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Helen_Mountaniol
Abandoned Swimming Pool
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Abandoned Swimming Pool



behind the lens badge
cameraNIKON D750

settings Aperture f/8 ISO 100 Shutter 25/10 Focal Length 1220/10 

upload_dateNov, 2015

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13 Comments |
SuzMDixon
 
SuzMDixon November 16, 2015
This is such a cool picture! I love the symmetry contrasting with the sense of decay.
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol November 16, 2015
Thanks!
eelcovanroden PRO+
 
eelcovanroden November 16, 2015
Excellent photo... the reflection in the water is so perfect in contrast to the decay, great!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol November 16, 2015
Thanks!
DuffyDoherty PRO+
 
DuffyDoherty November 17, 2015
This is just Top,Top Shelf! Thank you for the inspiration!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol November 22, 2015
Thank you so much!
Rosley
 
Rosley November 17, 2015
Beautiful Composition . . . I Like!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol November 22, 2015
Thanks!
eelcovanroden PRO+
 
eelcovanroden January 06, 2016
Congratulations on your Contest Finalist Award, I knew you would win this Award!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 06, 2016
Thanks :-)
elenkalo
 
elenkalo January 21, 2016
Very nice work!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 21, 2016
Thank you!
eelcovanroden PRO+
 
eelcovanroden January 29, 2016
Did I see it right... you won Urban Textures?! I don't see the award on your page but Congratulations, fantastic!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 31, 2016
Thanks a lot! Very nice of you :-) I see the award on my page now
carolcardillo PRO+
 
carolcardillo January 29, 2016
Excellent. Congrats on your Win!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 31, 2016
Thank you!
Jillybean56
 
Jillybean56 January 30, 2016
Amazing photo. Congrats on your win!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 31, 2016
Thank you!
jessymay Platinum
 
jessymay January 31, 2016
Great shot!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol January 31, 2016
Thanks!
Parallel
 
Parallel September 23, 2016
My congratulations!
Helen_Mountaniol
Helen_Mountaniol September 23, 2016
Thank you!
adavies PRO+
 
adavies March 15, 2017
Very cool! Really well done! If you haven't done so already, please consider joining my Beautiful Urbex challenge:)
https:// viewbug.com/challenge/beautiful-urbex-photo-challenge-by-adavies
carlabum
 
carlabum July 15, 2017
Holy moly that is one sweet photo!

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Tags

#abandoned #chair #pool #reflection #stairs #swimming #swimming pool #symmetry #water
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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo belongs to a series of photographs I took in Pripyat’, a city near Chernobyl, in August 2015, when I was travelling in Ukraine. I had planned to take this three-day tour around Chernobyl area, so I had enough time to see around the city, which is being slowly destroyed by nature. I took a particular interest in community buildings remaining from the Soviet epoch. This photo depicts an abandoned swimming pool in the Children's Hospital.

Time

This photo was taken at about 2PM. I had no opportunity for choosing any better hour for shooting, since my guide has picked me up from the hotel at 9AM (visitors are prohibited to take tours in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power station without authorized guidance), while a daily curfew in Chernobyl starts at 8 PM; after that, you must stay in your hotel.

Lighting

This picture took with daylight came in through the large window areas. The glass was shattered a long time ago but large trees grow around. I wanted to use a high f-stop, it is therefore necessary using tripod and long exposure, as to not increase the ISO.

Equipment

This picture was captured with Nikon D750, using Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 lens, set on tripod.

Inspiration

Abandoned places have always excited my imagination. Each time I see them I fancy - what was happening here in its golden age: who lived here, what these people looked like; their conversations and dreams, the sounds of this place, and so on. As I entered an empty building of the swimming pool in his deserted Recreation Center, I was amazed by its architecture and size, and by its pale colors contrasting with the exuberance of vegetation outside. The most stunning of all was an unruffled surface of the rainwater collected on the bottom of the pool, geometry of the pool architecture reflected in the water like in a mirror, and a lonely chair standing there for 30 years, forgotten. First, I took several shots with a wide-angle-lenses, yet it could not fully convey my idea. I had to decide what elements to drop. It took me more than 20 minutes to build the composition to fully express my emotional state.

Editing

Actually this picture required a very little post-processing. I take photos in RAW format, therefore, I started with the basic processing using Lightroom, which included removing lens distortion, fixing white-balance, and straightening the horizon a bit. Then I used Photoshop to increase the contrast and sharpen the image.

In my camera bag

Usually, I take Nikon D750 with me, the lenses are: Nikkor 16-35 f/4, Nikkor 50 f/1.8, and my favorite Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8. In addition, I always carry a tripod and a camera remote in my photo kit, because I often photograph landscapes.

Feedback

It is important to plan a trip like this ahead. You will need a special permission to take photographs in Chernobyl which you must obtain in a specially designated agency at least one month prior to the journey. You can either get there for a few hours with a group walking tour, or take a private guide. I took the second option. Being surrounded with a bunch of hurrying people, you can’t truly feel the atmosphere of abandoned and desolate places, and this is the main point. Take your time to think about the story you are going to tell in this image and about the feelings it will express.

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