Jump to content

Skyline shots from all around Pittsburgh!


Evergrey

Recommended Posts

This is a thread devoted exclusively to skyline shots of my favorite city... perhaps there's no other skyline that can be photographed so many ways... the dramatic topography and eclectic architecture provide unlimited opportunities... as one of the world's most dinstictive skylines... Pittsburgh exudes power, grace, elegance and romance.

Welcome... to Pittsburgh!

51805581.100_2815.jpg

50567451.100_0737.jpg

Pittsburgh's 2nd skyline... Oakland

50567452.100_0738.jpg

51809726.100_2851.jpg

55228328.100_3901.jpg

51809382.100_2819.jpg

50567453.100_0740.jpg

53037166.100_1383.jpg

57311349.100_0688.jpg

50550228.100_0085.jpg

51805567.100_2797.jpg

56317950.100_4632.jpg

51805573.100_2807.jpg

52547938.100_3023.jpg

51805109.100_2772.jpg

52543940.100_2879.jpg

51805576.100_2811.jpg

51801947.100_2711.jpg

56315061.100_4567.jpg

51803226.100_2719.jpg

51801945.100_2708.jpg

56560068.100_4641.jpg

51805578.100_2812.jpg

57311345.100_0686.jpg

51801940.100_2697.jpg

51801942.100_2700.jpg

53715162.100_3575.jpg

57470431.100_4935.jpg

52546314.100_2957.jpg

52547939.100_3028.jpg

52547715.100_2975.jpg

51809728.100_2855.jpg

50567184.100_0693.jpg

first time using a tripod... ugh... oh well, it still looks cool

53712011.100_3389.jpg

51801935.100_2688.jpg

51805579.100_2813.jpg

56317948.100_4624.jpg

56315087.100_4589.jpg

56317951.100_4635.jpg

i'll have to get this shot in the morning some time

56315081.100_4584.jpg

51809383.100_2820.jpg

51805098.100_2762.jpg

55789586.100_4481.jpg

55230945.100_4082.jpg

55229641.100_4013.jpg

55228989.100_3971.jpg

55228987.100_3969.jpg

56560986.100_4761.jpg

56560848.100_4720.jpg

53714321.100_3533.jpg

56560537.100_4689.jpg

I *wish* I would've included the child on the swing in this shot... oh well, it was the first time I ever used a camera!

57307516.100_0008.jpg

53036825.100_1359.jpg

57348193.100_1358.jpg

53037165.100_1382.jpg

57349013.100_1391.jpg

53037179.100_1529.jpg

53037178.100_1522.jpg

53712808.100_3492.jpg

53037177.100_1521.jpg

53037176.100_1508.jpg

53713773.100_3501.jpg

53712790.100_3435.jpg

53714311.100_3523.jpg

53714310.100_3522.jpg

53714309.100_3521.jpg

53715165.100_3577.jpg

53714920.100_3567.jpg

53714900.100_3546.jpg

53714323.100_3535.jpg

55228324.100_3895.jpg

55789577.100_4476.jpg

57350379.100_1523.jpg

53714325.100_3537.jpg

53714322.100_3534.jpg

57350384.100_1539.jpg

53715171.100_3584.jpg

57354654.100_1777.jpg

57354286.100_1707.jpg

57470426.100_4930.jpg

53038298.100_1768.jpg

51805115.100_2779.jpg

53715179.100_3593.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 18
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Evergrey, great great pics, some of your top 10 in that roll! We are truly blessed in this forum to have people like EG and Flash that take some fantastic visual memories of the city and its region!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely pictures. I especially like the one taken from the Smithfield St. Bridge.

By the way, here is another angle you might want to try one day:

downtownview2.JPG

It isn't a very good shot but you get the idea. I was standing close to the Hot Metal Bridge on the Oakland side of the river.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great photo, Gerbil! I already posted a shot from that angle... though it isn't very good because the lighting was poor and for some reason I stood next to one of the PTC buildings instead of closer to the bridge.

56317950.100_4632.jpg

As many skyline angles as I've captured... there's twice as many out there I still haven't shot... and probably a lot I don't even know about... due to the amazing composition of this city.

I still need:

A shot from Mt. Washington WITH the Duquesne Incline cable car in it (classic shot).

A shot of skyline from within Heinz Field.

Downtown from the top of the Cathedral of Learning.

Downtown/SoHo combination from Birmingham Bridge area.

Downtown from Bloomfield Bridge.

Skyscrapers poking over hills in the Hill District.

Downtown from Troy Hill.

Downtown from Fineview.

