David Scard: Capturing Pripyat, Chernobyl with the Diana F+

Avid photographer and analogue lover David Scard took his Diana F+ with him on a trip to Pripyat, Chernobyl. David managed to capture some beautiful and haunting images of this infamous city with a devastating history. We caught up with him to talk about the experience.

© David Scard

Hello David, tell us a bit about yourself?

I’ve been in to photography for around 20 years. Now approaching my mid 30s I did catch the end of film being commonplace, but didn’t really explore it enough. So over the last 5 or so years I’ve been dabbling more and more into film as well as digital, not only out of nostalgia but to also learn more about what I missed and what I can achieve with it.

© David Scard

Tell us about these photographs.

These photos are taken in and around Pripyat, Chernobyl, on a three day trip back in early November. I'd been fascinated by the area and what went on for a while so a photography trip was a must. As well as the main city itself there are many old villages, military sites and of course the power plant. These film shots include apartment buildings, a crooked village, the huge Duga radar, a rusting dockyard, and that famous ferris wheel in Pripyat. There’s so much to explore and some places sad to see, with such a surreal silence to them. The 30 years of decay is immense and in some buildings we really had to watch our footing! The grimmer time of year made visibility easier (given all the vegetation that's spread) but also added to the eerie feel of the photos. A once bright, modern, promising place simply abandoned and left to rot. The exclusion zone is fascinating but also a land of sadness where thousands of lives were ruined, so it's important to be mindful of that.

© David Scard

Why did you choose to shoot this with the Diana F+?

With all the walking and so much to see it helps to keep equipment as light and simple as possible. With a DSLR and two lenses already in my shoulder bag the Diana F+ was ideal. I'd once used it on a Land's End to John O Groats cycle trip and it didn't let me down! Eerie shots were the idea so the film just had to be 120mm black and white (T-Max 400). The plastic lenses and removable frame masks of the Diana F+ can create spooky results, so it was a perfect choice for the trip. But it wasn’t a total success. Tripods are highly impractical given the time constraints and rushing between locations, so I didn't take one. This meant some of the film shots didn't produce anything worthwhile. These ones here, however, I'm very happy with!

© David Scard

What is it you love about film photography?

I love the simplicity and difference of film. With digital we can get caught up in making all those tiny adjustments, fussing over very slight settings, then going through all the processing in photo software. All that for people to view the result for two seconds on their tiny phone screen. Yes digital is great but it can also become laborious. Film not only gives us the opportunity to go back in time, but to also have a break from the fuss and everyday feel of digital. A great film photograph just feels more natural, it is what it is and has that charm. I also find there’s something pleasingly different about taking a shot but not seeing it right away. You have to wait for that hopeful feeling as the development comes back, asking yourself "so how did these come out?"

© David Scard

What's coming up in 2017?

I’d like to further explore colour light at night photography and in particular how to achieve it with film. A creative digital project on the tube in 2016 used several models, so perhaps photographing a few models with film this year for that classic look. I’m also on the lookout for more hidden or unusual locations. Some ideas I come up with as the year goes on but I’m happy to hear from others!

© David Scard

For more of David's work visit his website www.davidscardphotography.com, or Like/Follow David on Facebook and Instagram.

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Mentioned Product

Lomography Diana F+

Lomography Diana F+

Take timeless and dramatic photos on 120 film with the Diana F+. Create stunning soft-focused images and customize it with sweet lenses or even an instant back for additional effects and flexibility.

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