Stephanie Strasburg

@stephstrasburg

Pittsburgh-based photojournalist for nonprofit newsroom Public Source, covering people, politics, news, culture & change in America's Rust Belt. Mucks about in the gray areas, professionally staring too long at things. stephaniestrasburgphoto.com

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Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· 20d

Tara's story is not just for Pittsburgh folk, the delays, denials, instability, stress & tough work she writes about through her parents' life extend nationwide, & policy – local, state & federal – continues "treating survival itself as something that must be earned." Dive deep at @publicsource.org.

The screenshot of text reads: The cruelty of these policies is that they often ask for labor from bodies already breaking down, treating survival itself as something that must be earned. Public health is often discussed as though it exists separately from economics or governance, but the body absorbs policy directly. Whether someone can afford preventative care, whether a hospital remains open in their neighborhood, whether clean air standards are enforced, whether Medicaid approvals are delayed, whether disability claims are denied, whether public transit reliably connects people to care — these are all public health questions.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· 20d

As a photographer, Tara was incredible to work with on this piece, she is so thoughtful and deep. Since she was out of state, we relied had a long conversation on her family photos, and then I worked with collage and thread work on the images she had provided surrounding her parents' life & death.

Artist Tara Fay Coleman's photo of her mother's bathroom sink after her death shows cosmetics, nail polish, and toiletries beside tooth brushes and a hand towel with a red flower on it. The photographer has taken the photo and added flower petals on top, both yellow and magenta.

A photo of two people in summer clothes sitting on a brown leather couch couch is overlaid with a photo of bare branches. Red thread makes shapes of lungs on the man at left, and a heart on the woman looking at him at right.

A selfie photo of author and artist Tara Fay Coleman, taken after the death of her mom, shows cloth roses in the foreground and track lighting above her. The photo is overlaid with one of Pittsburgh's signature steel yellow bridges.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jul 9

"If you can't make photos in your own neighborhood, you have no business going to anyone else's." I took it to heart and went out nightly after work and on the weekends. Some of those photos are still my favorite, I wasn't as in my head about what makes a good photo then, just raw interest & vibes.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jul 9

While looking for photos for our upcoming story on PGH's Bloomfield neighborhood, I came across these from when I was just learning photojournalism back in the early 2010s. The neighborhood was my home and my teacher. Someone gave me the advice that (1/2)

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jun 18

After 4 months in ICE detention, Randy Cordova Flores is back home in a small river town outside of Pittsburgh. He is haunted by the people left behind in Moshannon. His arrest became a flashpoint for a borough rocked by transparency issues, including the silent signing of a 287(g) agreement w/ ICE.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jun 16

Mining the archives for swimming photos to kick of pool season, I found this photo circa the early 1900s of people swimming in Pittsburgh's Lake Elizabeth, which is part of Allegheny Commons West Park. No credit beyond Detroit Publishing Co., via the Library of Congress.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jun 9

U.S. Steel plans to invest up to $2.5 billion into upgrades to its Mon Valley Works. At a press conference Mon., US Sec. of Commerce Howard Lutnick and company leaders announced the investment would include a new hot strip mill at Braddock's Edgar Thompson plant: www.publicsource.org/us-steel-pla...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jun 2

The Bloomfield Bridge being built in Oct. 1914. That's Straub Brewing Company in the distance through the smog. Around this time, the region was making around 60% of America's steel. (Credit: No photog named, Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2000 via University of Pittsburgh archive)

The neighborhood of Bloomfield is visible in the background of a photo of workers laying concrete slab during the construction of the Bloomfield Bridge. In the foreground, a man in a hat on a cart. In the distance, a building that reads "Straub Special" in big white lettering.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· May 20

Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood, lot for sale.

A For Sale sign advertising a development opportunity on a vacant, grassy lot is covered with a spray painted sign that reads "The working class must unite" in all capital letters. Around the lot are the neighborhood's typical narrow homes in yellow, blue, and gray siding, and one section in brick.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Apr 21

ICE targeted or arrested at least 46 people at Pittsburgh courthouses in 2025, including at Mental Health Court and a rehab hearing. Emails obtained by Public Source indicate that the County Sheriff’s Office was notified by ICE about these arrest plans. By @quinnglabicki.bsky.social: buff.ly/Vu0HwPe

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Apr 17

Pittsburgh twilight in color, just some little photo sketches as I walk to and from assignments in our fair city.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Apr 6

I had no idea that PGH's North Shore, soon to be home to the NFL Draft, had 3 parks so flood-prone that house rules constituted a ball hit in the outfield water = automatic single. @quinnglabicki.bsky.social & I had a blast mining for historical sports photos: www.publicsource.org/north-shore-...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Apr 2

From federal funding shifts to touring Broadway shows, Pittsburgh's theater scene is under pressure to change. “...institutions are asking fundamental questions about what the next 50 years will look like. It feels like an inflection point.” PGH's scene change: www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-p...

People arriving to a theater in a downtown city, the marquee is lit up with golden lights

Two people pose for a photo at the base of a stage with theater seats in the foreground. The stage is set up to look like an elementary school.

Charlie Lovett-Deitrich, scenic carpenter at City Theatre, of Squirrel Hill, works on building a set for the upcoming production of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” in the company’s workshop, Friday, March 27, 2026, in the South Side.

