Greenland Photography Tour – Scoresby Sound
August 31 – September 9, 2027
The Scoresby Sund is home to awe-inspiring, majestic alpine scenery with breathtaking elevation gains of as much as 2 km, straight from sea level!
Greenland – The Last Frontier!
Join us on an all inclusive photography adventure of a lifetime in East Greenland’s awe inspiring and breathtakingly beautiful Scoresby Sound, our planet’s largest and most remote multi branch fjord system! Think majestic basalt mountains on one side and 2 km high sheer granite cliffs rising straight out of the water on the other, glaciers snaking their way down mountains and huge icebergs dotting the fjord. I have had the fortune of leading photography workshops in Scoresby Sound, and it counts as the most beautiful wilderness I have witnessed. The beauty and grandeur is unmatched, and that means a lot, since I have had the fortune of photographing some of the world’s most awe inspiring natural treasures! We visit Scoresby Sound at a time of the year when the beautiful autumn colors of the tundra are expected to be at their peak, adding to the already breathtaking beauty of this vast and pristine wilderness.
East Greenland is probably the most isolated part of a country that is already exceptionally remote. Along the more than 20,000 kilometres of coastline there are only two towns and 5 small settlements, inhabited by no more than 3,500 people. Not only is this a remote, pristine wilderness of unmatched drama, but during our Greenland photography tour you also have the chance of seeing a number of animals, including the muskox , during walks on the tundra, and of course whales in the waters of the fjord! Not to mention the possibility of seeing polar bears, but from a distance, of course!
We sail on a chartered boat operated by North Sailing during the months of July to September. These are the only months when enough of the surface ice has melted so that the fjord is accessible by boat. Our boat is powered by wind, if available, and otherwise a motor.
We fly on a chartered flight from Reykjavík, Iceland, to Constable Point in Scoresby Sound, from where we make our way to our boat, waiting to take us on a 7 day journey into some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. At the end of our journey, we make our way back to Constable point to catch our flight back to Reykjavik.
The awe inspiring Grundtvigskirken towers 2 km above icebergs at its base. While sailing through the Scoresby Sound's O-fjord, we were blessed with one breathtaking view after another. A privilege to witness!
Where: Scoresby Sound, East Greenland – See it on a map here.
Level: All Levels – Beginner to Advanced
Tour Leader: Christoph Fischer (photography) and expert nature guides
When: August 31 – September 9, 2027 – 3 Spots Remain
Cost: 9710 Euros (Boat Charter) + 2000 Canadian Dollars (Photography Tuition and Guiding)
Deposit: 2000 Canadian Dollars
Registration: To register, or for more information, please CONTACT ME.
The majestic Scoresby Sound fjord system comprises several fjords, including the breataking Rodefjord and Ofjord. We sail in a clockwise direction, beginning and ending in Ittoqqortoormiit.
Your Unforgettable Adventure Includes
- Seven days of sailing through Scoresby Sound on our chartered boat, under the guidance of a team of experienced sailors and nature guides.
- Delicious meals and accommodation while on board.
- Charter flights between Iceland and Greenland.
- Hands on, dedicated, one on one photography instruction. I don’t wait for you to come ask me questions, instead I continuously engage with you, to make sure you achieve the best possible photographs.
- Program of review sessions, lectures and processing sessions so that you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work.
What is not included:
- Flights to and from Iceland.
- Accommodation or food in Iceland before or after the trip.
Itinerary
Day 1: I very much look forward to welcoming you to Iceland, and the beginning of our adventure into the awe inspiring wilderness of East Greenland’s Scoresby Sound! We meet for a welcome dinner and a chance to get to know one another. This will be the opportunity for me to give you a warm, hearty welcome to our Greenland photography tour and to brief you on the amazing adventure that lies ahead. It also will be your opportunity to taste the exquisitely prepared Icelandic seafood that Reykjavik is so well known for!
