Steel Stacks, Bethlehem PA

Located in Bethlehem PA, the Steel Stacks is a great location for photoshoots.  It’s a historical site known once as the second largest steel manufacturer in the US.  Now it’s a ten acre campus that has art, music venues, ice skating and so much more. The day I went to do a 2B photoshoot, there was a Yuengling Octoberfest going on.  Even with the crowd, the walkway surrounding the Steel Stacks were very open for walking around.  Keep in mind, it’s a very rusty, steampunk looking background, so ensuring the right subject or cosplay is important. 

There are several different locations to take photos along the walkway.  One thing I was not expecting was getting in so many steps as I wanted to get to each spot to get a different background.  The possibilities and options were truly limitless. 

Getting there is easy and a few turns after exiting I-476.  It doesn’t feel like at first that the Steel Stacks will show up, but as you go down a residential hill, the location stands out in the background.  It was a big overwhelming to see how large the place is and I can only imagine when it used to produce steel, how busy the city must have been.

There is plenty of street parking and a small free parking lot.  There is a large parking lot that looks available, however, that is reserved for the skating rink.  There’s also a paid parking garage nearby as well.  There are plenty of places to eat and plenty of other activities to partake.  If you go to the Steel Stacks page, there’s a calendar of events that is always full.  It’s worth looking at the events to ensure your photoshoot does not conflict with other people’s plans.

There’s no need for permits, no need to call any office to take photos.  Be mindful that other people are there as visitors and tourists.  The times I took photos there, people were curious, but also respectful.  Interestingly, I did not see anyone there doing short form videos for the various social medias.