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Behind The Lens
Location
I had traveled to Ukraine and decided at the last minute to try for a visit to Chernobyl. THE Chernobyl. Site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history. Growing up during the cold war I never thought I would have the chance to actually stand in the presence of reactor number four. A massive exclusion zone surrounds the most contaminated areas and security is tight in some places. The guards, to fight boredom, engage in a curious form of trench art. I found this mannequin and found it compelling. It was slumped, it was weathered and it was gaunt. I chose to use a fisheye lens to exaggerate the moribund vibe. The casual bokeh in the background is accompanied with nonchalant human figures. When I converted the file to black and white strange reflections appeared in the gas mask lenses. All in all a spooky apparition in a spooky place.Time
It was early noonLighting
It was kind of overcast with a lot of diffused backlight.Equipment
Canon 6D MKII with a 17mm FisheyeInspiration
The grotesque ambiance and the specter of history.Editing
I ran it through photoshop and stripped the color and boosted the contrast.In my camera bag
6D MKII and a T3i backup. A nifty 50, a 18 - 55 kit lens and a 10 - 17 fisheye.Feedback
Trust your instincts and then think out of the box.