I love the streets of the South End in the springtime.  The brick sidewalks and the trees adorning yards make for a very inviting stroll when everything is in bloom.

What a difference half a year makes!  The shot above was taken during the afternoon lull in this week’s big winter storm, after most of the snow had fell…but the air was still frigid and the wind was still ridiculous as you can see on the surface of the water.  This public dock is one of my favorites to shoot in Prescott Park and overlooks the Memorial Bridge…so sometimes it’s worth venturing down to see what I can come up with.  Prescott Park is a pretty cool place regardless of season, and there’s a quiet element of magic after a fresh snowfall.

In a sharp contrast, the shot below was taken from the very same spot in June of 2010, with some rich colors from a beautiful sunset.  Makes me appreciate Portsmouth that much more for its versatility.  More great shots through the rest of the week from today’s fresh snowfall!

These pristine homes are old and wise and overlook the waterfront in the South End.  I shot this series at F/16, bringing the clarity of the shots and the depth of field to a level that I don’t always feature here at The Daily Portsmouth.  I’ve been waiting to feature this profile for a very long time….but I’ve shot them time and time again without any remarkable results. The wide angle approach I’d been taking at the widest end of my 24-105mm lens, and I didn’t have the symmetry I usually like – and it was too broad with the color range.  The moody grey/blue of the sky was a great complement to the rich historic yellow and the vibrant red of the home next door.  I love that you get the feel of the street from looking at the angle the houses are facing along with the flow of the rooflines and the crispness of the clapboards.  It’d be amazing to watch the river traffic from one of these homes, and to get some great shots from the other side of the walls. Until then, I’ll just admire the view I can afford.

Marcy Street links the Prescott Park area with the South End along the waterfront of the Piscataqua River.  The historic architecture defines the feel of the neighborhoods in this part of town, with some gorgeous structures and some sidewalks that still feel like historic walkways with their well worn bricks.  I’ve always liked this house, but never stopped to photograph it in the past…its front gate has tons of character.  It’s somehow both welcoming (almost like the house is smiling) yet a warning to anyone who feels like exploring.

In another installment of Streets of the South End – Mechanic Avenue is featured…I absolutely love this part of town.  Mechanic Ave is located along the waterfront of the back channel in one of Portsmouth’s most picturesque portions of waterfront.  This section can somewhat be seen in yesterday’s post, which was taken from the Peirce Island bridge….where you can see the wharfs and the waterfront scene.  The Wentworth-Gardner House is the large home featured prominently in the shot – and is one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in the country.  You have to click this one to view it LARGE!

Seen from the Peirce Island Bridge, this waterfront vista of Portsmouth’s historic South End should be a familiar sight.  It’s one of the area’s most photographed vistas, usually from directly across the river on Peirce Island – highlighting the docks, piers and colorful homes that line the streets of the waterfront.  I just love this old structure sitting on the waterfront – and the fact that the moon is rising in the upper left corner, and that you can catch the South Ward Meetinghouse clocktower in the upper right corner.

This weekend had some gorgeous photographic opportunities, and thanks to some encouragement from Chris Lazzery for an early wake up – we headed over to Peirce Island to see what we might find.  There were all sorts of surprises for what was supposed to be a cloudless morning….from the pink clouds above the shipyard, to some gorgeous saturated orange sunlight that you see in this shot….and then, all of a sudden (as if a lightswitch was hit), the light became completely muted and lost its early glow.  It actually made for some awesome shots…and Chris snapped one of my favorite shots I’ve ever seen from the Boat Launch.

Featured in the shot is The Chandler’s Loft – which is open VERY early…and located on Pickering Ave at the former Pickering Marina.  You can stop in to grab your bait, tackle, coffee…you get the idea.  I’ll have to stop in for coffee soon – I wish them the best in the new endeavor!