One of my favorite parts of my photographic adventures are the people I get to meet, and the places I get to shoot.  I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to shoot sunrise from the roof of the new Residences at Portwalk project that has been in the news so much lately.  The roof of the building in the heart of the Northern Tier is uniquely positioned above Hanover Street and the city’s parking garage, with a nice clear view towards Bow Street and the Memorial Bridge.

I was greeted by a soft orange glow in the sky, about 15 minutes before the sun made it over the horizon and the rooflines. The early day light was all that was needed to give a hint of detail in the Bow Street buildings and the power lines, with the cranes of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard visible in the background. A beautiful morning and a memorable view.

The Portsmouth Waterfront is a beautiful place.  I’m sure if you mention the word “Portsmouth” to 10 different people – each person will have a twist on what their favorite thing about town is – or their favorite part to visit.  For me – one of the coolest things to do if I have a bit of extra time – is to head over to Maine and appreciate the view of town from afar.  It’s almost like seeing town from a little snow globe – without the snow (for now).  I love the tall monuments and the rich colors and textures of the waterfront real estate.

A classic image of the Moran Towing tugboats on a beautiful summer afternoon. The crisp afternoon light and the clear skies paired nicely with the golden light reaching over the river towards the Memorial Bridge and the top half of the Martingale Wharf.

Another freighter has arrived to unload windmill blades at the State Pier.  After a delicious meal downtown, Steph and I decided to wander down to the new deck of the Martingale to enjoy an unobstructed view of the waterfront.  The swift moving tide made for some interesting longer exposures alongside the orange glow of the alley on Ceres Street and the blasting light of the freighter on the horizon.  I like how the cranes are nuzzled against one another from this vantage point and the cranes of the freighter are in opposite directions, and then the abutments of the Middle Bridge stand tall in the distance.  Everything comes in pairs in this one – the tugboats, the cranes, the freighter cranes, the abutments,  and the photographer.

In the warm and inviting summer weather, people can be seen driving and riding all sorts of vehicles, bikes, scooters, segways, etc. throughout the city.  It’s quite amazing. While heading home from work, I decided to take a quick stroll up Bow Street…and happened to spot a couple cool scooters.  I was drawn to this one in particular, emblazoned with Paparazzi.  What a perfect subject for a camera obsessed local.

Portsmouth’s annual fireworks were delayed by two days due to weather, which was a welcome change – because it meant that I could get out to take some pictures.  I was torn on where I wanted to head, but ultimately decided to go to Kittery for some waterfront shots.  I knew the fireworks would be somewhere near the North Church, but other than that I didn’t quite know what to expect.  Needless to say, I enjoyed the evening!

It has been finished.  After many years of starts and stops, the building has finally arrived in all of its waterfront glory.  Tenants include a few office users, and Portsmouth’s newest seafood restaurant, Surf Portsmouth.  The building has an expansive deck with an incredible view of the water, and I’m sure all tenants on the upper floors will appreciate the knockout views on the water side.  It’s wonderful to have our city street back intact on Bow Street, with a very cool staircase leading down to the waterfront.  I’d encourage you to check it out, or peek through the windows to see the lush finishes in the entryways – or stop in to Surf for a drink.  While the view of the water from Bow Street has disappeared from the old parking lots that once stood in the place of the Martingale, it’s looking infinitely better from the water side and from Kittery, where this shot was taken.