The Iconic

The Chrysler Building is probably my favorite structure in New York City.  Its gorgeous art deco crown and spire just blow me away….so when I was down in the city this weekend with family and friends to see the tree in Rockefeller Center, I was thrilled when we got off the train at Bryant Park and had a gorgeous unobstructed view of the building.  I thought today would be a great day to feature this shot, following up on a similar angle on Portsmouth’s very own North Church steeple.  I hope to get back sometime soon with a more dramatic sky and a better lens…but in the meantime, I’m happy to share this shot from sunset with you all.

Inside the Red Door

Literally…this shot was inside The Red Door on State Street.  A tucked away spot in Portsmouth that you should try and check out for yourself sometime….I’ve previously featured the venue’s interior as well as its notorious door for which it’s named.  Here’s a bit of a different shot from the recent bridge and cityscapes…will return back to those on Sunday and next week!  I’ve also made an investment in a new toy, a Carl Zeiss 21mm….so far the clarity and the colors look to be promising and inspiring, eager to put it through its paces.

Market Square | Wide Angle

This is one of my favorite shots of Market Square I’ve captured over the past couple years.  It’s a Christmas time panoramic shot featuring a wonderfully wide angle view of Market Street, Daniel Street, a glimpse of the Christmas Tree and of course, Breaking New Grounds.  The sunset this afternoon was just incredible with rich orange tones just reaching over the rooftops of the Congress Street buildings to illuminate the Alie Jewelers building and the Market Street rowhouses in the distance.  You can even see a little tiny bird flying just above the Market Street roadway in the upper left area.  This one will look gorgeous large-scale, and I plan to make some cool huge prints out of it for my house or office.  Hope you enjoy!

In case you’re in a pinch and still have to do some last minute shopping, please consider buying a few prints for your friends and family who love Portsmouth!  I have images from Portsmouth and many other spots throughout the US (NYC, Boston, Yellowstone…).  Happy Holidays to all. Visit http://philipcasecohen.com to review the full gallery…

The Dock at Sunrise

Portsmouth’s waterfront location provides an incredible amount of opportunities to photograph.  This pier, which I’ve featured before, is in Prescott Park overlooking the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  I love the symmetry that docks and piers provide, especially when bathed in soft morning light and interesting cloud cover.

Sand | Granite State Minerals

The Sand & Salt Piles that line Portsmouth’s working waterfront are owned and operated by Granite State Minerals.  As I’ve written time and time again, I love this time of year…not so much for the colder temperatures (which make for cold fingers out shooting, especially at night), but for the increased river traffic.  This past week, the Atlantic Majesty returned to unload some massive amounts of sand.  Today’s shots feature the fascinating dump of sand from the crane…I never get sick of seeing the sand fall out so quickly, watching gravity take hold of the materials.  Below, the sand pile grows over the wall on Market Street.

In other news – be sure to check out the new header at the top of the site!  I decided I needed an image with a little more clarity to welcome visitors the Portsmouth’s waterfront.  Here the Bow Street waterfront can be seen from the sidewalk of the Memorial Bridge.

Morning View of the Memorial Bridge

This week’s series features the Memorial Bridge.  I’ve often shot the bridge from this little corner of Prescott Park, but it wasn’t until the lighting accentuated the scene in this way that I appreciated the angles that the dock presented.  I love the leading line of the last portion of the dock and how it points the way upriver. This wide angle view captures both the marina on the Kittery side of the bridge as well as Harbour Place on the Portsmouth side.  Soon there will be a complementary brick warehouse looking building on the near side of the Memorial (or its replacement), at the site of the former Pier II restaurant.

The Deck | Memorial Bridge

This previously impossible shot was taken on the decking of the Memorial Bridge.  With the recent closure of the bridge, I was able to head over this weekend…which I did at sunrise on Saturday morning.  More shots to follow throughout the week with a view of the bridge from a few spots at Prescott Park.  With its recent closure of 4-6 weeks, which is more likely to be an indefinite closing followed by a definite replacement, it’s given a new sense of urgency to capturing it as it stands bridging New Hampshire and Maine.  Look forward to new posts this week with some vibrant colors to accompany the deteriorating bridge.

A Memorial to the Memorial Bridge

It’s close to the end for the Memorial Bridge – or so it seems.  It was announced this week that the bridge would be closed for 4-6 weeks for repair, or even indefinitely according to Foster’s. I don’t think this surprises anyone ’round these parts, but it’s sort of a sad moment. Things will get better and the bridge will eventually be replaced with either a very similar looking one, or a drastic departure if some of the initial design critics get their way. One thing is sure, this original lift span bridge with all of its character isn’t really safe for vehicles anymore. It’s going to be damn cool for photographers and pedestrians to enjoy its architecture and some steady decks for a while (you can’t get a sharp image with dozens of cars driving through).

Happy Holidays from Market Square

Dear Everyone,

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Portsmouth

Tis the season to spread some love & joy.  This past weekend the city hosted its annual Holiday Parade & tree lighting.  The holidays are definitely here again along with some ridiculously cold weather that I decided to torture my hands in while heading out to snap a few shots of the tree in Market Square.  Be sure to support our local retailers this year and spend some dollars locally.