Dennis Lehtonen's Aerial Views of Remote Greenland Villages Illuminate an Evolving Land

"Greenland is home to only about 56,000 people, the vast majority of whom are Inuit and live on the southern part of the island that's not covered in ice. The largest city, Nuuk, houses around one-third of the country's population. And situated just south of the Arctic Circle, residents only see a few hours of sunlight during the day in mid-winter."

"Hunting and fishing have traditionally sustained a subsistence lifestyle for Greenlanders, and today, the latter continues as the foundation of the nation's economy. It's a stunning island, with dramatic mountains, fjords, and rocky coastlines. For photographer Dennis Lehtonen, who moved to Greenland in early 2023 and found work in its fish factories, the inherent beauty of the region is endlessly enchanting."

"Lehtonen captures atmospheric images of distinctive landscapes and tiny villages, like when a pair of monumental icebergs floated by one community earlier this year. He illuminates the vernacular architecture and remote, rugged beauty of the country while drawing attention to changing demographics. Like many places around the world, populations are declining in rural, small towns due to younger people moving away to larger cities for different job opportunities,"

Greenland spans over 836,000 square miles and is part of the Realm of Denmark and maintains local government. Fewer than 60,000 people live there, most of them Inuit concentrated on the southern, ice-free coast; Nuuk contains roughly one-third of the population. Hunting and fishing have historically supported subsistence lifestyles, and commercial fishing remains the economic backbone. Dramatic mountains, fjords, and icebergs define the landscape, and residents near the Arctic Circle experience only a few daylight hours in mid-winter. Rural settlements face population decline as young people migrate to larger towns, leaving abandoned homes and occasional ghost towns. Photographer Dennis Lehtonen documents these places using drones, aiming to record about 70 inhabited settlements.

Read at Colossal