Eye of the Storm

I returned from Iceland early yesterday and have a lot of images & videos to edit, so there will be much to share in the coming days/weeks. I'm happy we were able to fill two tours to near 100% capacity despite the challenges of international travel right now, and even more satisfied that our guests all had a fun and exciting tour. We had extremes in weather, from high wind & horizontal rain to some of the nicest days I have ever experienced in Iceland, where temps surpassed 70˚F and the fjords were like glass, and I was reminded that you often find the best light during inclement weather, if you're on the edge of the storm or standing in the eye.

As always, thank you for following along.

Takk!

Colin

Rainbow on the beach near Grundarfjörður, West Iceland

Rainbow on the beach near Grundarfjörður, West Iceland

Volcano Video

After lying dormant for more than 800 years, Fagradalsfjall began erupting in March of 2021. This video was taken on August 14, the day we arrived in Iceland along with 6 of the 8 guests on our first tour. This was a bonus excursion for those who arrived early, and everyone was thrilled to have this experience.

Video taken with the Nikon D850 & 200—400mm f/4 lens, edited with iMovie.

Colin

Fagradalsfjall Volcano, Iceland

Fire on the mountain!

Checking in from Iceland where we were able to witness and photograph Fagradalsfjall Volcano along with 6 of our guests who showed up early for the first tour. Needless to say, everyone was thrilled to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity!

I'll be posting more in the coming days as we have time to edit but right now, our days are filled with travel and incredible experiences.

Video taken with DJI Osmo Pocket II, edited with iMovie.

Colin

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Black Bears & Cottonwood Trees

Cottonwood trees are popular with black bears - not only do cubs easily ascend them but the adults are proficient climbers as well, often reaching heights of 50 feet or more to strip and eat the seeds in late spring & early summer. With all the cotton releasing in the breeze right now, it looks like this source of nutrition will soon be gone for the season...

Colin

Black bear cub in a cottonwood tree, Alaska.

Black bear cub in a cottonwood tree, Alaska.

Minnesota Swan Gallery

I recently created a gallery on my website for the trumpeter swan images I took in Minnesota last month if you'd like to have a look: https://www.colintyler.com/wildlife#/trumpeter-swans-of-lake-george-mn/

I've also been adding the photos to my online store (just in time for Father's Day) and from now through the end of June, I am offering 20% off canvas prints and 15% off metal prints by using the codes: FATHERSDAYCANVAS21 of FATHERSDAYMETAL21 at checkout: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Have a great weekend out there and feel free to share!

Thank you for following along,

Colin

Trumpeter swans landing on Lake George near my hometown of Outing, MN on a foggy morning in May, 2021.

Trumpeter swans landing on Lake George near my hometown of Outing, MN on a foggy morning in May, 2021.

COY - "Cub of the Year"

Hello everyone! I'm happy to have something new to share today - a black bear COY or "Cub of the Year." This tiny little bear and its sibling were showing off their innate climbing skills while their mother was grazing on vegetation right below them. Black bears retain their ability to scale large trees into adulthood, serving as a method of escape from larger and dominant brown (grizzly) bears as well as a means to feed on cottonwood seeds in the spring.

Colin

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Fox Family

In addition to the trumpeter swans I recently photographed near my hometown of Outing, Minnesota, I've had a few encounters with a family of red foxes. The kits are skittish but also a bit curious, as this little one paused to check me out for a few minutes.
Colin

More Minnesota Swans

I've been editing through trumpeter swan photos from a few days ago. Here are a few more of my faves. I'm glad I was able to be here in my hometown to witness and capture the swan migration on such a beautiful misty morning. My circadian rhythm seems to have aligned with the light cycle and wakes me every morning before sunrise to check the light...

Colin

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Alaska Magazine: "Eagle River Nature Center Celebrates Twenty-Five Years"

Hello & Happy Monday out there, friends! Hey, the current issue of Alaska Magazine has a wonderful article about the Eagle River Nature Center’s twenty-fifth anniversary. This is where I have lived for more than 6 years and I cannot say enough about the center and the role it serves in the community as a gateway to Chugach State Park as well as hub for education. As much as I try, I could never give back as much as I have gained here, both personally and professionally. The article was beautifully written by Alaskan author, Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan, and they used my photos to accompany her words.

