The North Church is one of the most photographed landmarks in Portsmouth.  It’s easy to see why, it’s beautiful, striking, easily identifiable (from all of Portsmouth), it captures light in a hundred different ways depending on the time of day, cloud cover, etc.  It’s been a fun challenge of mine to shoot it in as many different interesting ways as possible.  It’s so tall, that every time I walk nearby I find myself magnetized to looking up.  This shot is no exception, and I went with a dramatic black & white processing to give it a distinct feel.

In keeping with the recent theme of Portsmouth restaurants, today the Portsmouth Brewery is featured, with its little known outdoor dining area.  I simply love this outdoor space – it’s cozy, vibrant with color, and close to all of the delicious beers brewed right inside. The movement of all the people in contrast to the “SLOW” sign on the back wall gave me a bit of a laugh in looking at the shot – a reminder to sit back and relax now that the warm weather is here and we have the opportunity to enjoy these little outdoor enclaves.

The more I take the time to appreciate the massive brick structure along the Piscataqua River, the more I’ve come to appreciate its nuanced architecture and location.  The side of Harbour Place that fronts on Daniel Street has a very interesting curve to it – whether you’re looking up towards Daniel Street, or whether you’re heading towards the Memorial Bridge towards the water.  I like how this shot has positioned the vibrant tree against the manmade structures of the old stoic Memorial Bridge and the newer Harbour Place.  The large open blue sky isn’t the most fascinating element, but we haven’t had too much of it this spring, so it’s important to appreciate.

I’m not 100% sure whether the paintballs were intentional as part of this street art exhibit, which has been brought into this world as part of a collaboration between international artists, property owners and the Portsmouth Museum of Art.  I love the idea – and especially love this particular installation.  We’re very fortunate to live in a community where we’re forward thinking enough to bring this type of exhibition to town (thanks to the Portsmouth M of A), and while it isn’t exactly as sneaky as a Banksy painting – it’s pretty darn awesome. Looking forward to discovering more of the pieces around town.

Another take on the art installation on the Marple & James building on Pleasant Street.  As it turns out, the artwork in the public spaces around town is part of a larger citywide installation of street art that the Portsmouth Museum of Art is curating.  I can’t wait to check out the exhibit in the museum once it opens…visit their site at Portsmouth Museum of Art and tell them I sent you.  This work was still early in its progress – now complete with painted windows, eyes, a nose, hearts and some words. Stay tuned through the week for more visuals of this awesome project.  Shame that some people have been defacing the artwork so recently after its completion.  A production trailer in Prescott Park will be featured tomorrow…come back to visit!

A new surprise on the Pleasant Street side of the Marple & James building made an appearance this afternoon in Portsmouth.  After I got out of work in the afternoon, I was quite surprised to see someone making their mark on the wall with a ladder on site and everything.  Pretty cool to see this going up in real time, and shocked I didn’t notice it sooner. I’m curious to see if it’s all done – and to hear more about how and why this art made its way to Pleasant Street.

The latest installment of Storefronts of Portsmouth features The River House and its painted sign – a favorite spot of mine on Bow Street.  The location is pretty incredible right on the curve of Bow Street….overlooking the Tugboats and the Middle and Piscataqua River Bridges.  I really enjoy their food…but most of all, I love their deck location for a sunset on a spring evening.  I can’t wait for the decks to open…the countdown is on (let’s hope mother nature decides to do her part sometime soon).