The picture of patience

After nearly two weeks on the island, they called the fisherman via a satellite phone, who took them back to civilization to stock up on supplies before they set off to explore another island in similar fashion.

"There was no internet, but we would download maps onto our phones so we could find our way," Chu recalls, noting that the trip gave him a lot of outdoor experience.

Rive thinks that Chu not only displayed his photographic skills on the trip, but also his incredible motivation to achieve his goals. "Thomas is incredibly driven," says Rive. "Even with the coordinates it wasn't easy to get there. I'm sure 99 percent of other landscape photographers wouldn't make the effort."

In the fall of 2018, Chu visited the southern part of Greenland as part of a group. There, he visited a small village named Tasiusaq, which has only around 50 residents, and the local community piqued his interest.

Since the weather in Greenland changes rapidly, Chu is always ready to take photos. With his tent door half open and his tripod already set up, he leaves his shoelaces half-tied, and sleeps with his jacket on.

"In terms of preparedness, a landscape photographer is like a fireman," says Chu. "Once I see clouds or polar lights, I just need 30 seconds to get ready and start taking pictures."