Photographer Looking to come to Pittsburgh. (Homestead, Braddock: houses, neighborhood, universities)

[TwoBlueRuins]

Hi,

I'm a photographer currently in the midst of a big project which I posted a thread about in the Detroit forum. To save typing it all out again, here's a link.

Basically the project focuses on the rise and fall of cities, the cyclical nature of them, the impact of the city on the people and the people on the city etc.

I'm looking to travel to American cities that have regenerated for one reason or another, or cities that were once great, but have fallen and cities that have risen from the ashes of some disaster or other. As far as my research tells me, Pittsburgh is one of these. Some people have said that it was once poised to go the way of other rust belt towns like Detroit, but it seems to have somehow risen above that to become a thriving place.

I was wondering if people who live there think that it would be a good place to illustrate this, or if I would be wasting my time. For all the research that I have done, the best information seems to come from informed people with first hand accounts. Are there a lot of places in Pittsburgh that could illustrate this? How is it for walking around? How is it for safety? Could anyone actually recommend any areas that would show this?

I'm more interested in finding something in the every day rather than sightseeing. I'd rather photograph an abandoned house or a vegetable market than a theme park. But the things I want have to mean something to the city or have to symbolise something about it.

Any help you guys could give me would be great.

[Copanut]

I think there are a ton of posters that could point you in the right direction. Areas like Lawrenceville, the area around the Hot Metal Bridge that used to have belching smoke stacks, likewise, the Homestead Works.

Being a lousy stinkin' suburbanite, you best talk to City residents.

[TwoBlueRuins]

Sounds promising. Any city residents around?

[ferraris]

I would think that Garfield and East Liberty would be good examples of what you are looking for. Here's a PBS documentary on the fall and rise of Garfield: WQED > OnQ OnDemand > Garfield: An OnQ Neighborhood Special

East Liberty might even be more iconic, but the rise there has been more corporate/business oriented than in Garfield. For instance, it's now home to a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Google, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center research facility, and Google (the latter two are technically in neighboring Larimer I believe).

I'm not sure how pressed for time you will be, but if you go to Garfield and East Liberty, you will already be in the East End, where you could also get some shots of the universities and hospitals -- which have played a large role in Pittsburgh's rebound, as well as the financial sector.

Also, I would be remiss to not at least mention nearby Braddock, PA, which is nationally (in)famous for its sharp decline and attempt at a rebound. There's still an active steel mill there, too, and a hospital which recently closed.

I wish you luck, I think you'll find plenty of intriguing things here!

[BrianTH]

This is a great city for what you are looking for. Industrial, commercial, residential--we have everything in just about every state of decay or renewal you could want, all in abundance. Most of the area is very safe, and while confusing to get around, pretty compact.

[Kippy]

While I can't answer your question, I just wanted to mention that the Westmoreland Museum of American Art has an upcoming exhibit called Born of Fire about Pittsburgh's heritage as it relates to the steel industry. Those interested in the subject might want to check it out, and it might help you in your research.

Born of Fire - The Valley of Work

Westmoreland Museum of American Art - Take a fascinating look at American history through the eyes of great American artists.

[plaidmom]

Since you mentioned a willingness to bike you might want to watch:

Streetfilms | Journey to Pittsburgh to Walk & Bike

Perhaps get in touch with some of the folks at Bike Pittsburgh, Bicycle Advocacy, Safety and Community in Pittsburgh »

I don't live there, but my daughter does. It's an excellent city for cycling...and photography.

Burgeoning food scene too. Good luck and best wishes.

p.s. You may find this interesting: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_722267.html

[TwoBlueRuins]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll get started with some of those resources.

And yeah, I love good food. (If I'm honest, that's been a big factor in which cities I'm looking to visit. I can't help it.)

[plaidmom]

Originally Posted by TwoBlueRuins

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll get started with some of those resources.

And yeah, I love good food. (If I'm honest, that's been a big factor in which cities I'm looking to visit. I can't help it.)

This in on my list:

Salt of the Earth

Click on the address and checkout the street view. You may be able to kill two birds with one stone.

[ferraris]

You mentioned that you'd like to take photos of abandoned houses, The area known as Uptown or "The Bluff" is full of very old, abandoned buildings, a lot of which are probably pre-1900. It's very centrally located, crammed between Oakland and Downtown, and just across the river from the South Side. There really hasn't been much development there and it is a great example of urban decay.