Once again, Albert Dros has made us swoon with his incredible landscape photography. Back from a recent stay in Greenland, where he was busy teaching photo workshops for Iceland Photo Tours, his photos are a wonderful look at the country’s unique environment. By perfectly capturing the changing light, the Dutch photographer has produced a series of photographs that will make you run out and book the next ticket to Nuuk.
Focusing his time mainly on Ilulissat and Disko Bay, Dros masterfully documents the dramatic scenery. His attention to the light is particularly notable, with the atmosphere changing according to the sky. From deep blue to orange and pink, each change in hue tells a new story. In addition, the evocative red sailboat used by Iceland Photo Tours creates a striking model against the milky white icebergs, creating instantly classic images.
For Dros, who has been to Greenland many times, it’s these scenes that make the trip worthwhile. And at the same time, through his workshops, he’s able to share his love of landscape photography and knack for visual storytelling with others. Fresh from his three-week stay, we had the opportunity to speak with Dros about what keeps him coming back to Greenland and why he never gets tired of its unique atmosphere. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview.
How has Greenland changed since you first visited?
As I mostly visit the west of Greenland, in particular the town of Ilulissat and its surroundings, I can only comment on this specific part. Here, the Jakobshavn Glacier (also known as the Ilulissat Glacier) constantly puts ice into Disko Bay. Over the years, I haven’t seen much change in the glacier or ice in the bay. The conditions have been quite stable and similar.
What has changed in this area is the amount of tourists. It definitely got more crowded over the years. They are also building a new airport in Ilulissat, which is supposed to be ready at the end of next year. This airport will allow direct flights from the U.S. with bigger planes flying in (right now, they only have one small runway). I can only imagine this will change everything!
As a photographer, what continues to inspire you about the landscape?
I come back here every year, mainly to guide photography workshops for Iceland Photo Tours. I love showing people the beauty of this place. It’s just something out of this world, and yes, it keeps inspiring. Even though it’s the same place, it looks completely different each year. Why? That’s mainly because of the icebergs! Ice is being pushed into the bay constantly, causing beautiful icebergs to float inside the bay.
People sometimes ask me, “Can we go to this iceberg?” on a picture from last year. These icebergs are not mountains. They don’t stay there. They constantly float, and of course, they will eventually melt in open waters. They can be massive with all kinds of shapes. For me, it’s like a photography playground with different “mountains” each year. You really never know what you’re gonna get. Sometimes we see incredible towers, arches, icebergs with pools on top, waterfalls, you name it.
The next factor is the midnight sun. The light is something really magical about this place. You have to see it to experience it. The sunset can last all night. Ever seen an incredibly colorful sunset? Now think of seeing that for four hours on and on. And the colors keep slightly changing. The sun doesn’t go much under the horizon in August, so with the right conditions, you can get deep reds in the sky all night, until it gets brighter again. It’s really incredible and something I really can never get enough of.
You recently spent three weeks leading photography workshops in Greenland. Can you tell us a bit about how those experiences unfold?
I spend a few weeks a year in Greenland to do my photography workshops. I do this for Iceland Photo Tours, an Icelandic-based company of a friend of mine. People from all over the world sign up. Our photography workshops have something unique: our sailboats with red sails. They were introduced by a friend of mine, Daniel Kordan, many, many years ago. He came up with the idea of using red sails in contrast with the blue icebergs, an art concept that we now still use with great success. And no wonder, the photos are always spectacular.
We use our sailboats as scale elements for the icebergs. With the sailboat, you can really see how massive these icebergs are. Of course, I encourage everyone to not only photograph our red sailboats. Look at the spectacular beauty around, massive icebergs, but also closer details, the sled dogs, the atmosphere, the towns… I teach people to make a photo story with impact—the same as I do.
What do you enjoy most about teaching photography in a setting such as this?
For most people who visit this place, it’s their first time. It’s very motivating when they experience this place and are so extremely happy to just be there. The photos are always the final reward of the adventure. It’s funny: I did a video on my YouTube channel where I talk about how people often think my Greenland Photos are AI.
Our red sailboats with icebergs are getting more popular around the world, and the photos are so easy to generate with AI. But what’s the fun of pressing a few buttons and an image rolls out? Disko Bay in Greenland is an experience. A magical one. Seeing that midnight sun go on for the whole night is something special. That’s something you can never experience if you’re not there. How the light hits the icebergs is unreal. I love how excited people are when they see that for the first time. I also love the fresh air, the cold, and the whole atmosphere of the place. I am privileged to be able to show this to other people around the world.
I also always make new friends, every season. The after-talks never stop; people always show me their photos and videos, which is great. Someone told me this season he took some of the best photos in his entire life. This is something that makes me extremely happy.
What do you think people are most surprised by when they come to Greenland to photograph its landscape?
Mostly the light and the beauty. People see it in photos, but being there is a different experience. It’s really special!