Day 2: This is the day when we get to see Greenland and the first day of our unforgettable arctic adventure! Our aircraft departs Reykjavík for a flight to Constable Point in East Greenland, a small airfield west of Hurry Inlet in Jameson Land. We board our boat, our new home for the next 7 days in Scoresby Sound. After a safety briefing by the crew, we sail towards the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, which we lovingly call the town of too many letters! Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the most isolated villages in the world, and we have time for a brief visit and perhaps to interact with the friendly locals. This will also be your chance to buy a souvenir, to stroll around and experience the tranquility associated with the town’s remoteness, and there is a small museum nearby where you can learn more about the history of this unique part of the world.
Day 3: We sail west between palaces of icebergs that gently drift under the influence of the currents in the arctic waters after calving from the parent glaciers originating in the inland ice. This is where you will wonder in awe at your first sight of the towering cliff faces of Scoresby Sound as we approach Hekla Havn, on Denmark Ø, where we will anchor for the night. There are beautiful sunrise and sunset photography opportunities here, and I look forward to sharing them with you!
Day 4: After our sunrise session, we continue to sail west through the narrow Føhnfjord with the majestic basalt mountains of Gåseland on one side and 2000 meters high sheer granite cliffs of Milne Land on the other side. We will visit the unique and beautiful Red Island, located right next to “iceberg valley” and you will quickly see that it is a well deserved name! We may decide to anchor here, so that you have the opportunity to photograph sunrise and sunset from the heights of Red Island, as it colors a vast sea of huge icebergs, bordering on towering mountains and distant glaciers. The views here are out of this world, and I can’t wait to show you!
Day 5: Following our morning photography session, we continue to sail north through one of my favourite sections of Scoresby Sound, the Rødefjord, which is often filled with both larger icebergs and crackling, glittering ice fragments from icebergs that are breaking up. These are the icebergs you will have seen from the heights of Red Island. We arrive in Harefjord where we set anchor. As we approach Harefjord, you will catch to your right your first glimpse of what absolutely must be the world’s most spectacular and dramatic fjord, the Øfjord.
The area around Harefjord is wonderful for hikes, and we have the chance to capture muskoxen, snow hares, grouse, geese and other wildlife, which normally graze on the south-facing slopes. Those of us who have the energy may want to hike to the top of a ridge with a truly breathtaking view over Harefjord, where the terrain drops down on each side and the glacier tongues descend into the sea.
Day 6: This is the absolute highlight of our adventure: We sail eastwards through the awesome Øfjord, unquestionably the most spectacular area we have the privilege of viewing during this trip. Unbelievable mountain peaks and granite walls tower with 2000 meters elevation gains above you. It is an indescribably beautiful and awe inspiring area! There may be a sea breeze in the Øfjord which would allow us to set sails. We set anchor in Jyttes Havn, part of the beautiful Bear Islands, in the late afternoon.
Day 7: The day is spent hiking in and around Jyttes Havn in Bear Islands. There are great locations for sunrise and sunset photography here, and this also happens to be an area where the tundra colors are particularly beautiful. There are two options of a longer or shorter hike in the Bear Islands, or on the northernmost tip of Milne Land, a short zodiac ride away.
Day 8: After our morning session. we sail the channel between the Bear Islands and Milne Land with a breathtaking view of the spectacular archipelago. As we sail into the last evening and night of the trip, it is likely that we‘ll be experiencing sights of the largest and the most fascinating icebergs of the journey. This provides a fantastic opportunity for photographs of the majestic and impressive icebergs that are often found in this particular area. When we wake up the next morning, we are anchored at the airstrip in Constable Point.
Day 9: Our adventure is over all too soon and we enjoy our last breakfast on board. We disembark our boat for the last time and board the aircraft in Constable Point to fly back to Reykjavík, Iceland. Once we are back in our hotel in Reykjavik, it is time to got out for our final celebratory dinner where, in the company of newly found friends, we look back at our unforgettable adventure which is over much too soon!
Day 10: It will be both a joyous and sad time as we bid each other farewell over our last breakfast together. All good things have to come to an end!
A beautifully shaped iceberg is framed by warm morning light dressing a distant mountain. One of our most memorable moments, as we were floating in perfectly calm waters, surrounded by a sea of icebergs and distant mountain ranges.
It was getting late. Our captain decided to spend the night, anchorless! Floating in the middle of a calm sea, surrounded by uncountable icebergs, framed by giant mountains. A day we'll never forget!
