Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
It's starting to look more like winter in the valley and was great to get out on my skis yesterday for the first time this season. Looks like we got a few more inches overnight to boot! Have a great week out there and remember I am running specials on both canvas (20% off) and metal prints (10% off) at my online store: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/
Cheers,
Colin
With such a serene setting, it's tough to believe that the ground is rumbling beneath us but we still have occasional reminders in the form of aftershocks that the earth has not yet settled after last Friday's big quake. Some of the aftershocks have registered at 5.0, which would be a decent earthquake in its own right. Schools and other buildings are still being inspected for damage while bridges and roads are quickly being repaired and life is resuming in Alaska.
Happy Humpday!
Colin
Hello everyone! Checking in from Eagle River, Alaska. We had a powerful earthquake this morning. Thankfully, the Eagle River Nature Center is still standing. There is a lot to clean up - broken glass, sheetrock dust, items that fell from shelves, tiles that were literally shaken loose from the bathroom wall. We are without power and I have no idea how long that will last. Apparently there is a lot of damage to roads and bridges in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. I took a short walk earlier to observe the avalanches & rock slides that resulted from the shakes. The river and creek are both murky from sediment that was shaken up, sheets of ice have broken apart and the aftershocks continue to rumble. The first photo here shows a large slide below Eagle Peak.
I would like to thank everyone for checking in with me, I do appreciate your concern. So far it seems that the loss has been to property rather than life.
Much love,
Colin
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