You can link to the article below. I highly recommend subscribing to Alaska Magazine – it’s a great resource for visitors planning a trip to the Last Frontier and AK residents alike. I have spent most of the past twenty-five years living in Alaska and I still discover something new in every issue.

https://alaskamagazine.com/travel/southcentral-alaska/the-eagle-river-nature-center-celebrates-25-years/

As always, thank you for following along!

Colin

PS - The Eagle River Nature Center will soon have commemorative poster prints with one of my brown bear images. I will share that link when they are available for purchase.

A foggy autumn morning on the Rodak Nature Trail, Eagle River Nature Center

A foggy autumn morning on the Rodak Nature Trail, Eagle River Nature Center

Happy Mother's Day

Hello and Happy Mother's Day from Minnesota! I am grateful to be visiting my mom this year and enjoying the wildlife & scenery in my hometown of Outing. Yesterday I woke to a beautiful foggy morning that is so quintessential to the northern lakes area. Add to that roughly 70 trumpeter swans and it was a serene experience. Here are a few of the images I created.

Have a great day out there and be sure to honor all the moms out there, human and nonhuman, as well as our sacred Mother Earth.

Colin

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Earth Day 2021

Earth Day 2021 Adventure, Turnagain Pass. I decided to explore the backcountry on my skis and couldn't have asked for a better day. The snow was soft and the light was amazing. I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the outdoors as well.

Have a great weekend and thank you for following along!

Colin

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"Best of Landscape"

Happy Earth Day, 2021!

This is a significant day to me for several reasons and each year I make it a point to explore someplace new on Earth Day. Before I head out the door, I wanted to announce that my December Sunrise image was named "Best of Landscape" in the AlaskaWild 2021 showcase that is sponsored by the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. My brown bear image received an honorable mention as well. It is an honor to receive this recognition and I encourage you to view all the stunning images from this year's gallery: https://asonp.photoshelter.com/gallery/alaskaWILD2021/G0000M8kvyKdYEjU/

Have a fantastic Earth Day out there and I hope you can find a bit of time to enjoy what the natural world has to offer this day and every day!

Colin

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

Coastal Waterfall, Prince William Sound

I recently submitted some images to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for use in a project called the "Alaska Coastal Mapping Campaign" which will be viewed by the President, Interior Secretary, and other administration officials. It is a honor to have a number of images selected for the project and in the process of searching through my files I came across a few gems that I almost forgotten about, like this one.

Have a great day out there and thank you for following along!

Colin

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AlaskaWild 2021

Hello Everyone,

I am honored to announce that three of my images have been selected to the annual AlaskaWild exhibition sponsored by the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers. I joined the organization last year and have enjoyed meeting other photographers and utilizing the great resources that ASONP offers. If you are in Anchorage, the show will be at Side Street Espresso beginning this Friday, April 2. From there, the photos will be displayed at various locations throughout the state over the next year. If you have a chance, I encourage you to see all the stunning images that have been chosen for this year's show. If you are interested in joining ASONP, you can find more information here: https://asonp.org/

Have a great weekend and thank you for following along...

Colin

Brown bear in autumn, Eagle River Nature Center

Brown bear in autumn, Eagle River Nature Center

Juvenile great horned owl, Eagle River Nature Center

Juvenile great horned owl, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center

Weekend Auroras?

Happy Friday, everyone!

The aurora forecast is calling for possible G-1 class geomagnetic storms this weekend, however the weather forecast is predicting clouds. If the skies are clear enough for a display, I will be out chasing lights on my skis again.

Have a great weekend and thank you for following!

Colin

Aurora gazing on Eagle River

Aurora gazing on Eagle River

Black & White Bald Eagle

I ski past this pair of nesting bald eagles frequently but getting a good perspective & lighting without a distracting background has been challenging. Yesterday, those components came together when one of the eagles was perched in the dead branches of a cottonwood tree. When I saw the symmetry of the stark branches coupled with the direction of the eagle's gaze against an open sky, I knew this would end up being a monochrome image.

Hope you enjoy,

Colin

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Panoramic Auroras

Good morning and Happy Monday out there!

Here are a couple panoramic images I created this weekend. Both are a series of vertical frames stitched together from Friday night/Saturday morning's display. I'd literally been waiting years for the right conditions to be able to ski out onto Eagle River and shoot auroras from this angle. The way this season is going, I might get another chance before the river thaws. We could have more activity this week, weather-permitting.

Cheers!

Colin

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