PITTSBURGH -- President Barack Obama chose Pittsburgh photographer Duane Rieder to put together a book showing off the city's new image to the world during the G-20 economic summit last month.
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Watch Michelle Wright's ReportRieder collects old photographs of the city. He wanted the book to include eight shots of the old Pittsburgh transforming to eight of his new photos.
"When you look at, especially the first photo, it's 1880, looking at Smithfield Street Bridge. Nothing behind the bridge except one building. A couple of little shacks on the river," Rieder told WTAE Channel 4 Action News anchor Michelle Wright. "So we went from that to super smoky steel mills in 1940 and 50. Then, all of a sudden, the steel mills started going down in the 70s and 80s, to now we've got the greatest views in the country.
He made 34 books for the various heads of state. Obama signed each copy and included a note saying why Pittsburgh sets an example that the world should follow.
Rieder is planning to sell some of the Pittsburgh Summit photo books to the public. Interested buyers can e-mail
duane@riederphotography.com.
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