1979 Photo Contest, Color Picture, 1st prize
Photographer

Valery Shustov

RIA Novosti

01 January, 1978

Fire fighters extinguishing a fire at an oil exploration well in Dagestan. When a oil well catches fire, the fire fighters not only have to put out the fire but also save the well. Valery Shustov made this story while working on a larger story about the Caspian oil industry. Making these pictures was very hard because of the enormous heat. Shustov could not remain still but had to work very fast and move around constantly.

About the photographer

Valery Shustov

Russian photojournalist Valery Shustov (1926-2006) worked briefly for the Sovinformbureau, before moving to its successor RIA Novosti.

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