# Chernobyl and Pripyat, Ukraine - Apr 09



## randomnut

Well, what can I say! After so many years on being top of my list of places I MUST visit, it was surreal to finally get to visit this awesome place. You really can't appreciate the scale of both the place and what happened until you're stood in the middle of the abandoned city almost on your own. You could tell the overwhelming sense of pride with which the city was built, it was to be the model city everywhere else was to emulate, with it being shut down so abruptly I don't think the Ukraine ever fully recovered.

Even after spending 2 days exploring Pripyat, there is still so much left to see, a re-visit is definitely on the cards.

I know a lot of people hate HDR with a passion, but sod it i'm throwing a few shots in anyway 

The reactor itself. I didn't realise we would be able to get quite so close:










Next it was onto Pripyat

View across the main square:





The supermarket:









View towards the cultural center:




Inside:









The funfair - originally due to open a week after the explosion:

















The Pool, still in use until 1997:









The shool:

























Vehicle scrapyard (behind the police station)









Hospital:





























Kindergarten:

































Apartments:

















The Stadium:









And finally, the police station:

















Parting shot of the funfair:





Lots, lots more up on Flickr


Visited with Wildpeaks, Dystopia and Ian, Josh and Jim (not members of the forum). Many thanks to all involved for such an incredible trip.


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## ashless

Brilliant, everytime someone comes back from there a new perspective is seen, nice work! Loving the room filled with the respirators.


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## blair

they pics are amazing mate would love to go there one day


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## ricasso

Absolutely outstanding


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## Raz333

Great pics man!


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## pet_rubber_duck

Had a look at your flickr ones, amazing! been wanting to go to pripyat since i saw it on the TV a couple of years ago  Maybe one day i will go! but iv heard people say that your not allowed to go into the buildings, butobviously got into them, is it different depending on what company you go with?


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## Philip

Really good pictures.I'm with ashless love the shot of the respirators.


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## Dieter_Schmidt

What's the cool effect you've used in some of the pics?


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## Foxylady

Stunning place and stunning pics, randomnut.
Brilliant!


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## TK421

Absolute magic, this is the best set of photos I have seen of this place to date. Respirators shot excellent, I also love the old tin pedal car and plastic duck.


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## chase779

Sick man! seriously good job.


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## james.s

Dieter_Schmidt said:


> What's the cool effect you've used in some of the pics?



He's Used HDR, it is when you blend several exposures of the same shot to create one picture with loads of detail


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## Dystopia

Chernobyl-closest thing to my childhood fantasy and a beautiful place. Pripyat looked like it was a great place to live when it was still in use, as it appeared to have everything-amusement park, school, apartments and a swimming pool. Sad when you think it all had to be evacuated.


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## Lusker

Nice film about before and after

http://files.pripyat.com/radiopfobia.wmv


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## boothy

Absolutley brillant ! Love the pics with upside down bus and the room with the debris and scrap,(pic 15)


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## Vintage

Makes you see how much detail Call Of Duty 4:Modern Warfare went in with this part of the game. Great.

This place interests me so much. Its stuck in a soviet timetrap!


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## fire*fly

Awesome  did you go on a tour or where you allowed to do your own thing? great pictures, esp like the fairground shots


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## Trinpaul

That's simply stunning  I don't know why but everytime I see pics like these from the former Soviet Union I think of "Planet of the Apes"


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## the-grotto

Lusker said:


> Nice film about before and after
> 
> http://files.pripyat.com/radiopfobia.wmv



Nice film Lusker, but unfortunately I don't speak Russian, and there aren't any subtitles, any idea where this came from?


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## Darkness

Fantastic report. Luv the HDR shot of the pool dude!


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## ImmortalShadow

Fantastic photo's, nice work  I love the colours in some of the shots!


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## GeorgieKirrin

These are fantastic pictures - I personally love your HDR ones. You must have been wetting your pants with excitement visiting this place. Any chance you can give us a bit more 'tourist' related info? Like, do the tour operators allow you to enter the bulidings? Are you allowed to roam around at your own free will? Thanks for sharing those pics.


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## swedish

this just looks like the best urbanx play ground ever!!! really nice shots randomnut, some really nice work


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## sheepie

looks ace i want to go lol


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## Das Jeeb

Darkness said:


> Fantastic report. Luv the HDR shot of the pool dude!



Yeah that's an awesome image.


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## james.s

Welcome to the forum ^^
I am going to have to go here soon


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## tbkscott

Hi random love the pics and some great use of lighting and subject matter, really like the HDR images they look great i would like some advice on ho you did them if you have the time at some point. Deff a place i would like to see one day too looks great and lots to explore.


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## Home Guard

This may sound stupid, but is there any left over radiation levels?


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## J_a_t_33

Best report so far? would get my vote anyway. absolutely amazing!!


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## thebluefox

Words do not even describe this place. Simply immense.

And awesome photos too.


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## randomnut

Thanks guys 

Home Guard - yes there is still definitely left over radiation. It's mostly in the grass, dirt, and dust. Background radiation is really low, so it's perfectly safe to visit as long as you stay in the areas your guide tells you to and don't just stray off. The dose you'll get from Chernobyl will be less than you'll get from the plane on the way over.


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## Home Guard

So mainly anything with water or moisture in it hangs on to a lil bit of radiation?

I still cant get over how strangly amusing them pictures of your are, it is like everyone just left (which they did)

I bet chernoble, especially the hospital had a bit of an eery feelin.


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## xdxa5onx

*Nice one*

Some Nice shot there - good job.

The HDR may be a little heavy, but that's just my personal taste. poo poo to the Hdr haters!!!


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## skpManiac

After watching Life after Humans on NatGeo last year Ive wanted to visit this place

I had no idea that it was now open to the public, would love to go and soon.

Thanks for sharing such brilliant pics m8


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## UrbanX

Hey, randomnut great report! I've looked through your 500+ flickr pics too....shortly before booking myself a flight over there!!! So I may be hassling you for info soon! Did you do any other sights around the Ukraine?


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## dervish99

Nice pics, personaly i like the HDR shots, they are what they are... a further way to express a vision through photography.


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## skpManiac

UrbanX said:


> Hey, randomnut great report! I've looked through your 500+ flickr pics too....shortly before booking myself a flight over there!!! So I may be hassling you for info soon! Did you do any other sights around the Ukraine?



Hi m8, I am currently in discussions to sort a visit, if we get a group its MUCH cheaper  

I am recruiting through this group on Facebook if you fancy it 
http://www.facebook.com//group.php?v=wall&gid=70103403280

Sorry if this breaks any forum rules!!


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## UrbanX

> Hi m8, I am currently in discussions to sort a visit, if we get a group its MUCH cheaper



True! 
Sorry, I already have my group sorted, we're getting it for below £100
Good luck getting members, most people will think you're a mental for wanting to go!


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