The soft light of the arctic sun breaks through clearing clouds, unveiling a distant world of majestic mountains, towering as much as 2 km above 30 m tall icebergs!
The colors and quality of light in Greenland are unlike any I have seen. Softly undulating waters reflect the sky above, while two icebergs contrast against the cyan/green horizon.
The mysterious, the partially known, exerts a profound hold on us. Giant icebergs contrast against towering mountains emerging from the clouds, yet never revealing what lies behind.
The light in Greenland is astoundingly intense and colorful. A sea of giant icebergs contrasts against distant, towering cliff faces dressed in the afternoon sun.
Your Learning Experience
My goal is for you to come away from our Greenland photography tour with great images which portray the beauty and unique nature of this incredible part of the world. I will take you to all the locations I have identified as the most promising for rewarding photography and we will visit these only when the quality of light is most conducive for compelling images. As you photograph, I will give you dedicated in the field instruction on all aspects of photography, ranging from the technical to the creative. Although we will be spending as much time as possible photographing, it is important to balance this with presentations, review sessions, and processing sessions so that, as our tour progresses, you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work. I will be putting much emphasis on the creative aspects of photography such as composition and developing a vision. Another area we will be focusing on is processing and developing a workflow, which forms a very important part of photography.
Topics to be covered:
Getting the technicals right to capture the full beauty of light interacting with the landscape:
1. Exposure and exposure bracketing
2. Focus, depth of field and sharpness
3. Use of filters, especially the polarizer
Previsualisation and composition
Developing an artistic vision
The digital darkroom: Highly effective postprocessing skills
Our Greenland photography tour offers you all of this and more while you have the opportunity to photograph in one of the most extravagantly beautiful, pristine and majestic wildernesses on earth!
The Scoresby Sund blessed us with some truly unique, surreal landscapes. A lone iceberg is dwarfed by the slanting ridges of a towering mountain, themselves beautifully reflected in the calm waters.
It is at the base of icebergs where the magic happens. The deep blues of a small iceberg reflect in wondrous pastel tones off gently undulating waters.
For a brief moment, distant icebergs and mountain ranges are dressed in some of the most beautiful pastel colors I have seen.
Recommended Photography Gear
Camera:
dSLR or mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. Preferably two bodies so that you one have as a backup in case the main body fails.
Lenses:
I strongly recommend variable zoom lenses. Prime lenses are sharper, but you are limited to one focal length, greatly restricting composition. This is especially relevant when you do not have time to change your lenses before the scene changes or disappears. Often this is the case.
Your lenses must have a manual focusing mode. Either your lens must have a switch, or your camera an internal setting, to switch between manual and auto focusing mode. There will be several instances where we have to operate our lens in manual focusing mode.
Your lens needs a focusing ring which indicates the approximate distance at which you are focusing. Alternatively, the focus distance would be indicated in your viewfinder.
Telephoto:
We will use telephotos extensively, for landscapes and wildlife. I strongly suggest a good quality telephoto with an effective focal length range from around 70 mm to at least 400 mm.
Wide angle:
An effective focal length of 17 mm or less. The wider you can go, the better.
Intermediate:
To cover the entire focal length range, you need an additional intermediate zoom lens to cover the gap between the wide angle and telephoto.
Drones:
You are allowed to fly drones in Scoresby Sound, and the views are stunning!
Filters:
Polarizer:
The key filter is the polarizer which can significantly improve contrast, clarity and bring out colors. It is highly recommended. You need one for the telephoto and your intermediate lenses. Ideally you also would have one for the wide angle lens, but it is not as crucial. Use high quality filters. There are many lower quality filters on the market and they significantly deteriorate image quality.
Neutral Density Filter:
This is not essential, but it may be useful for long exposures to smooth the water surface or create cloud streaks.
Neutral Density Gradient Filter:
If you use them, please feel free to bring them along.
Tripod:
A sturdy, stable tripod. is essential. The tripod legs must move independently from each other, i.e., are not fused. Your tripod should be able to reach your chin, without the center column extended.
