Laurent Michelot

Laurent Michelot is a photographer whose work documents the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine, focusing on the abandoned city of Pripyat, the nuclear power plant, and the surrounding territory. Through three photographic galleries, the project presents distinct perspectives on a place transformed by the 1986 nuclear disaster: a once-thriving city, the site of the accident, and the wider 30-kilometre zone where signs of human activity gradually fade. The images invite viewers to experience the area’s atmosphere and encounter a landscape seemingly frozen in time.

Michelot’s work is also available in the book Tchernobyl, visite post-apocalyptique, published by Editions du Chêne. Beyond a collection of photographs, the 224-page volume explores the history of Pripyat and the disaster, combining images with archival material, infographics, and accounts from former residents. These testimonies help place the photographs in their historical and social context. The book was published by Hachette-Livre / Editions du Chêne and is available through bookshops and online retailers.