A world leader of industry during the 20th century, Pittsburgh's physical evidence of this proud history is now aging; woven into the landscape of new development and industry. The goal of the Pittsburgh's Industrial History project is to foster a new understanding of our industrial heritage through aerial photography.
Project leader, Ben Peoples, learned the technique of Kite Aerial Photography in San Francisco while documenting the closed Alameda Naval Air Station and a condemned WW II office building. He will be adapting this approach using self-built devices including a 'powered parachute' and a 'quadrocopter' to gain the unique perspective needed to capture his photographs.
Having initially identified 40 preliminary sites to study, Peoples will narrow the list to 6 primary sites to conduct detailed surveys. The photos will then be made available to the public through various methods including: aerial map comparisons to historical plot maps, a photography show, book, and website.
We are pleased to be supporting Ben and the Pittsburgh's Industrial History project through a $500 First Ray Grant for 2010. You can follow the project's progress, and find more details, at http://pittsburgh.benpeoples.com/ .