Image backup and memory cards:
We will take many photographs and you need enough storage space to back up your images. This means several high capacity memory cards of 64 GB capacity or more. For backups you need external hard drives. You should back up your images on two different hard drives, since it is not unusual for hard drives to fail!
Batteries:
Bring plenty of batteries, in case we may not have the chance to recharge our batteries during the day. Three or four fully loaded batteries should last the day.
A deep blue iceberg seems to glow from within as it is illuminated by the late afternoon sun, while glittering ice fragments float within its soft reflections.
The jagged ridges of one of the most iconic peaks in the spectacular O-Fjord appear from behind clearing clouds.
Registration and Payment
Thank you so much for your interest in our Greenland photography tour and sailing expedition! I very much look forward to showing you the best that this pristine and awe inspiring arctic wilderness has to offer!
To register, or for more information, please contact me at this link or send me an E-mail at [email protected]
In order to reserve your spot, a deposit of 2000 Canadian Dollars is kindly requested.
Cancellation more than 300 days before tour begin: Full refund of deposit.
Blue ice fragments float in intense golden reflections, as our boat glided gently through an infinite sea of ice and calm waters.
Gallery
Greenland Scoresby Sound Photography Tour
August 31 – September 9, 2027
Greenland – The Last Frontier!
Join us on an all inclusive photography adventure of a lifetime in East Greenland’s awe inspiring and breathtakingly beautiful Scoresby Sound, our planet’s largest and most remote multi branch fjord system! Think majestic basalt mountains on one side and 2 km high sheer granite cliffs rising straight out of the water on the other, glaciers snaking their way down mountains and huge icebergs dotting the fjord. I have had the fortune of leading photography workshops in Scoresby Sound, and it counts as the most beautiful wilderness I have witnessed. The beauty and grandeur is unmatched, and that means a lot, since I have had the fortune of photographing some of the world’s most awe inspiring natural treasures! We visit Scoresby Sound at a time of the year when the beautiful autumn colors of the tundra are expected to be at their peak, adding to the already breathtaking beauty of this vast and pristine wilderness.
East Greenland is probably the most isolated part of a country that is already exceptionally remote. Along the more than 20,000 kilometres of coastline there are only two towns and 5 small settlements, inhabited by no more than 3,500 people. Not only is this a remote, pristine wilderness of unmatched drama, but during our Greenland photography tour you also have the chance of seeing a number of animals, including the muskox , during walks on the tundra, and of course whales in the waters of the fjord! Not to mention the possibility of seeing polar bears, but from a distance, of course!
We sail on a chartered boat operated by North Sailing during the months of July to September. These are the only months when enough of the surface ice has melted so that the fjord is accessible by boat. Our boat is powered by wind, if available, and otherwise a motor.
We fly on a chartered flight from Reykjavík, Iceland, to Constable Point in Scoresby Sound, from where we make our way to our boat, waiting to take us on a 7 day journey into some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. At the end of our journey, we make our way back to Constable point to catch our flight back to Reykjavik.
Where: Scoresby Sound, East Greenland – See it on a map here.
Level: All Levels – Beginner to Advanced
Tour Leader: Christoph Fischer (photography) and expert nature guides
When: August 31 – September 9, 2027 – 3 Spots Remain
Cost: 9710 Euros (Boat Charter) + 2000 Canadian Dollars (Photography Tuition and Guiding)
Deposit: 2000 Canadian Dollars
Registration: To register, or for more information, please CONTACT ME.
The majestic Scoresby Sound fjord system comprises several fjords, including the breataking Rodefjord and Ofjord. We sail in a clockwise direction, beginning and ending in Ittoqqortoormiit.
What is Included?
Our Greenland photography tour includes:
- Seven days of sailing through Scoresby Sound on our chartered boat, under the guidance of a team of experienced sailors and nature guides.
- Delicious meals and accommodation while on board.
- Charter flights between Iceland and Greenland.
- Hands on, dedicated, one on one photography instruction. I don’t wait for you to come ask me questions, instead I continuously engage with you, to make sure you achieve the best possible photographs.
- Program of review sessions, lectures and processing sessions so that you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work.