The cast Pittsburgh Public Theater’s production of “Primary Trust” joins visiting high school students for a talk back following a performance in The O'Reilly Theater on Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Downtown’s Cultural District.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Feb 23

Antonio Paris joined the Riverview school board after being targeted as a gay, Black man. Last month, when ICE agents detained an elementary school father in Oakmont, he quickly pushed through a student safety plan. How he did it/who he is: www.publicsource.org/antonio-pari... @publicsource.org

Man in a suit coat standing in the Allegheny County Courthouse stairs smiles at the camera

Four people sit at a table for a school board meeting as seen through reflections in glass

A high view of the Allegheny River as it winds past the small town of Oakmont outside of Pittsburgh. There is ice on the river, the Hulton Bridge stretches across. The junior high/high school sits on the shore.

People talk in the back of a school board meeting in front of a table with books displayed in the Riverview HS school library.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Feb 18

Up the river from Pittsburgh, 2 boroughs have seen high-profile detentions of immigrants. One is cooperating with ICE while the other voted against collaboration, as area schools try to keep immigration enforcement at arm’s length. Both councils met tonight: www.publicsource.org/springdale-o...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Feb 14

The protest organizers emphasized an appreciation for the police response. Springdale's Borough Council meets Tues. night, as does the school board. Questions around the boro police's 287(g) agreement w/ ICE will come up, said school board member & organizer Amy Sarno. More to come @publicsource.org

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Feb 14

During an ICE protest in Springdale Boro today a man in a truck parked in front of protestors, punched a person w/ a camera in the face 2x & attempted to knock the camera out of his hands. On the sidewalk, an 8yo girl cried as her father responded in the street: www.publicsource.org/springdale-i...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Feb 2

“If enough LGBT people start carrying & being loud & visible about it, that will make bigots & extremists & people who might be motivated to commit a hate crime think twice before they try to attack an LGBT person." See full video/article here: www.publicsource.org/pink-pistols... @publicsource.org

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 29

January 1941: Steelworkers sons in the snow in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania (about 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh). John Vachon, photographer. From the Library of Congress. www.loc.gov/item/2017811... Love this photo.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 27

Protesters bundled outside of Sen. John Fetterman’s Pittsburgh office, braving freezing temps to press him on DHS funding. Fetterman (D-PA) supports impeachment of DHS's Sec. Noem, but not a government shutdown as rage over ICE killings burns. www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-p... @publicsource.org

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 26

Snowy Strawberry Way. Pittsburgh, Pa.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 25

Driving through Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville this morning on my way from photo-ing the storm across the city. Glad we made it back when we did, it's super slippy out there. Updates: Giant Eagle closing at 4pm, PRT buses delayed & PPS closed tomorrow. Snow still coming dahn. More @publicsource.org.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 25

Scenes from the snow storm across Pittsburgh this morning. The storm sweeping half of the nation is expected to drop a foot of snow across Southwestern Pennsylvania, making travel unsafe and potentially challenging utilities. Read more: www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-u... via @publicsource.org

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 24

The White House disseminated a photo of an arrested Minnesota protester crying. @nytimes.com ran it through an A.I. detection system and concluded that it showed signs of manipulation, including depicting the protester as crying and darkening her skin. AI @ right: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 9

“The funny thing about freight train hopping without a cellphone was that I rarely knew where I was.” So it came as a surprise to Sarah Velázquez when she settled in Pittsburgh, years after spotting the city’s beauty from a passing train. 📸 for @publicsource.org: www.publicsource.org/finding-home...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 6

PHOTOS: Mayor @coreyoconnorpa.bsky.social's 1st day in office traversed the walk to Colfax K-8, Grandma B's in the Hill, meetings & an executive order, a senior center in West End, Primanti's in the Strip & documenting needed infrastructure improvements Downtown before roll call with Zone 3 police.

Mayor Corey O’Connor starts his first day as mayor walking Aaron, left, in fourth grade, and Eli, center, in third, to school at Colfax K-8 in Squirrel Hill on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. The mayor spoke about improving safety for children on their route to school as part of his mayoral priorities. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

James Hill, assistant chief of staff to Mayor Corey O’Connor, places the mayor’s seal on O’Connor’s first executive order streamlining the permitting process in the city, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in the mayor’s conference room at the City-County Building. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor walks Downtown to document needed infrastructure improvements, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor at the West End Senior Center, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Jan 5

Lots of big moments from today's inauguration of new Pittsburgh Mayor @coreyoconnorpa.bsky.social, but this little aside w/ Gov. Shapiro @governor.pa.gov helping O'Connor's 2-year-old son, Emmett, through his dad's speech by offering the gubernatorial pad & pen to draw with caught my eye, too.

Gov. Josh Shapiro hands a pen to incoming Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor's two year old son to help him get through his father's innauguration ceremony as people smile at them.

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Oct 16

As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse passes the 100-day mark, rape crisis centers are struggling to maintain services and worry that continued financial strain could erode critical support for more than 26,000 survivors a year, one-third of whom are children. www.instagram.com/p/DP4KcQ_kSP...

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Oct 7

As a photojournalist for over a decade now (eep), I've been in a lot of homes around the Pittsburgh region. With its Star Trek stained glass windows, built-in enclosures for his therapy snakes, and a workshop for constructing his bug-out vehicle, Vint's may take the cake as the most eclectic. 1/2

Stephanie Strasburg@stephstrasburg· Oct 1

Two Sundays ago in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood... hanging out with the Pitt climbing club, with Mario, at The Corner's Steelers watch party, and the Schenley Plaza carousel. Looking forward to sharing a community project featuring stories on Oakland's four neighborhoods soon! @publicsource.org