Every time I find a new perspective in a familiar place I discover a little bit about myself. Today it was the sparkle on the crusted snow that caught my attention.
Be well and as always, thank you for following along.
Colin
Social distancing, the best way I know how.
Hello, friends. I hope this finds you in good health. I've certainly been spending more time outside recently and fully realize how fortunate I am to call this place home. May you all find a bit of respite in the uncertain days ahead, a light at the end of the valley, and please stay well.
Colin
Highlights from Cuba
A classic car tour of Havana, exploring waterfalls & swimming in the cool waters, kayaking with pelicans and visiting the countryside on horseback; these are just some of the highlights from this year’s Cuba photo tour! I intend to return to Cuba ‘el próximo año’ (next year) and might kick off the tour on Sunday, February 14, 2021 - Valentine’s Day. Please stay tuned for details on that…
Colin
Classic car tour, Havana
El Nicho National Park
Kayaking in Guajimico
Horseback farm tour, Trinidad
Horseback farm tour, Trinidad
Cuban Sunset
Sometimes you have a vision in mind and sometimes that vision comes to fruition - here's a Caribbean sunset to warm up your Monday!
Trinidad, Cuba, February 2020.
Colin
Big Snowfall
There's nothing like two feet of fresh snow to welcome me back from the tropics! Since early yesterday morning we have received 23 inches - a bit much for skiing right now but my snowshoes have been sitting idle for some time so I guess it's time to get those out and explore...
Colin
Almost three feet of accumulation!
Eagle River Nature Center
Iditarod/Crow Pass Trailhead
Cuban Skies
“I can always find my Cuban skies
In Rosalinda’s eyes…”
(Billy Joel, Rosalinda’s Eyes, 1978)
That song always transported me to Havana, long before I ever visited. Today it’s taking me back there as I edit through photos from this year’s tour and find myself missing those Cuban skies. This was taken on our first day along Havana’s famous Malecón (sea wall) - always a lively and social place at the end of the day with vendors of all kinds and street musicians beckoning you to join them (for a few pesos) and on this day, a turbulent sea at high tide!
More images to come, including fun shots from the tour as well as some very important reconnections with friends from previous visits to Cuba.
As always, thank you for following my journey!
Colin
Sun Shadows
The sun has been making brief appearances in our end of the valley again, in select areas and only a few minutes at a time. I took this last week just after it had dropped behind Eagle Peak and cast shadows of the mountains onto the clouds.
I'll be back in Cuba on Friday and while I do look forward to the tropical weather, I hope to return to a still-snow-covered landscape - skiing has been wonderful on the river this season!
Thank you all for following along. I will soon be posting from Cuba!
🇨🇺
Colin
Return of the Sun (almost)...
In just a few short days the sun will begin peaking over these mountains again for the first time in two months and in just two short weeks I will be back in Cuba for my third trip! I'll be out enjoying the winter landscape as much as possible before heading to the tropics.
Have a great weekend and thank you for following along!
Colin
Subzero Musings
Here are a few musings from this week's subzero winter landscape. While I do enjoy these temperatures and the light they bring, I am also looking forward to returning to Cuba in just three weeks! Speaking of Cuba, I had another person join the tour this week and I still have space for a few more. It's coming up fast but if you are spontaneous like me, you can still register here: https://www.colintyler.com/february-2020-cuba-tour
Also, January 15 is the last day to register for our August 2020 Iceland Tour and take advantage of the early booking discount - $200 off for individuals and $500 for couples/pairs: https://www.colintyler.com/august-2020-iceland-tour
Thank you for following along and have a great weekend!
Colin
Frozen Landscape
My first shared image of 2020, taken on the coldest day we've had in recent memory. Despite being in perpetual shade this time of year with current temps hovering around -20˚F, a bit of reflected light will warm the spirit, and there’s no solitude like that of a quiet winter day.
Have a beautiful Monday out there!
