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
My First Book - "Seasons of the Nature Center"
Hello Friends,
I have a couple of big announcements...
First, I have lived and worked at the Eagle River Nature Center in Alaska since October of 2014, serving as a resident volunteer and later, Assistant Operations Manager. What was supposed to be a winter stay turned into nearly a decade of residence. I could not ask for a better place to reside, work, and grow as an artist. The staff has been very supportive of my career and more than understanding of my travel schedule in recent years, which allowed me to develop a successful international photo tour company with my good friend and colleague, Mike Haring. Next year's schedule looks to be even busier as we continue to add new destinations to the Nat Expo Tours itinerary, and other opportunities are presenting themselves as well, so it is with bittersweet emotions that I will be departing from my home and position at the Nature Center after April 2023.
Next, as a tribute to this place I have called home for more than eight years, I have embarked on one of the most ambitious and exciting projects of my career thus far - my first book!
"Seasons of the Nature Center, A Photographic Journey of Seasonal Transitions at the Eagle River Nature Center” will comprise more than 100 pages of my favorite photos in a 9x12" limited-edition coffee table book. I am doing much of the design and text in collaboration with a local publisher, with contributions from two very talented Alaskan authors. The foreword was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan, author of "Canyons and Ice, The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith." My bio was written by Chris Forbes Lundgren (Alaska Adventure Books), author of "Accidental Adventures Alaska, True Tales of Ordinary People Facing Danger in the Wilderness."
With that being said, I would also like to announce that you can help fund this project and pre-order a signed copy of "Seasons of the Nature Center" today! I am now taking orders ($30 for the book + $10 shipping): https://www.colintyler.com/online-store/seasons-of-the-nature-center-book
I will have the books in hand by spring/early summer 2023 and send them out at that time.
Thank you for following along, supporting my journeys, and helping to make this dream project a reality!
Colin
The cover of my upcoming book, now available for pre-purchase…
Fall Bear Cub
Looking back to earlier in the season when a brown bear cub had just finished eating a salmon caught by its mother, then paused briefly for this photo. I'm glad I was able to get a few autumn bear images before leaving for Africa…ezg
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday and thank you for following!
Colin
Happy Autumn and the March 2023 Arctic Norway Aurora Adventure!
Happy Autumn, everyone!
With the equinox comes increased solar activity and subsequently, aurora borealis. Along with that, we are heading toward the next solar maximum, so opportunities for sights like this should continue to increase over the next few years...
I will be guiding local aurora borealis tours for Alaska Photo Treks again this season and speaking of aurora tours, Mike and I have added a new trip to our schedule at Nat Expo Tours – the March 2023 Arctic Norway Aurora Adventure! Dates are March 14-22, 2023. Details and itinerary on our website.
We are offering a $200 discount for all subscribers to our newsletter. You can subscribe on our homepage: www.natexpotours.com
Happy Aurora Hunting!
Colin
Auroral corona & moon at the Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska
Aurora borealis over the Chugach Mountains, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska
Nature Photography Day, 2022
Happy Nature Photography Day, 2022! A far cry from the days of shooting film, the art and technology of photography continues to evolve and while I do miss the simplicity and excitement of examining 35mm slides after a big shoot, the limit of what is possible continues to expand beyond what was imaginable just a few years ago.
Aurora borealis time lapse video. Taken in Eagle River Valley, April 2022.
As always, thank you for following along!
Colin
PS - If you received this via email, please click “Read in browser” to view the video
End of Aurora Season...
I think it's safe to say the aurora viewing season is over at this latitude. Last season was very active, and the activity should continue to increase as we move toward the solar maximum. Here are a few more images from April 9 in Eagle River Valley, AK.
I plan to guide aurora tours again next season for Alaska Photo Treks and if all goes as planned, Mike Haring and I will add a multi-day aurora tour to our schedule with Nat Expo Tours next spring.
Thank you for following along and have a great weekend!
Colin
PS - I recently updated the my aurora borealis galleries…
More April 9 Aurora
Another favorite image from the night of April 9, 2022. Again, the aurora dances over Harp Mountain next to a bright moon. Here you can see the footbridge on the Albert Loop trail leading into the forest and toward the river, a favorite route at the Eagle River Nature Center.
Alas, my tour business partner and I are looking into the possibility of leading an aurora photography tour in the spring of 2023 with Nat Expo Tours. Potential destinations include Arctic Alaska or northern Scandinavia. Please stay tuned for details…
Cheers!
