FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Through Ehrlich’s writings I learn about Inuit mythologies, tales of good and bad spirits which serve as precautions against the dangers posed by the harsh arctic environment.

I am reminded of this folklore as I journey north by fishing boat to visit a remote Inuit settlement. There are blue skies overhead and the Greenlandic icecap is clearly visible a kilometre away inland. As we sail close to the rocky foreshore, we are at the very edges of the littoral zone.

Looking down over the side of the boat into the black Arctic

The story of the other-worldly Qalupalik is told by Inuit parents to prevent children from wandering too close to the dangerous Arctic shorelines. These sea-dwelling creatures with long hair and green skin hide beneath the surface of the freezing waters and carry away unsuspecting children who play alone on the beach or near breaking ice. I point my camera down into the dark swell, following the scarves of turquoise meltwater. Shadows absorb light, black swallows white. It is easy to imagine that there may indeed be unearthly beings below the surface.... I need to work quickly in the freezing temperatures. In spite of the blue skies, it is considerably colder out on the water than on dry land, and boat and ice are passing each other at some speed. Over the next few hours, as the light sinks into the black