Month: March 2011

The Little Corner Store | Strawbery Banke

philipcase1 Comment

This little trip back in time to when the general store was in its heyday in Puddle Dock is courtesy of the Strawbery Banke Museum.  If you ever have the chance to visit the store during the museum’s season, be sure to stop in to admire the authenticity of all of the various elements inside.  Quite a fun voyage back to what it was like when my grandparents were kids, and when you could walk a few blocks to go buy candy for a penny at the local store. Strawbery Banke can be a quiet element in town – but with the recent news that an open air market could be coming to the grounds at the old Puddle Dock neighborhood and the constant beauty of the old historic homes on the grounds, this place is definitely a treasure to Portsmouth.

And of course a very Happy Birthday to my darling fiancee!

Portsmouth from Across The Water

philipcaseLeave a comment

I must say, there is a lot that I love about this photograph.  How distant the subject feels, yet so intimate because of the vignetting and the soft smoothness of the water….That the scene is warm with the evening sunset’s glow, yet signs of an industrialized location are evident with the power lines and the cranes and salt piles on the horizon.  The leading lines of the power lines pass right over hotels of the downtown area and reach towards the waterfront.  Lots of great elements….but mostly, I love the colors and the transitions. I hope you enjoy one of these little elements as much as I do.

River House | Bow Street

philipcase1 Comment

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).

A Great Island Common Sunrise

philipcase1 Comment

New Castle is one of the new towns that is fortunate enough to claim the title of a coastal location along New Hampshire’s tiny coastline.  This weekend I decided to venture over to Great Island Common to enjoy the sun climbing over the horizon.  Whaleback Lighthouse can be seen on the horizon to the right of the large rock and the life saving station can be seen shielding the sun as it climbs over the horizon and spends its first minutes of the day basking the NH coast in sunlight.

106 Kitchen | Penhallow Street

philipcaseLeave a comment

I have this thing lately for facades.  I love the contrast in the newer and more modern entrance for 106 Kitchen on Penhallow Street, and love that it intertwines with the bricks on the storefront as well as the sidewalk…which ends up wrapping around to Commercial Alley.  It’s also fun to see a place take roots in a location that has seen so many different eateries come and go since I’ve been here on the seacoast.  Bon Appetite!

Industrial Beauty

philipcaseLeave a comment

A very simple image of a very massive structure.  I’m endlessly fascinated by freighters, buildings, bridges, all of the incredible things that humans have created to meet their needs for daily living.  This imposing vessel travels the world carrying sand/salt to terminals, bringing with it the minerals so important to getting through a New England winter. The decks run around the structure, with ladders and buoys and red pipes all over – all of which I’m sure serve a purpose.

Distilling this down to a simple fraction of the huge craft to force myself to take a moment to think about the boat rather than its role in the waterfront and a sweeping wide-angle view is hard.  I love shooting full scenes…but in getting the zoom lens out, I think it conveys a new feeling about these ships and their roles in Portsmouth’s waterfront heritage.

A Waterfront Scene

philipcaseLeave a comment

Portsmouth’s serene and industrial waterfront enjoys the last few moments of sunlight.  My favorite part is the little cloud hovering over the gypsum plant on the horizon, still illuminated with the rich orange light of the late day sun.  The cranes and sand piles sit calmly, as I imagine they’ll do for a few months until the massive mounds of sand and salt won’t be needed for a couple seasons.

 

The McLaughlin-Hills Gallery

philipcase1 Comment

There’s a new gallery in town (on State Street across from Agave and Dos Amigos)…and I had the pleasure of stopping in to explore some of the work from Latin artists featured in the gallery.  Visit WireNH for a great article on the new establishment and its founder, Catherine McLaughlin-Hills (who was very kind and helpful as I meandered around).  It only took a matter of seconds upon walking in to realize that this wasn’t your typical seacoast gallery, which was a welcomed surprise.  As someone who has very clearly made his practice photographing the beauty that surrounds us here on the New Hampshire seacoast, I most certainly appreciate more diversity in our art scene.  Also, as someone who is marrying into a Cuban and Colombian family, I think I’ve developed a greater appreciation for art outside what I’m typically seeing/enjoying.

I strongly encourage you to stop in and explore for yourself.  The gallery is full of fascinating and vibrant pieces of work…well worth a few minutes of your day on a stroll towards Prescott Park.

(Be sure to click the image – I really dig how this one looks on the black background)

Symmetry and Reflections

philipcase6 Comments

This should be a familiar scene to people who’ve been following the site for some time.  It’s a familiar one for me too – but somehow, every time I return I seem to be struck by the simplicity of the scene and the serene reflections of the Memorial Bridge (when the river is calm enough for reflections), and the dynamic sky overhead in all the various conditions.  I love that the dock reaches out towards the open expanse of the Piscataqua, and the fact that it’s a quiet scene…in a couple short months this spot will be full of foot traffic and boats docked for an afternoon…maybe a concert at Prescott Park or maybe a walk to The Decks for a few cold ones.

Photographers for Japan | Philip Case Cohen

philipcase1 Comment

First and foremost, I want to provide everyone with an opportunity to help me help Japan.  With the devastation that has stricken the island country following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear catastrophe, I wanted to join with several of my photographer friends from around the world in raising funds (via print sales) to donate to the relief efforts in Japan.  Living in extremely close proximity to multiple sources of potential nuclear radiation (Seabrook Nuclear Power Station and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – nuclear submarines), I can only imagine the fear that the local residents near the plant might be living with.

For the next two weeks, any profits (100% of profits) I receive through print sales or gift card sales at PhilipCaseCohen.com or here at The Daily Portsmouth will be donated to the “Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami”.  Of course, you may also donate directly to the Red Cross by visiting their donation page HERE.  If you make a purchase, I’ll send you a personal email afterwards letting you know the amount of proceeds being donated in your name. Visit fellow photographer Oliver Fluck’s website for a nice aggregation of other photographers contributing to the effort.

It would be my honor to help place artwork in your home and to help others rebuild their homes.

Living in New England, we are graced with four unique seasons each year.  It just so happens that Winter seems to stick in the minds of most residents, but it’s the change from season to season that I enjoy so much…and the shift to Spring tends to bring me a renewed energy and outlook.  Longer days, warmer weather, and the return of people to Market Square – and a sure sign of good weather is the presence of motorcycles in front of Breaking New Grounds.  In this shot, the Portsmouth Athenaeum can be seen in the distance with a couple bikes soaking up the sun in the foreground.