Colin
April Auroras, Eagle River Valley
If you had clear skies this past weekend, you may have been treated to some vibrant auroras - truly one of the most brilliant displays I’ve seen in this part of Alaska!
I had two students who were making up a class rescheduled from last month, and our timing was perfect. They learned the basics of setting up to shoot the lights and then got a crash course in making quick adjustments to capture fast moving aurora! In the end, we all came away with beautiful images.
Have a great week out there and thank you for following along!
Colin
Double Rainbow, July 2020
For all the challenges that 2020 brought, it was also the year of double rainbows here at the Eagle River Nature Center. I captured a number of nice images that summer and this one was in use last year by AT&T Alascom on their 2021 poster calendar. I've now added it to my website and online store, available on canvas, metal, and high-gloss photo paper
Wishing you all double rainbows in the year ahead...
Colin
Double Rainbow at the Eagle River Nature Center, July 2020
Red Dawn
We sure had a colorful start to the day yesterday morning!
Being tucked away back here in the valley, we don't have an expansive view of the sky compared to being outside the front range (Anchorage) and are in fact halfway through two months of perpetual shade. As sunrise drew closer, the cloud layer grew thick and the color faded, right after I started shooting a time lapse video...
Colin
PS - if you received this via email, you’ll have to click “View in browser” to watch the short time lapse video
Winter's Tone
This is the start of my eighth winter here at the Eagle River Nature Center and it has undoubtedly been the best season we've had in terms of a snow-blanketed landscape, soft winter tones, and excellent skiing conditions. Wildlife activity has been slow recently but the scenery is breathtaking...
As always, thank you for following,
Colin
Taken from the Albert Loop Trail, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska
Post-eclipse Moonset
Post-eclipse moonset image taken this morning...
These cold temps make for clear skies and a beautiful, frozen landscape. Hopefully some of you caught the lunar eclipse last night and if not, perhaps saw the moon setting in all its glory today.
Have a great weekend and thank you for following!
Colin
Well-fed Brown Bear
It's unfortunate the annual NPS "Fat Bear Contest" is over with because I think this big bruin would have been a contender!
A healthy, well-fed bear is a sign of a functioning ecosystem and this one looks to have enough reserves to sustain it through winter, even with our current temperature of -10˚F...
Colin
Lynx Presentation on YouTube
Hello Everyone,
I enjoyed presenting for the Alaska Wildlife Alliance’s “Wildlife Wednesday” program last week and have received a lot of great feedback. If you weren’t able to watch my presentation on Alaska’s lynx, you can still view it here on the AWA YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBsG6xau9is.
If you’re an avid YouTuber, please visit my new Colin Tyler Photography channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyk_1tMJRT-LwV166he5H7g and be sure to subscribe!
As always, thank you for following along,
Colin
Male Canada Lynx, Eagle River Nature Center/Chugach State Park, Alaska
2021 Autumnal Equinox Time Lapse
Happy Autumn to those in the Northern Hemisphere! It was a brisk and beautiful morning to welcome the autumnal equinox. Here's a 15 second time lapse video taken over a 30 minute period as sunlight began to work its way down the Chugach Mountains and into the valley.
It's tough to imagine that in just a couple weeks I will experience springtime in Namibia!
As always, thank you for following...
Colin
First Snowfall
It's always nice to have fall colors juxtaposed with fresh snow. September 21, 2021, Eagle River Nature Center.
Colin
Eagle River Nature Center's 25th Anniversary Fundraiser Gala
Hello Everyone,
I hope you’re having a great Monday out there! Hey I wanted to share a big event coming up at the Eagle River Nature Center this weekend. On Saturday, Sept. 18, we will be hosting our annual benefit auction and this year it will be held on the Nature Center grounds. This also marks the 25th Anniversary of the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center organization (I have gratefully resided here for 7 of those years). Tickets are available for the event: https://event.auctria.com/c5dfbb53-8ecf-4be0-bd1c-385f813ad60f/
Food and beverages are included, and there will be a number of great items to bid on during the live auction, including a 36x24” metal print of this moose image.
There is also an online silent auction where you can currently view and bid on items: https://event.auctria.com/.../a780d600ec2e11e9ae081db8308...
We’d love for you to celebrate this milestone with us and support a wonderful organization!
Thank you,
Colin
Bull Moose at the Eagle River Nature Center, June 2021