Instant Alert: 17 eerie photos of abandoned Soviet spaces

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   17 eerie photos of abandoned Soviet spaces by Sarah Jacobs on Oct 14, 2015, 10:45 AM Advertisement When Nikon approached photographer David de Rueda with the opportunity to help make his ultimate dream project come true, de Rueda knew he wanted to create something "post-apocalyptic and sci-fi."  De Rueda pitched the idea of a six-week road trip through nine European countries to document Cold War-era abandoned towns and spaces for his Nikon Project Spotlight work. "The goal was simple and challenging at the same time: explore the most amazing places in order to create a unique set of photographs," he told Business Insider. "This experience pushed my work beyond my wildest expectations."  Restricted areas and difficult-to-find spaces were no match for de Rueda and his camera. Through Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, and more, de Rueda trekked, mostly during the night, to capture powerful images of abandoned radar stations, power plants, factories, and even two rarely seen relics of the Soviet space race. For de Rueda, "to be able to take photographs of [the relics] was the ultimate reward." He shared the results of his explorations deep into these creepy, apocalyptic-like areas.  Follow de Rueda on Twitter, or keep up with him on his professional Facebook. SEE ALSO: The 35 best Reuters photos of the year so far Linnahall is a former concert hall that was completed in Tallinn, Estonia, in 1980. With a two-minute exposure on the camera, de Rueda was able to reveal its architectural structure, which otherwise sat in darkness. This picture was taken in an unused experimental power facility near Moscow, which was closely guarded by half a dozen dogs. After a little persuasive discussion, the caretaker let de Rueda and his crew in. As the sun was setting, he had a few minutes to find the perfect point of view. During his travels, de Rueda spent four days in the abandoned Ukrainian city of Pripyat. Founded in 1970, Pripyat was meant to serve as a home base to the scientists and workers at the nearby Soviet nuclear power plant at Chernobyl. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011