About six months ago I moved to Bethlehem, PA from the Pocono Mountains. My new place is on the South Side in the Arts District, a few blocks from Steel Stacks. This is the former home of Bethlehem Steel, which is now a 10 acre facility for arts, events, and of course MusikFest 🤟🏻

When the weather cooperates, I love walking around the facility shooting photos, specifically HDR images. The HDR process really brings out the character of this old steel mill, accentuating the colors, peeling paints and rust.

HDR Image of rusting industrial buildings of a former steel mill at Steel Stacks, Bethlehem, PA
Rust, Decay and Beauty at Steel Stacks

I took this shot while walking the grounds on a gorgeous sunny day in February using a Sony A7Riv and a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 lens. For the HDR brackets I took 3 brackets at -2, 0, +2 EV to really bring out the highlights and shadows of the image. The HDR process truly brings out the contrasts in colors and luminance creating a photo that shows the subject in a way the human eye cannot normally see.

I absolutely love living in this neighborhood, it is a vibrant town, with some very cool photography locations within walking distance Bethlehem, Allentown and the rest of the Lehigh Valley. Now that the weather is getting better with Spring I cant wait to get out and explore more of it.


Photo EXIF data:

  • Aperture: ƒ/2.8
  • Camera: ILCE-7RM4
  • Focal length: 42mm
  • ISO: 200
  • Shutter speed: 1/160s

Photo Location, Bethlehem Steel Stacks:

John P. Hoke

John P. Hoke headshot

Cyber Security Professional, Photographer, Coffee Junkie, Mac Addict, Craft Beer & Whiskey connoisseur, all around curmudgeon and generally sarcastic SOB – Not necessarily in that order.

The opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone and not those of my employer, family, pets, the voices in my head, or anyone else for that matter … hell in an hour they may not be mine either 🙂

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