THE LIGHT AND THE LAND

We know from photographers we meet in Greenland that the majority are looking for landscapes and wildlife; they like to explore the subtle colors of the destination and move from tiny details in rocks and ice to sweeping panoramic stories and back.

Light is a key tool for any photographer and it can be harnessed to create drama, contrasts, and to bring out emotions in the story of the image, which is why photo tours are always a combination of timing and location.

In Greenland, locations define our rough, mountainous and contrasting land, which is sparsely populated in small local communities, dominated by the enormous ice sheet, and shaped by the Arctic climate.

Nightscapes

The night holds a special place in Greenland, both because the bright summer nights provide golden hour lighting conditions for hours, and because in late summer and throughout the winter season the dry climate and lack of light pollution bring out the northern lights and stars on the night skies.

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are the obvious attraction of the night, especially at latitudes around and just south of the Arctic Circle, such as Tasiilaq, Sisimiut, Nuuk, and Maniitsoq, where the northern lights are particularly bright from September until April.

The real gem, however, is Kangerlussuaq on the west coast, which delivers clear skies more than 300 nights a year, and where you can go on northern lights trips with World of Greenland Arctic Circle.

The darkness also brings out other adventures, both nature based and photographic, adding perspective and depth to the experience, and for many photographers night photography is a way to combine exciting challenges with an almost therapeutic activity.