Amid the cold waters of Ilulissat, Greenland, massive icebergs break off and float, creating the perfect picture of an arctic wonderland.
Danish time-lapse photographer Jonas Høholt tells PetaPixel he’s found purpose in his time-lapse work. This particular project unearthed “realizations about the ever changing environments both around us and also inside everyone of us.”
“The ever-changing icebergs remind me of the impermanence of life,” text in the video reads. “It spurs me to appreciate each moment.”
Høholt took the video over the four months he lived in Ilulissat and it shows the changes as the seasons move from the summer to the onset of winter. The bright and sunny skies get darker, moving to deep blue hues. As night falls, viewers can see the aurora borealis. The icebergs can reach up to 15 stories tall out of the water. Additionally, about 70 million tons of icebergs break off the glacier Sermeq Kujalleq, Høholt notes.
“The sheer magnitude of the Ilulissat Icefjord, its icebergs, and their journey planted a deep fascination in me,” Høholt tells PetaPixel “Along with the distant sounds of icebergs cracking, squeaking and rumbling, the feeling of being a mere speck in a world largely ruled by nature got its grip in me. I spent numerous hours hiking the mountains along these millenia old ice sculptures, tirelessly making their way toward the Disko Bay while being a crucial part of the arctic marine ecosystem — bringing out nutrients supporting krill which supports the Ilulissat areas abundant marine wildlife such as whales, seals and fish.”
For the project, Høholt used a Canon 5D Mark IV with a 70-300mm and a 24mm prime lens paired with a Everchrom ND64 filter. To make sure everything came out perfectly, Høholt mounted his camera on a small Sirui travel tripod and used the LRTimelapse Pro Timer 3. Following shooting, Høholt edited the video with LRTimelapse 6, Adobe Lightroom, After Effects, and Premiere.
Høholt additionally posted a behind-the-scenes look at his Greenland project in a vlog posted to YouTube. In it, he walks viewers through the icy landscape, looking out toward the water at the enormous icebergs.
Image credits: Jonas Høholt