What is not included:
- Flights to and from Iceland.
- Accommodation or food in Iceland before or after the trip.
i
Itinerary
Day 1: I very much look forward to welcoming you to Iceland, and the beginning of our adventure into the awe inspiring wilderness of East Greenland’s Scoresby Sound! We meet for a welcome dinner and a chance to get to know one another. This will be the opportunity for me to give you a warm, hearty welcome to our Greenland photography tour and to brief you on the amazing adventure that lies ahead. It also will be your opportunity to taste the exquisitely prepared Icelandic seafood that Reykjavik is so well known for!
Day 2: This is the day when we get to see Greenland and the first day of our unforgettable arctic adventure! Our aircraft departs Reykjavík for a flight to Constable Point in East Greenland, a small airfield west of Hurry Inlet in Jameson Land. We board our boat, our new home for the next 7 days in Scoresby Sound. After a safety briefing by the crew, we sail towards the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, which we lovingly call the town of too many letters! Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the most isolated villages in the world, and we have time for a brief visit and perhaps to interact with the friendly locals. This will also be your chance to buy a souvenir, to stroll around and experience the tranquility associated with the town’s remoteness, and there is a small museum nearby where you can learn more about the history of this unique part of the world.
Day 3: We sail west between palaces of icebergs that gently drift under the influence of the currents in the arctic waters after calving from the parent glaciers originating in the inland ice. This is where you will wonder in awe at your first sight of the towering cliff faces of Scoresby Sound as we approach Hekla Havn, on Denmark Ø, where we will anchor for the night. There are beautiful sunrise and sunset photography opportunities here, and I look forward to sharing them with you!
Day 4: After our sunrise session, we continue to sail west through the narrow Føhnfjord with the majestic basalt mountains of Gåseland on one side and 2000 meters high sheer granite cliffs of Milne Land on the other side. We will visit the unique and beautiful Red Island, located right next to “iceberg valley” and you will quickly see that it is a well deserved name! We may decide to anchor here, so that you have the opportunity to photograph sunrise and sunset from the heights of Red Island, as it colors a vast sea of huge icebergs, bordering on towering mountains and distant glaciers. The views here are out of this world, and I can’t wait to show you!
Day 5: Following our morning photography session, we continue to sail north through one of my favourite sections of Scoresby Sound, the Rødefjord, which is often filled with both larger icebergs and crackling, glittering ice fragments from icebergs that are breaking up. These are the icebergs you will have seen from the heights of Red Island. We arrive in Harefjord where we set anchor. As we approach Harefjord, you will catch to your right your first glimpse of what absolutely must be the world’s most spectacular and dramatic fjord, the Øfjord.
The area around Harefjord is wonderful for hikes, and we have the chance to capture muskoxen, snow hares, grouse, geese and other wildlife, which normally graze on the south-facing slopes. Those of us who have the energy may want to hike to the top of a ridge with a truly breathtaking view over Harefjord, where the terrain drops down on each side and the glacier tongues descend into the sea.
Day 6: This is the absolute highlight of our adventure: We sail eastwards through the awesome Øfjord, unquestionably the most spectacular area we have the privilege of viewing during this trip. Unbelievable mountain peaks and granite walls tower with 2000 meters elevation gains above you. It is an indescribably beautiful and awe inspiring area! There may be a sea breeze in the Øfjord which would allow us to set sails. We set anchor in Jyttes Havn, part of the beautiful Bear Islands, in the late afternoon.
Day 7: The day is spent hiking in and around Jyttes Havn in Bear Islands. There are great locations for sunrise and sunset photography here, and this also happens to be an area where the tundra colors are particularly beautiful. There are two options of a longer or shorter hike in the Bear Islands, or on the northernmost tip of Milne Land, a short zodiac ride away.
Day 8: After our morning session. we sail the channel between the Bear Islands and Milne Land with a breathtaking view of the spectacular archipelago. As we sail into the last evening and night of the trip, it is likely that we‘ll be experiencing sights of the largest and the most fascinating icebergs of the journey. This provides a fantastic opportunity for photographs of the majestic and impressive icebergs that are often found in this particular area. When we wake up the next morning, we are anchored at the airstrip in Constable Point.
