Cranes at work unloading salt onto the Market Street terminal for Granite State Minerals.  Soon I’ll be featuring tall red cranes of another kind – the two twin cranes that are helping to dismantle the Memorial Bridge.

One of the key parts of Portsmouth’s working waterfront is the fishing fleet that makes its home at the commercial fish pier off Peirce Island.  It’s pretty neat seeing the boats all stacked up sideways on the pier, maximizing the space.  I’ve mostly featured the other side of the pier as seen from Prescott Park – but I like the different vantage point and the moody and muted colors of the scene.

With the snowy weather of the past week and the drastic changes in temperature we’ve been having, the weather ends up giving us a few gems in terms of scenes with interesting light and dynamics. The sun was peeking out mid-day while the fog over the Middle Bridge and the downtown area was still strong.  The glassy look to the water helps make this mirrored scene a bit more interesting while the fog made sure it still had a few elements of mystery.

One of my favorite times of year is winter, but not for the same reasons as many other New Englanders (like skiing, etc.).  Winter is one of my favorite times of year because of the increased commercial freighter traffic on our waterways…when on certain days I can be driving home for lunch, and spot massive ocean traveling ships by the pair.  In this mid afternoon shot, a freighter is docked at the Granite State Minerals terminal as well as the State terminal a bit further up river. The crystal clear blue skies are a bit of a departure from my usual moody skies and sunsets…hope you enjoy!

The Maori Maiden was a very interesting freighter, thanks to its bright green and yellow decking and baby blue exhaust tower.  Looking forward to tracking a new set of ships that will be in and out of Portsmouth through the winter months.  The salt piles are currently tall, but will wane as the winter weather begins to rear its ugly head, which can only mean more river traffic.  It’s a nice distraction during what becomes a long and cold march towards spring.

The tugboats will soon be getting much more action than they have during the warmer months of the year.  Also – the platform I love to shoot from will be off limits once the weather gets more rugged and wintry, so I’m always sure to get out to snap an inviting scene when the lighting presents itself.

The Rowan M. McAllister joined two of the standard fixtures in the Moran Towing fleet last week, with a taller deck and a different look than its counterparts flanking its sides.

I most often enjoy shooting the Moran Towing tugboats from the Portsmouth Harbor Cruises pier or from The River House’s deck on the waterfront.  This particular afternoon last winter, I decided to try and sneak my camera over the fence to the Moran Towing yard for a side profile.  The fresh tracks in the snow make this cold and empty scene a bit more human. (Be sure to click the image to enjoy it on a nice large background)