From Ashes to Beauty: How a Tragic Fire Helped Transform One Man’s Relationship With Nature

Bull moose crossing a creek in early summer at the Eagle River Nature Center/Chugach State Park, Alaska. Colin Tyler Bogucki

Nature has always been at the forefront of photographer Colin Tyler Bogucki’s life. Growing up, he and his family lived in Outing—a small town in “Lake Country” in Northern Minnesota. Surrounded by woodland and lakes, he felt it was the perfect place to grow up. “I was outside all the time and always connected to nature,” he said. Swimming, fishing, and hunting were a few of his passions. In 1991, Tyler attended college, studying psychology. After completing his coursework in 1995, he traveled to Alaska for an internship at a counseling center, where he immediately fell in love with the untamed wilderness.

Journey to Alaska

December Sunrise, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska. Colin Tyler Bogucki