Day 9: Our adventure is over all too soon and we enjoy our last breakfast on board. We disembark our boat for the last time and board the aircraft in Constable Point to fly back to Reykjavík, Iceland. Once we are back in our hotel in Reykjavik, it is time to got out for our final celebratory dinner where, in the company of newly found friends, we look back at our unforgettable adventure which is over much too soon!
Day 10: It will be both a joyous and sad time as we bid each other farewell over our last breakfast together. All good things have to come to an end!
Your Learning Experience
My goal is for you to come away from our Greenland photography tour with great images which portray the beauty and unique nature of this incredible part of the world. I will take you to all the locations I have identified as the most promising for rewarding photography and we will visit these only when the quality of light is most conducive for compelling images. As you photograph, I will give you dedicated in the field instruction on all aspects of photography, ranging from the technical to the creative.
Although we will be spending as much time as possible photographing, it is important to balance this with presentations, review sessions, and processing sessions so that, as our tour progresses, you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work. I will be putting much emphasis on the creative aspects of photography such as composition and developing a vision. Another area we will be focusing on is processing and developing a workflow, which forms a very important part of photography.
Topics to be covered:
Getting the technicals right to capture the full beauty of light interacting with the landscape:
1. Exposure and exposure bracketing
2. Focus, depth of field and sharpness
3. Use of filters, especially the polarizer
Previsualisation and composition
Developing an artistic vision
The digital darkroom: Highly effective postprocessing skills
Our Greenland photography tour offers you all of this and more while you have the opportunity to photograph in one of the most extravagantly beautiful, pristine and majestic wildernesses on earth!
Recommended Photography Gear
Camera:
dSLR or mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. Preferably two bodies so that you one have as a backup in case the main body fails.
Lenses:
I strongly recommend variable zoom lenses. Prime lenses are sharper, but you are limited to one focal length, greatly restricting composition. This is especially relevant when you do not have time to change your lenses before the scene changes or disappears. Often this is the case.
Your lenses must have a manual focusing mode. Either your lens must have a switch, or your camera an internal setting, to switch between manual and auto focusing mode. There will be several instances where we have to operate our lens in manual focusing mode.
Your lens needs a focusing ring which indicates the approximate distance at which you are focusing. Alternatively, the focus distance would be indicated in your viewfinder.
Telephoto:
We will use telephotos extensively, for landscapes and wildlife. I strongly suggest a good quality telephoto with an effective focal length range from around 70 mm to at least 400 mm.
Wide angle:
An effective focal length of 17 mm or less. The wider you can go, the better.
Intermediate:
To cover the entire focal length range, you need an additional intermediate zoom lens to cover the gap between the wide angle and telephoto.
Drones:
You are allowed to fly drones in Scoresby Sound, and the views are stunning!
Filters:
Polarizer:
The key filter is the polarizer which can significantly improve contrast, clarity and bring out colors. It is highly recommended. You need one for the telephoto and your intermediate lenses. Ideally also one for the wide angle lens, but it is not as crucial. Use high quality filters. There are many lower quality filters on the market and they significantly deteriorate image quality.
Neutral Density Filter:
This is not essential, but it may be useful for long exposures to smooth the water surface or create cloud streaks.
Tripod:
A sturdy, stable tripod. is essential. The tripod legs must move independently from each other, i.e., are not fused. Your tripod should be able to reach your chin, without the center column extended.
Image backup and memory cards:
We will take many photographs and you need to back up your images. This means several memory cards of 64 GB capacity or more. For backups you need external hard drives. You should back up on two hard drives; it is not unusual for hard drives to fail!
Registration and Payment
Thank you so much for your interest in our Greenland photography tour and sailing expedition! I very much look forward to showing you the best that this pristine and awe inspiring arctic wilderness has to offer!
To register, or for more information, please contact me at this link or send me an E-mail at [email protected]
In order to reserve your spot, a deposit of 2000 Canadian Dollars is kindly requested. Full payment of the remaining balance is due by 150 days before tour begin.
Cancellation more than 300 days before tour begin: Full refund of deposit.
Gallery