Tim Ernst returns to HSV Audubon
By MARY ELIADES
Voice correspondent
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE JAN. 20, 2026, ISSUE OF THE HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE VOICE. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION.
As always when pre-eminent wilderness photographer Tim Ernst comes to town, the Coronado Center auditorium was bursting at the seams with HSV Audubon members and guests for Ernst’s presentation on Jan. 8, coinciding with the publication of his 21st and 22nd books.
Ernst has spoken to HSV Audubon many times, and crowds over the years have thrilled to his talks and stunning slideshows. His latest presentation featured unpublished photographs taken in the last couple of years, encompassing scenes from all over Arkansas of hidden waterfalls, beautiful foliage, interesting rock formations, fields and mountains. The new photographs are featured in his latest book, “Arkansas Nature Photographer: My 50th Anniversary.”
The photos were accompanied by music, handpicked by Ernst and his wife to enhance the experience. “Good music makes my pictures look a lot better,” quipped Ernst. The photos did not need music to look better – they were already perfect – but the selected pieces certainly added another layer of enjoyment. In between songs, the drop of a pin could have been heard in the auditorium.
Ernst talked a bit about his background, starting with his days working at Blanchard Springs Caverns (Arkansas’ newest state park – announced by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Dec. 8, 2025) as a teenager, scuba diving through the caverns with the original cave explorers. The audience was treated to descriptions of close calls and thrilling experiences, all delivered with Ernst’s characteristic self-deprecating humor.
Ernst got his first camera in 1975 and, coincidentally, his first magazine cover that same year. He said he got his first wildlife assignment after answering an ad for a photographer; he got the job – photographing sorority parties at the University of Arkansas.
In addition to his coffee table books, Ernst has published trail guides and calendars. His recently updated book “Arkansas Waterfalls,” now in its third edition, features more than 400 waterfalls, including 200 new photos. The guidebook includes maps, detailed directions, statistics, etc.
Ernst last visited Hot Springs Village Audubon in 2022 and announced that it was his last tour. Fortunately for his many fans, however, he decided to continue his work, and his latest book marks 50 years as an Arkansas photographer.
He told his listeners he has a “new retirement plan – keep working.”
Audubon members will eagerly await his next visit – and his next book.