Chernobyl — 40 Years Later: Exclusive Media Package
Since 1993, I have been documenting the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Over more than five months working inside the 30-kilometer Exclusion Zone and its immediate vicinity—and venturing deeper into the destroyed reactor than any other documentary photographer—I produced early commissions for National Geographic and later continued the project independently through grants and crowdfunding.
My most recent visit was in late 2023; the images from that trip remain intentionally unpublished.
Ahead of the 40th anniversary on April 26, 2026, I plan a return in February/March 2026 to document:
• the current state of the 30-kilometer Exclusion Zone;
• damage to the New Safe Confinement (the protective arch over Reactor 4) following a Russian drone strike in 2025;
• the living conditions of the few remaining returnees;
• the situation of roughly 2,000 shift workers in the town of Chernobyl;
• the ongoing militarization of the Exclusion Zone by Ukrainian forces, as permitted by Ukrainian authorities.
To finance this three-week trip (budget approx. US$25,000), I have developed an international media package to seek one major outlet per country to contribute between US$2,000 and US$7,000, scaled for the publisher’s specific market size and circulation.
In return, each outlet receives:
• Exclusive, single-country rights for a one-time 40th-anniversary feature to publish an unlimited number of photographs from the new material (2023 and 2026);
• Access to additional images from my Chernobyl archive (1993–2014) for use in the same editorial package;
• Rights for print and online editions, official social channels, and self-promotional editorial formats;
• Territorial exclusivity limited to the participating country;
• Exclusivity ends April 27, 2026. Final materials delivered no later than March 30, 2026 to allow for planning and production.
Once partners are confirmed, I will circulate the territorial list to avoid overlap.
I’m happy to discuss questions, special editorial requests, or tailored arrangements by phone or in person.
Warm regards,
Gerd Ludwig
studio@gerdludwig.com
+1 (323) 481-8383
Instagram: @gerdludwig