... and I have some downtown views from Point State Park and the confluence while on a boat... but that was pre-digital... so I don't have them uploaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking at some of these shots, it is no wonder we get compared to Seattle and not Portland, no wonder why the Steelers #1 qb. credited the "wind off the lake" with his game--and this is him playing IN Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's 3 rivers and 6 metro rivers all pour into the point making it a water wonderland, very similar to Boston or Seattle but without the salt water ;).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other than a world-class skyline, water and lush green hills... I don't think Pittsburgh has much in common with Seattle in terms of structural architecture and density. Pittsburgh is truly unique in that... unlike other cities... it has no dominant housing or architectural style. It is quite eclectic. The city closest to Pittsburgh from an aesthetic sense is Cincinnati (though its skyline is much smaller).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^you might have a point on that narrow definition Eg, I know there are still major differences between SF, Boston and Seattle to Pittsburgh, but I'll go back to my old analogy, if a lifelong Pittsburgher got plopped down in 10 different cities, which one would appear most like home to them? Cincy would for sure in all but skyline and maybe urbanlife. But I would think major northern waterworlds like Boston, Seattle and SF aren't too far off with the hills, coves, islands, docks, and everywhere a river, stream, bay, harbor, inlet etc. Pittsburgh has no ocean access but my big point was that people tend to look at Rand McNally and classify us as a St. Louis or Portland or Dallas--a city with some river by it. What a lot of locals are realizing is that Pittsburgh is a HUGE draw on water recreation and activities because of its harbor like downtown and multiple major rivers and large (almost riverlike) creeks that seem to be inescapable.

Looking at some of those pictures, when taken out of the series, some people would think that is a coastal city, the confluence is really that massive when you think about it, and as soon as you go up or down river from the point, dozens of islands, some connected to the mainland, some not, but even then inhabited by people totally dependent on the waterways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well one hill, Beacon Hill . . . ok geographically speaking at least.

~~

I do agree there are differences between any two cities, though seeing those great shots by Evergrey and Gerbil it reminds me of the emphasis and influence of the waterways in the SFs, Seattles and Bostons compare ever increasingly to the emphasis of waterways in Pgh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The urban fabric of Pittsburgh is infinately more similar to Boston than Seattle, however.

Actually, I think Pgh's urban fabric is mroe similar to Seattle's. Seattle also has a dense downtown which is mostly non-residential and that downtown is surrounded by neighborhoods of medium density, just like Pgh. Seattle looks like what Pgh could be if it were able to attract mroe young people and were more updated and renovated. Capitol Hill is like Squirrel Hill/Shadyside. The Univeristy District is like Oakland. Belltown is like the Strip (minus the markets which exist in Pike Place).

As for Boston, well Boston is much more dense. Boston has the look and feel of an East Coast city and East Coast cities are of a density not found elsewhere in the US. Pgh doesn't have all the tightly packed rowhomes found in many parts of Boston.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At street level... Pittsburgh is more similar to Boston than Seattle. Rowhouses vs. bungalows... it's that simple. Pittsburgh is one of the most rowhouse-y cities outside of Philly and Baltimore. Lawrenceville, South Side, Bloomfield, Oakland, Mexican War Streets, Allegheny West, Hill District, SoHo, Homewood, California-Kirkbride, Deutschtown, etc are all packed with rowhouses. Squirrel Hill is a wonderful neighborhood and a great asset to the city, but it is definately not representative of the city as a whole. It developed as a streetcar suburb long after the core of the city was established. Most of the non-rowhouse areas in PGH are due to extreme topography, distance from the core or later establishment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find this discussion fascinating. To be quite honest I'd love to learn more about the pecularities of how Pittsburgh compares favorably or unfavorably to other metros. Did want to ask though since I see no disagreement on this yet--Pittsburgh is interchangable with the Seattles, SFs, and Bostons when it comes to basic waterway lifestyles and recreation? In my mind its a perfect comparison on shore life and abundance of water spots, as Evergreys great pics really bring out. Sure you can't keep sailing to Europe or Asia from the point (well technically you could eventually) but the basic access and opportunites are just as numerous here judging by those pics as any other waterway based city. Great job again on those pics EG, I love to pull those up and take in the grandeur anytime I need a boost!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have to strongly agree with Evergrey. I just made a trip to Boston. I see Pittsburgh in many ways as a sort of "poor man's" Boston. While Pittsburgh's core is not quite as dense as Boston's, it is still quite dense. I'm sure you are aware of the architectural connection between the two cities. Not only was Pittsburgh's greatest building designed by a Boston architect, (Richardson's Allegheny County Buildings), but his protoges, Longfellow, Alden & Harlow, were responsible for many of Pittsburgh's greatest buildings. In addition, Boston architect Ralph Adams Cram was the designer of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church. Both cities are major college towns. The area adjacent to Boston Commons (Beacon Hill), is one of Boston's jewels. The area adjacent to our commons (West Park, and the Mexican War Streets), could easily become our version of Beacon Hill (lesser, but still grand). Pittsburgh is full of old dense rowhouse neighborhoods, that in a growing city, would be among the most in demand locales. In my opinion, if there is a city that Pittsburgh should try to emulate, Boston is it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

herod,

In the aspect you are speaking of I believe you couldn't be more right. Agree totally that on a street by street level Pittsburgh could learn tons from Boston (both what and what doesn't work) they are very much alike. However, "Pittsburgh" is more then just street level within urban neighborhoods. If you look at topographical lessons San Francisco is a much better comparison, airport, infrastructure, port and bridges Seattle or San Fran, I have a tendancy to think very macro but your correct on the most simple basis the structures, streets and neighborhoods compare most like that of Boston's. Thank god we don't have Boston pricing yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.