Winter in Alaska is beautiful as it is long. Amid brutal weather and few hours of sunlight, survival of the cold months is a challenge in itself. For those acclimated to such a raw setting, however, there’s much to enjoy. Zan Butler is one individual for whom the Alaskan winter is a marvel. The photographer spent October 2011 through April 2012 making this time-lapse clip, which displays the changing of seasons around Anchorage, Alaska.

Butler commented on his project on Vimeo, writing, “So this is what I did over this past winter when I was not making people coffee.” In his time spent outside the coffee shop, he managed to catch frigid sunsets, changing tides, and the northern lights. His short film succeeds in capturing glimpses of the natural phenomena of winter in Alaska, minus the experience of the harsher elements.