wandering albatross, also known as the snowy or white-winged albatross.
We are working out the details for the November 2025 New Zealand tour. Please message me if you are interested or visit our site: https://natexpotours.com/. We also have spaces available for Cuba in February, Arctic Norway in March, Nepal in May, Croatia in September, and Southern Africa in October.
Cheers!
Colin
Giant Northern Petrel
Cape Petrel of Pintado (Painted) Petrel
Wandering Albatross, aka Snowy or White-Winged Albatross