2011. A radiation sign along the road near Pripyat warns of the danger. The tranquility of the sight on an evening of heavy snowfall belies the lingering threat in the peaceful winter landscape.
A Long Look at the Effects of the Chernobyl Disaster
Gerd Ludwig's photographs of the aftermath of this catastrophic nuclear meltdown tell a story that continues to unfold.
“Deep inside, at a dark hallway, we stopped in front of a heavy metal door. The engineer indicated I had only a brief moment to shoot. It took him a long minute to open the jammed door. The adrenaline surge was extraordinary. The room was absolutely dark, lit only by our headlamps. Wires were obstructing my view. At the far end of the room I could make out a clock. I was only able to fire off a few frames and wanted to wait for my flash to recharge. But he already pulled me out. I checked my pictures. Out of focus! I begged him to allow me in one more time. He gave me a few more seconds to
