Dominika Gesicka is a professional Polish photographer who became fascinated with the lifestyle and beauty of the most northerly town in the world: Longyearbyen. Known as ‘This Is Not Real Life,’ her hyperrealistic photos show what life looks like there. All photos Dominika Gesika.

Located in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Longyearbyen is well known for the incredible views it offers on the northern lights.

Small as it may look, this is in fact the largest settlement of the Norwegian-owned islands, as well as the northernmost town in the world.

Dominika’s view on the town is ‘a place where no one is born and no one dies. Of course you can die anywhere, but you cannot be buried here as it has been discovered that bodies fail to decompose here.’

‘And you definitely cannot be born here because pregnant women are made to return to the mainland to give birth.’

Some of the images can really give you chills – and not just because of the massive amounts of snow there.

The photographer’s collection includes some portraits of the locals which were impressively styled in contrasting hues.

As she describes the area herself, ‘In the winter time it is completely dark, but in the summer the sun never sets… Although it is difficult to regard it the best place to live, many people fall in love with it at first sight.’

‘It seems as it people are trying to escape from something; that this is just a retreat.’

‘This is not a real life.’