Greenland’s remote and little-visited ice fjords hold a wealth of arctic grandeur. Towers, arches, and walls of ancient blue ice thrust skyward from the water’s surface. Steep-walled fjords, dramatic coastal mountains, tundra in autumn color, the vast Greenland Ice Sheet, and the Aurora Borealis combine to form an incomparable landscape. Join this world-class team of leaders – Justin Black, Chris Linder, and Jerry Dodrill – for this exclusive expedition to Greenland, photographing this arctic wilderness in all its glory. With generous photographic instruction and attentive support along the way, explore the largest fjord system in the world – Scoresbysund, covering 14,700 square miles and penetrating over 200 miles into Greenland’s interior – aboard the three-masted expedition vessel Rembrandt van Rijn.  We will make frequent landings by zodiac to photograph in morning and evening light, and as serendipity presents us with compelling opportunities along the way. In addition to the arctic landscape, we will photograph polar bears and whales if we encounter them, as well a variety of coastal and pelagic birds such as fulmars, kittiwakes, and gannets. Excursions by zodiac take us in among the icebergs. The ethereal glow of the Aurora Borealis dancing in the night sky over the iceberg-dotted fjords and bays will be the sight of a lifetime. One thing is for certain: this expedition will yield extraordinary photographic opportunities. This is of course a floating workshop as well, and while underway, Justin, Chris, and Jerry, will make inspiring and instructive presentations, offer guidance and answer questions in the field, and offer constructive feedback on participants’ photographs during group critique sessions, with the aid of four large LCD screens in the ship’s dining room.

Our adventure begins in Reykjavik, Iceland, the world’s northernmost capital. Guests will be greeted upon arrival at Keflavik International Airport and transferred to Hotel Holt, conveniently located in the city center. After an introductory group meeting and dinner at one of Reykjavik’s fine restaurants, the next morning we board our private charter bus to Akureyri. Awaiting our arrival will be our private floating base camp: the 168-foot, three-masted schooner Rembrandt van Rijn (click here for more about RVR). We are booking the entire ship for our exclusive use to ensure ample space for our group both on the ship and in zodiacs – our group will consist of eighteen participants and three photo leaders (though Rembrandt normally sleeps up to 33 guests) in addition to her twelve-person crew and experienced expedition staff. She is exceptionally well-suited to exploration and photography along the Greenland coast, with a reinforced hull, expansive unobstructed sight lines even under sail, and comfortable accommodations. After disembarking Rembrandt at Akureyri, we will be picked up by our group bus and drive back to Reykjavik, where a celebratory group dinner and final restful night at Hotel Holt await you.