Arctic Breeze
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Text & Photography By Max FosterG
reenland is an autonomous country that’s part of the Kingdom
of Denmark and is considered the world’s largest island. To
put its massive size into perspective, it’s larger than the state
of Alaska and is over 1,600 miles from north to south. Despite the
enormous area, only 57,000 people live there.
When people think of Greenland, they often visualize huge ice-
bergs, an expansive ice sheet (second only to Antarctica in size) and
lots of polar bears. However, in many coastal areas, you’ll find deep
fjords, jagged mountains and arctic tundra typical of the far north.
This environment is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to break
their own trail and photograph in complete solitude.
Summer months are an excellent time to visit Greenland due to the
mild temperatures and beautiful green valleys. In late August 2018,
I led an adventure photography trip through the fjords and valleys in
the area just outside Nanortalik. We sailed deep into the Tasermiut
Fjord, visited glaciers and climbed mountainsides to gain a bird’s eye
view. Halfway through the trip, we hiked to the middle of a valley
and camped beneath the incredible peak you see here.
On this particular morning, we were surrounded by fog for several
hours, barely able to see 300 feet away. We decided to break camp
and head for our next destination, but just before we left, the fog
began to lift. We quickly ran to a spot close by that was filled with
an abundance of arctic cotton.
Wanting to bring the viewer into the midst of the cotton balls, I
set up my tripod as low as possible (around 4 inches off the ground).
There was a strong breeze, so a fast shutter speed was necessary, and
since my lens was very close to the cotton balls, I needed significant
depth of field. Focusing manually on the nearest cotton ball, I used a
2-second delay to initiate the shutter, repeating with several additional
focus points. I waited until the fog broke just enough to show the
tip of the mountain and captured a shot for the sky and background.
Each exposure was reviewed afterward to ensure there was no
motion blur in the foreground and that my highlights weren’t over-
exposed. The moment was fleeting, and just minutes later the entire
valley of fog was swept away with the wind. We celebrated our good
fortune and then began the hike toward our next incredible destination.
Although Greenland is very remote and difficult to travel in, it’s
easily one of my favorite places for photography. The variety of land-
scapes, true wilderness experience and dynamic weather conditions
all make it a world-class photography destination. OPSee more of Max Foster’s work at maxfosterphotography.com.behind the shot
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