Pripyat & Chernobyl, April 2008

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Vivo-UK

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Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the catastrophic disaster at Reactor 4. The explosion remains the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen. The fallout from the explosion surpassed that of Hiroshima or Nagasaki and spread across the entire of Europe, even reaching the Eastern Seaboard of the US.

Earlier this week I, along with six others, flew out to Kyiv, Ukraine to visit this infamous place. We were picked up from our hotel early in the morning by our guide, Maxim, and set off towards our destination, passing through many villages resembling those of 'Borat'.

Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the catastrophic disaster at Reactor 4. The explosion remains the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen. The fallout from the explosion surpassed that of Hiroshima or Nagasaki and spread across the entire of Europe, even reaching the Eastern Seaboard of the US.

Earlier this week I, along with six others, flew out to Kyiv, Ukraine to visit this infamous place. We were picked up from our hotel early in the morning by our guide, Maxim, and set off towards our destination, passing through many villages resembling those of 'Borat'.

To reach Pripyat you must pass through three military checkpoints, each requiring different permission. These are the 30km zone, the 10km zone, and the Pripyat city limit. Not everyone who can enter the 30km zone is allowed to enter the 10km zone, and again with Pripyat which is reserved almost strictly for photographers.

Driving through the 30km zone we could see literally hundreds of abandoned buildings within the surrounding forest. 300,000 people were rehoused due to the disaster. 'Chernobyl 2' was also visible on the horizon. The urge to stop and check these out was strong but we had to press on.


Driving away from the 10km zone.

The 10km zone is reserved for those who still work at Chernobyl Powerstation. At the moment the powerplant is still operational but is in the process of being decommisioned.


Reactors 5 and 6, which were still being built at the time of the explosion.


An unfinished cooling tower for Reactor 5.


The main powerstation offices. These building join all the reactors together.


This was the last point along the road before photography was restricted. You can see Reactor 3 in the background with Reactor 4 behind that.


After the explosion at Reactor 4 the people of Pripyat flocked on the railway bridge just outside the city to get a good view of the reactor and see what had happened. Initially, everyone was told that radiation level was minimal and that they were safe. Little did they know that much of the radiation had been blown onto this bridge in a huge spike. The levels here were very near lethal.

Right now enough of the stories, and just some photos. If you do want to read about each photo, simply click it to go to the flickr page.



































































Sorry if I've done something wrong. This is my first report.
 
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amazing photos :) I bet if someone asked you where you went on your holidays & you said Chernobyl they think you were nuts...everyone except us lot anyway;)
 
I've changed the date, While it was an official visit its generally considered bad practice to use specific dates on this forum. It prevents confusion if we all use the same system.

Looks like an interesting place to visit, The HDR / post production effect on the photos is overdone though. It really detracts from your images.
 
Cracking photos, I think this place is like the holy grail to a lot of us.
I agree, the HDR is overdone on these.
 
The HDR / post production effect on the photos is overdone though. It really detracts from your images.

I don't usually use or even like HDR. This is only the second time I've ever done it. I thought it might go well with this set. Some of the ones I'm yet to upload I think the HDR worked well but I agree some are too strong. I'm too lazy to go and sort it out though. I've ran about 1600 images through lightroom in the last 3 days so I'm pretty sick of image editing.
 
I don't usually use or even like HDR. This is only the second time I've ever done it. I thought it might go well with this set. Some of the ones I'm yet to upload I think the HDR worked well but I agree some are too strong. I'm too lazy to go and sort it out though. I've ran about 1600 images through lightroom in the last 3 days so I'm pretty sick of image editing.

I prefer to use the raw processor in CS3. You can use sliders to bring down the highlights or raise the shadows. They usually look flat so I add contrast, then if they're too bright/vivid, I alter the saturation. Very easy to do and quicker than a HDR merge.

I dont want to be making this a thread about hdr though. The subject and photos are really good, I'd like to go there myself. Only yesterday I was looking at the Kiddofspeed website at the Chernobyl photos.
 
I've been waiting ages for this report! Fantastic mate, I cannot imagine how awesome it must have been to be there. I love anything Russian/Soviet, so this would have been the ultimate trip for me!

I dont mind the HDR in this case, it kinda works with the bleakness of the place though I don't normally like it. Great work:)
 
What a great holiday!

I remember this happening and it was played down to a certain extent even here. I wonder if we were told the truth.

Top pictures and like the HDR.
 
Fantastic stuff Vivo, lovely crisp images. Looks like you had a fantastic holiday!
 
I'm not a fan of HDR, but I think the shots are spot-on. Possibly the best I've seen come out of there. Glad you had a good time.
 
Utterly amazing photo's!! This place has always held a pretty special place with me. It's such a bloody spooky, but tremendously large scale site. Brilliant shots of a fantastic subject. Bloody good work for a first post mate! :)
 
Very atmospheric photos – it looks like Nature has regenerated itself, despite the radiation. Did you see any mutated bugs or plants?

Of course, the key question is, did Gorecki rip her trousers at any point? ;)
 
Of course, the key question is, did Gorecki rip her trousers at any point?

Or worse, leave one of her infamous 'presents' ?! :p

Cracking stuff!

I never tire of seeing this place, and the HDR really works here.
 
Just looking again mate, at that second picture. Knowing you, I wonder did you get up any of those beauties?
 
I like the HDR, as it suits the chosen images. However, and this applies to all members uploading manipulated images - Please place them in a section on their own at the end of the normal images. Dotting them all over the legit photographs is very distracting.

As pointed out it is the 22nd Anniversary of the disaster, So perhaps when viewing these images, we should remember the 1000s of ordinary Russian men who died a horrible death, and those that continue to suffer, in order that an even greater disaster was averted. There was a very real possibility of a secondary explosion, which would have wiped out the population of Europe!

We were not told the true facts at the time, and even now no data is being gathered on those still suffering the effects. At the time France totally denied that the radioactive cloud had deposited contamination within her borders. When the International meeting was convened in Vienna, chaired by Herr Blix (of Iraq Fame), the senior Russian scientist reported that there would be 40,000 directly attributable deaths. Blix and his Western colleagues decided this was unprovable. So they reduced all casualties by a factor of 10. Thus the official death toll is, even now, only 4,000. Sadly two years later, said Russian scientist committed suicide, disillusioned by the Western response to the Catastrophe.

Still the International Nuclear Test Ban and the Arms Limitation Treaty between Russia and the Western World, were a direct outcome of Chernobyl. A high price to pay for common sense to prevail.
 
some of the best images I have seen come from an amazing location ignore what anyone says about your images and HDR, do what you like,
 

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