Tom Ratchkauskas Photography: Urban Vistas, Wide Angles and Long Exposures - {Mt. Washington-Downtown-Point State Park}

The following are a collection of photographs taken on October 8th, 11th and 13th. While most of the pictures are from locations i have photographed often, they bring a new perspective of the city not often seen with a regular click of the shutter. Pittsburgh boasts the best urban vista in the country, a fantastic state park as the capstone to the Golden Triangle and some of the most unique architecture around. Pittsburgh offers unlimited photographic potential due to its contrast in building types and landscape and capturing the city with different methods increases this potential exponentially.

Mount Washington, with its expansive vista and direct view of the entire Golden Triangle and beyond is excellent for using a wide angle lens. Downtown Pittsburgh, with it's urban yet extremely condensed setting also makes for great wide angle use as the tight clusters of buildings provide for a surrounding image. Pittsburgh also has many lookouts and parks with conveniently placed stone blocks and facades that make long exposures a bit easier at night when I do not have a tripod. The Fort Pitt Bridge and 10th Street bypass light trails and long, ethereal shots of the fountain at Point State Park would have not been possible without a well placed metal railing or the large stone blocks that make up the fountain.

Pittsburgh is abundant with photographic material, but a simple change in focal length or shutter speed just increase your probability of getting a brand new view.