Colin
Post-Christmas Blues
Winter finally arrived in Eagle River Valley on Christmas Day! We had almost no snow going into the holiday so I was happy with the ensuing winter wonderland. The ice in the glacial river was a nice hue under the overcast light while the rest of the scene was almost monotone.
All the best for 2020,
Colin
Minnesota Surnise
Good morning from lake country! It's always nice to visit my home state of Minnesota and be welcomed by the Midwest skies, like today's vibrant sunrise.
Have a great weekend out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
First Snow!
Good afternoon from Eagle River Valley. I haven't posted it a while and honestly, the lack of color has left me uninspired but we just received a foot of fresh snow in the last 24 hours! I had just enough time & light this morning to ski out to one of my favorite spots and enjoy the brisk morning while capturing a few images.
Have a great week out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween! Since owls seem to today's theme, I decided to jump on board and share a few of my nighttime images of great horned owls. I spent several hours trying to capture the third image of the owl taking flight, going out each evening and setting up, hoping that I'd be ready if & when the opportunity presented itself. My patience & persistence finally paid off after a couple weeks!
Have a safe & fun holiday and weekend!
Colin
Moose Monday
Moose Monday was productive! This is one of two large bulls that I photographed - it seemed he was in the mood for love while the cow definitely was not.
On another note, I will be sharing the details for my 2020 Iceland Photo Tour in the coming days, so stay tuned for that...
Thank you for following along,
Colin
Fat Bear Week
In honor of Katmai National Park & Preserve's "Fat Bear Week" here are a few images of rather large bruins taken around Brooks Camp in 1999 and 2002. In preparation for winter's slumber, brown bears can consume up to 90 pounds of food per day during this time of year, known as hyperphagia, in order to fatten up for months of fasting ahead wherein they can lose up to one third of their body weight.
So, an overweight bear is a healthy bear and a sign of a properly functioning ecosystem!
Colin
September Morn
Autumn is off to nice start here. A week of much needed precipitation seems to have given the colors a little boost before the season fades. Last week we received more rain in one 24-hour period than we had all summer and more is on the way. I am grateful for that, as well as a misty morning to enjoy a day between showers.
Have a great Monday out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
Happy Autumn
"We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been." (Tool, "Lateralus")
Happy Autumnal Equinox! Today marks the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. I created this image in camera - in other words, this is not a Photoshop filter. By zooming in while it was exposing, I was able to create the swirling motion. As I told my class yesterday, you do not have to duplicate reality when creating images. Mood is the most important element in any photograph or work of art, so don't be afraid to think outside the box.
Have a great day and season!
Colin
Whale Watching in Northern Iceland
Hello from Akureyri, on the north coast of Iceland! I've had two successful days of whale watching up here. Yesterday I took a tour out of Húskavik with Salka Whale Watching, where we had some great encounters with a minke whale. Today I decided to give it another shot and see if my luck would continue on a cruise out of Hauganes with Whale Watching Hauganes. Within 30 minutes I spotted the first whale - a humpback! Again, we had some wonderful and very close interactions. I certainly plan to include cruises with each company on the August 2020 Iceland Photo Tour itinerary!
I will be posting details for the August 2020 Iceland Photo Tour later this year, once all the details are worked out. In the meantime, I am also leading a tour in Cuba in February 2020. If you or anyone you know is interested, please follow/share this link: https://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes
Thank you!
Colin
Humpback whale fluke.
Minke whale lunge feeding.
Humpback whale fluke.
"Íslensk Ást - Icelandic Love"
On my way to explore a canyon in the highlands yesterday I took a short detour and came upon a group of horses along the road with a nice background and autumn color. I wasn't there long when this beautiful moment occurred, proving once again that timing is everything. For the record, these horses were not baited but they certainly were rewarded...with carrots.
Interested in joining me on an Iceland photo tour in August of 2020? Stay tuned for details later this year!
Colin
