A friend gave me this link. It is harrowing and thought provoking. It takes you through Chernobyl with a brave, young, Russian woman on her motorbike with her camera. Do not worry. There are no nasty pictures, just the remains of a day, held in time. I feel that there is a lesson there for all of us.
Regards. Byron.
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/kiddofspeed/
A personal website which is worth viewing
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Byron
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
- Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert
A personal website which is worth viewing
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
Byron ~
Thank you so much. I've just come from the site, and from recommending it to Glyn. I'll send it to other friends, from all over, later. An amazing and privileged view of things. So much that I appreciated about it and found interesting. The personal nature of the trip and commentary by a beautiful and strong, young Russian woman, who makes herself secondary in her series of enlightening and excellent photographs. She shows her sense of humour; yet barely, if at all, smiles....very appropriately. The photos, the mail, the remains of 'civilization' are commented upon in such a sensitive way.
The photograph of the banquet room, where life if presented from a surrealistic slant, with the mural of people 'floating,' no one really smiling, and a pondering, even slightly worried look in the one woman's eyes. Very interesting. The choice of symbolism with the egg ~ wow.
Her commentary regarding the 2-hour tours, where people wanted to end it at 45 minutes, because they couldn't stand the silence. I found the cognitive dissonance [the disparity between what one expects and what is actually experienced] of that very revealing. It has to have such an oppressive, visceral effect that many people find unbearably uncomfortable [thoughts of our own mortality?]. In reality, the silence is no more 'silent' than being out in nature, but I guess the birds may not have revived, as the wolves, deer, etc. have, so it may still have an added degree of silence....at least for some areas. The breeze still blows through the trees. Amazing how nature adapts where man is unable.
What I found frustrating about it is that there's no link to her provided. There are so many questions that arose while I looked at the photos, that I would like to ask her, but can't. Perhaps this is in her own best interest. I wonder how many of these photos might somehow be considered in the 'classified' realm.
Immensely interesting. Every photo. Every word. I remember so well the events of both Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. Thanks again, Byron. Such a privy view. Very sobering. I hope everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to visit this site.
~ Elizabeth
Thank you so much. I've just come from the site, and from recommending it to Glyn. I'll send it to other friends, from all over, later. An amazing and privileged view of things. So much that I appreciated about it and found interesting. The personal nature of the trip and commentary by a beautiful and strong, young Russian woman, who makes herself secondary in her series of enlightening and excellent photographs. She shows her sense of humour; yet barely, if at all, smiles....very appropriately. The photos, the mail, the remains of 'civilization' are commented upon in such a sensitive way.
The photograph of the banquet room, where life if presented from a surrealistic slant, with the mural of people 'floating,' no one really smiling, and a pondering, even slightly worried look in the one woman's eyes. Very interesting. The choice of symbolism with the egg ~ wow.
Her commentary regarding the 2-hour tours, where people wanted to end it at 45 minutes, because they couldn't stand the silence. I found the cognitive dissonance [the disparity between what one expects and what is actually experienced] of that very revealing. It has to have such an oppressive, visceral effect that many people find unbearably uncomfortable [thoughts of our own mortality?]. In reality, the silence is no more 'silent' than being out in nature, but I guess the birds may not have revived, as the wolves, deer, etc. have, so it may still have an added degree of silence....at least for some areas. The breeze still blows through the trees. Amazing how nature adapts where man is unable.
What I found frustrating about it is that there's no link to her provided. There are so many questions that arose while I looked at the photos, that I would like to ask her, but can't. Perhaps this is in her own best interest. I wonder how many of these photos might somehow be considered in the 'classified' realm.
Immensely interesting. Every photo. Every word. I remember so well the events of both Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. Thanks again, Byron. Such a privy view. Very sobering. I hope everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to visit this site.
~ Elizabeth
Wow Byron! Thanks!
Where did your friend find this? My mother is from that area, and so it was amazing to see this photo documentary. I think Elena is crazy to do what she does, but then again she's got the guts to go there take (great) photos and post them for the world to see what we have largely forgotten. I've sent this link to everyone I know.
By the way, she's Ukrainian, not Russian.
thanks again, I'm a bit shaken..
Where did your friend find this? My mother is from that area, and so it was amazing to see this photo documentary. I think Elena is crazy to do what she does, but then again she's got the guts to go there take (great) photos and post them for the world to see what we have largely forgotten. I've sent this link to everyone I know.
By the way, she's Ukrainian, not Russian.
thanks again, I'm a bit shaken..
ZZ
What we have learned is like a handful of earth. What we have yet to learn is like the whole world. (Avvaiyar)
What we have learned is like a handful of earth. What we have yet to learn is like the whole world. (Avvaiyar)
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Byron
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- Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert
Zabka. I apologise for my error in her nationality. It probably came out of my thoughts wandering back to the actual event when Russia ruled the roost.
I believe that the way it is presented is a purposeful and successful attempt at the narrator taking one step back, and commenting on the photographs, which in this case do speak a thousand words each.
She drifts gently between 'photographer' and 'narrator.'
Her images remind me of the work of war photographers from the 1960s and 70s.
On the days of the event, I was with my family trying out a new trailer tent and the rains that fell carried the cloud from Chernobyl. We had become involved in the event without knowing it. It is only very recently that sheep from North Wales have been allowed to be sold for human consumption. Parts of the British Isles were contaminated by that cloud for years afterwards.
Regards from Byron.
I believe that the way it is presented is a purposeful and successful attempt at the narrator taking one step back, and commenting on the photographs, which in this case do speak a thousand words each.
She drifts gently between 'photographer' and 'narrator.'
Her images remind me of the work of war photographers from the 1960s and 70s.
