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2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest

A local fisherman boats near Tasermiut Fjord. Chu connected with local boaters to transport him to the area to hike and photograph.

Laundry hangs near a house in Qasigiannguit, West Greenland.

Chu stayed at a local teacher’s home during his visit to the village of Tasiusaq, home to about 50 people.

An aurora blazes against the night sky near the Tasermiut Fjord. The fjord has well-known mountains, including Ulamertorsuaq (center), which reaches 1,858 meters at its highest peak. Chu trekked two days to reach the isolated area.

Chu hiked near the local airport for expansive views of Upernavik. When homes were lit in the evening, he remarked, “the town looked like a Christmas tree at night.”

Upernavik is a fishing village on a tiny island in west Greenland. Historically, Greenlandic buildings were painted different colours to indicate different functions, from red storefronts to blue fishermen’s homes—a useful distinction when the landscape is blanketed in snow. This image was selected as grand prize in the 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest.

Intrigued by local communities’ daily lives, Chu has also explored the isolated villages of southern Greenland, including the town of Narsaq Kajulleq.

"On the west coast of the Thermaic gulf lies one of the most important ecosystems in Greece, a wetland complex which includes the Kalochori Lagoon. The Kalochori lagoon often becomes a place of refuge for a large numbers of flamingos, who find ample food in its shallow waters."

"Departing Cusco, Peru at 3:30 a.m. for a three-hour drive to start the hike almost didn't seem worth it. After a nice hot breakfast, the grueling hike up to Rainbow Mountain began. A few hours later, I arrived at this view and never felt happier to have lost sleep. When I got to the top, there was only one other person there and not many people down below, so I was able to get a beautiful clear shot. Twenty minutes later, there were a hundred people [at the top] and thousands more were coming."

"A couple photographs plum trees in Japan. Only two people in a world of plum [trees]."