Pittsburgh: Fireworks over the Allegheny!

glowrock · #1 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 5:56 PM**

Just some photos I took last night along the Allegheny Riverwalk of the fireworks after the Pirates-Phillies game. Hope you enjoy!

Aaron (Glowrock)

-----------------------------------------------------------

stepper77 · #2 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 7:53 PM**

Beautiful shots!

glowrock · #3 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 10:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stepper77

Beautiful shots!

Thanks a lot, stepper77. I thought they came out really nicely myself!

Aaron (Glowrock)

novaCJ · #4 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 11:10 PM**

This is fantastic!
which reminds me...I haven't been to a baseball game in forever!

bunt_q · #5 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 12:31 AM**

Sweet. Nice pics. For the Pirates, it's all downhill from here.

glowrock · #6 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Sweet. Nice pics. For the Pirates, it's all downhill from here.

I agree with you bunt_q, but at the same time it's quite fulfilling to know that Philly got swept today, being beat by both the Pirates and the Penguins!

Aaron (Glowrock)

xzmattzx · #7 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 3:59 AM**

Nice pictures. I was planning on doing a hockey-baseball double-header road trip, but my work schedule never allowed for it. Good thing I didn't go, anyway.

Austinlee · #8 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 4:05 AM**

Great pics. I've never had a camera capable of clear night shots like that. Jealous.

Austinlee · #9 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 4:19 AM**

By the way, This is my favorite shot. Great color.

Not sure if you know this Aaron but this bridge just got a fresh coat of paint a couple years ago At a cost of $14.5 million which is why it is so vibrant.
Also, in the 1960s it was known as the "bridge to nowhere" as it didn't connect to anything for 5 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Duquesne_Bridge

This is a hilarious story about it:
"On December 12, 1964, a 21 year old chemistry major at the University of Pittsburgh drove a 1959 Chrysler station wagon off the end of the bridge and landed unhurt on the other side. His adventure is documented in WQED-TV's Mid-Atlantic region Emmy Award-winning documentary "Flying off the Bridge to Nowhere and Other Tales of Pittsburgh Bridges", narrated by Rick Sebak.

Within a few weeks of this near tragedy, iconic Pittsburgh radio personality, Rege Cordic, distributed commemorative bumper stickers which read "Official Entry, Cordic & Company Bridge Leap Contest." With thousands of vehicles bearing these stickers on Pittsburgh's streets, the city responded by blocking off the end of the bridge with concrete barriers."

ColDayMan · #10 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 5:30 AM**

Great stuff!

glowrock · #11 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 9:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

By the way, This is my favorite shot. Great color.

Not sure if you know this Aaron but this bridge just got a fresh coat of paint a couple years ago At a cost of $14.5 million which is why it is so vibrant.
Also, in the 1960s it was known as the "bridge to nowhere" as it didn't connect to anything for 5 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Duquesne_Bridge

This is a hilarious story about it:
"On December 12, 1964, a 21 year old chemistry major at the University of Pittsburgh drove a 1959 Chrysler station wagon off the end of the bridge and landed unhurt on the other side. His adventure is documented in WQED-TV's Mid-Atlantic region Emmy Award-winning documentary "Flying off the Bridge to Nowhere and Other Tales of Pittsburgh Bridges", narrated by Rick Sebak.

Within a few weeks of this near tragedy, iconic Pittsburgh radio personality, Rege Cordic, distributed commemorative bumper stickers which read "Official Entry, Cordic & Company Bridge Leap Contest." With thousands of vehicles bearing these stickers on Pittsburgh's streets, the city responded by blocking off the end of the bridge with concrete barriers."

Austin,

I've read about "the bridge to nowhere", but have never seen a photo of the Ft. Duquesne Bridge without Ohio River Blvd. for it to connect to! Love it, just love it! Also, thanks for the kind words, everyone!

Aaron (Glowrock)

diskojoe · #12 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 8:14 PM**

Cool shots.

Lipani · #13 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 8:58 PM**

Gotta love Pittsburgh! Great shots, Aaron!

glowrock · #14 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 9:05 PM**

Thanks, man. Much appreciated!

Oh yeah, I just realized I should probably post the camera settings I used for the photos, since I'm still getting used to night photography... ISO 100, 5 second exposure time (all but a few of the photos, such as the one of the Ft. Duquesne Bridge), and an aperture of f8-f10. Most of them taken with my Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lens. A few taken with my Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro lens. Anyone here who's experienced at nighttime photos care to give me any hints or suggestions on how to make these shots better in the future?

Aaron (Glowrock)

ChiTownCity · #15 Posted: **Apr 12, 2012, 12:12 AM**

^they're perfectly sharp and vibrant. I doubt there's much improvements that could be made to them.

would adding a few extra seconds to the shutter and turning down the aperture by an extra stop or two help brighten the surroundings without blowing out the fireworks?

Buckeye Native 001 · #16 Posted: **Apr 12, 2012, 3:53 AM**

Rockin'

glowrock · #17 Posted: **Apr 13, 2012, 9:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTownCity

^they're perfectly sharp and vibrant. I doubt there's much improvements that could be made to them.

would adding a few extra seconds to the shutter and turning down the aperture by an extra stop or two help brighten the surroundings without blowing out the fireworks?

Yeah, I'll try that the next time. I'm just thinking that the number of explosions might make for some really crowded fireworks images if I take the exposure much higher, that's all. But hey, it's always worth a shot!

Aaron (Glowrock)