On the days of the event, I was with my family trying out a new trailer tent and the rains that fell carried the cloud from Chernobyl. We had become involved in the event without knowing it. It is only very recently that sheep from North Wales have been allowed to be sold for human consumption. Parts of the British Isles were contaminated by that cloud for years afterwards.
Regards from Byron.
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
Exactly, Byron.....
How frustrating to not be able to express to this young woman both gratitude and what a phenomenal job she's done. Not that she's not already aware, but certainly not in a self-serving fashion. It would just be great to be able to tell her. I know I'm not alone in that. Within the relatively brief time of my own viewing, the number of visitors to the site took a quantum leap.
How scarey that day had to be for you and your family, Byron. Did you see a difference in the sky? Was 'the cloud' visible, or 'simply' a horrifying item of reportage?
andShe drifts gently between 'photographer' and 'narrator.'
Regarding the latter, I've read some articles by 'old-time' war photographers, and seen the changes, as Live TV and videotaping have gone on the scene, from those days. Even this far, we had the same fears, of which you encountered the reality. How has the tracking of human cancers, in your general area, proceeded in relationship to it?Her images remind me of the work of war photographers from the 1960s and 70s.
How frustrating to not be able to express to this young woman both gratitude and what a phenomenal job she's done. Not that she's not already aware, but certainly not in a self-serving fashion. It would just be great to be able to tell her. I know I'm not alone in that. Within the relatively brief time of my own viewing, the number of visitors to the site took a quantum leap.
How scarey that day had to be for you and your family, Byron. Did you see a difference in the sky? Was 'the cloud' visible, or 'simply' a horrifying item of reportage?
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Andrew (Darby)
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- both fascinating and perturbing (from various perspectives)! Right, Andrew, and at least here, our worst fears driven deep inside through air-raid drills throughout elementary school, taken form. As if standing in the hall, facing the wall with our faces covered, would make a difference. It reminds me of the unnerving, powerful, and haunting, black-and-white movie I saw, almost as many years back ~ "On The Beach," where the last to survive a nuclear attack were in Australia, due to their down-under location.
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Byron
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
- Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert
We knew nothing of the disaster until we got home and realised that the rain which had been falling on us, was the same rain that had fallen on North Wales and other parts of Britain. That rain had been bringing some of the cloud down onto us. There was no cloud to see as such. It was just another normal day and night for us, but it had hidden death in its cloak. The land has been regularly checked for radiation ever since, and as I wrote earlier, it is only recently that sheep from the area have been deemed suitable for human consumption.
The cloud was invisible, and as the report by the young woman stated, it was some days before the authorities aknowledged its existence, and the disaster that had taken place.
I too would like to contact the woman, but I feel that we may cause her some problems with her own local authorities. Therefore, I prefer to give her some space to continue her life in the way she wants to live it. Diving in with umpteen e-mails could have serious repercussions for her. Sometimes it is better, but harder, to do nothing.
She has reached a far larger audience than she probably imagined she could and for that I am thankful.
One war photographer I was thinking of was Don McCullin. He covered many wars and brought truth to our lives. After all, the first victim of war is always the Truth. Photographers can do so much to influence society's thinking, but modern quck-fix, 15 second sound-bites and instant video-links lose the substance of what is truly happening. 'Embedded' press corps members may as well sign up and take army pay for all the truth that they can give us.
The cloud was invisible, and as the report by the young woman stated, it was some days before the authorities aknowledged its existence, and the disaster that had taken place.
I too would like to contact the woman, but I feel that we may cause her some problems with her own local authorities. Therefore, I prefer to give her some space to continue her life in the way she wants to live it. Diving in with umpteen e-mails could have serious repercussions for her. Sometimes it is better, but harder, to do nothing.
She has reached a far larger audience than she probably imagined she could and for that I am thankful.
One war photographer I was thinking of was Don McCullin. He covered many wars and brought truth to our lives. After all, the first victim of war is always the Truth. Photographers can do so much to influence society's thinking, but modern quck-fix, 15 second sound-bites and instant video-links lose the substance of what is truly happening. 'Embedded' press corps members may as well sign up and take army pay for all the truth that they can give us.
Last edited by Byron on Thu Apr 01, 2004 11:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
Hi Byron ~
Thanks for the additional information on your own Chernobyl day. I agree that her not having a link to herself was not happenstance, and for very good reason. Were you given any kind of directive, as to how to cleanse [disinfect/decontaminate] yourselves ~ or at least try!?! I noticed her point that they were not told, and that they themselves learned from Radio Free Europe [or whatever ~ RFE being my way of expressing it] about it. Very scarey stuff!!!
Don McCullen's name is very familiar, but I'm not sure if it's from reading articles on him and about the topic; from photos I saw regularly during the Viet Nam era; or because you've mentioned him before here. Perhaps, all three.
~ Elizabeth
Thanks for the additional information on your own Chernobyl day. I agree that her not having a link to herself was not happenstance, and for very good reason. Were you given any kind of directive, as to how to cleanse [disinfect/decontaminate] yourselves ~ or at least try!?! I noticed her point that they were not told, and that they themselves learned from Radio Free Europe [or whatever ~ RFE being my way of expressing it] about it. Very scarey stuff!!!
Don McCullen's name is very familiar, but I'm not sure if it's from reading articles on him and about the topic; from photos I saw regularly during the Viet Nam era; or because you've mentioned him before here. Perhaps, all three.
Exactly!!! Regarding 'embedded' ~ impressive, to a point, but a longshot from "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me G~d."After all, the first victim of war is always the Truth. Photographers can do so much to influence society's thinking, but modern quck-fix, 15 second sound-bites and instant video-links lose the substance of what is truly happening. 'Embedded' press corps members may as well sign up and take army pay for all the truth that they can give us.
~ Elizabeth
