Photo of the Day: Iris by the Allegheny

As something of a fan of silent film, I’ve always been fascinated by the “iris shot”—a technique that limits the focus to a circular part of the screen, often used to open (or, even more effectively, close) a scene. This particular image, which I snapped while visiting Pittsburgh three weeks ago, reminds me of that, with the arch providing a kind of architectural counterpart to the film’s circle—along with a vanishing point by the horizon. I took this shot by the Allegheny River. 

The statue at the back depicts Fred Rogers, the beloved longtime Pittsburgh resident who produced the children’s-show favorite mainstay Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood for more than 30 years for the Smoky City’s public television station WQED.