Goodbye 2012

Another year has come and gone in a hurry, so it goes. I want to take a moment to thank all the visitors of this blog this past year (that includes you) and people who have followed my photography elsewhere online.

As of this evening, PortlandDailyPhoto.com has had over 73,000 unique visitors this year, which is up year-over-year. That number is especially pleasing considering how many people view my photos on my other sites (Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, 500px, Tumblr, etc!) and never actually visit this blog.

It's been a been a fun year with a few firsts, such as my first First Friday showing and my first time having photographs in a few local magazines. I even managed to have a photo as a weather background graphic for the local NBC television affiliate (WCSH6 - Portland's News Leader), allowing me to sneak my photography into thousands of households every week for a few seconds.

Clockwise from top - Downeast Magazine, CBRE The Boulos Company Office Market Survey, Portland Magazine, WCSH6 Weather Graphic, Mainebiz Book, and another Portland Magazine photo. 

And as I usually do at the end of each year, here is a selection of photos, one from each month, taken over the last year. You can click the name of the month to view the archives from that particular timeframe:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

Also, special thanks to everyone who has supported my hobby over the past year by purchasing my work over at Corey Templeton Photography, by buying a copy of my 2012 calendar, or by contacting me to license my photos for commercial or editorial use. See you all next year!

Bridge Over Frozen Waters

The little old bridge in Deering Oaks Park during yesterday's snow storm.

Decorated

From Christmas Morning, a patly decorated post office box in Post Office Park. The red post office box was a gift from our sister city, Shinagawa (Part of Tokyo), Japan and I think it has been in this spot since the park was created.

Winter Wonderland

Pedestrians braving yesterday's snowstorm on Congress Street.

The view towards Monument Square. 

Snow Day 2012

I was lucky to have a  snow day off from work today so here are some photos I took while wondering around in my free time:

Lobsterman Statue with a winter hat.

Plowing Commercial Street

Upper Exchange Street towards City Hall.

72

A view of 72 Market Street in the morning light. The front entrance to these shops are on Exchange Street. 

Fore and Moulton

The corner of Fore and Moulton Streets on a snowy Christmas morning.

Winter Winds

A view of the waterfront and Munjoy Hill during a quick snow squall. Photo from the Casco Bay Bridge.

Black & White Longfellow Square

F Marks the Spot

A graffitied post office box on State Street. There was a light snow falling when this photo was taken. 

End of the World

This photo from June is of part of the marquee outside of the Nickelodeon cinema. The full name of the movie was "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World."

Fore Street Decor

Wreath above the entrance to the restaurant known as Fore Street.

And another wreath across the street from the above photo.

Snowy Longfellow

The rain has washed away all the snow now, but I still have photos to share from the mini-blizzard from last Sunday. Here's a wide-angle view of Longfellow Square:

Our Lady of Snow

The "Our Lady of Victories" statue in Monument Square braving some snowy weather. 

Snow Night

Monument Square was looking festive last night with the falling snow and the chilly temperatures:

Sunday Snapshots: December 16, 2012

Here are some recent Portland photos from my instagram account:

Crossing the Bridge

Scenic Spring Street

Park Street Wreath

Eyes on Danforth Street

Preble Street

A nighttime view of Preble Street, looking towards Monument Square. 

Traffic Flow

A view of I-295 as it pases under Deering Avenue. Not the best photo, blurry due to lack of tripod, but it gives me some ideas for future shots.

Old Port Double Exposure

An in-camera double exposure (not done in photoshop) in the Old Port during that small snowfall a few weeks ago.

State Street Bench

From back in October - Looking westward from the corner of State Street and Danforth Street. 

Black and White Christmas

A view of the trees lit up in Tommy's Park. Now we just need some snow.

Food Truck

A Gusto's of Maine food truck parked on Thames Street on Sunday. Here's a story in the Bangor Daily News about the short history of food trucks in Portland. The city started offering food trucks licenses earlier this year. 

Gift Local 2012

In honor of the Christmas shopping season, here are some Portland-themed gifts for that special person on your list. In no particular order (except for the first two!):

Portland, Maine 2013 Calendar by Corey Templeton. Just $24.99 for 12 months of your favorite city!

Check out the professionally printed photos and other products like canvas wraps, magnets, and more  at Corey Templeton Photography. Photos make great gifts and you can get anything on the site for 20% off between now and the end of the year by using code Holidays2012 at checkout. 

I recently stumbled upon this artwork by Andy J. Hunter that combines Portland, Maine with the animated television series Futurama, which sells for just $6.60 for an 8" X 10.2" print:

Check out the weather resistant, durable, and fashionable wallets, bags, and iPad sleeves designed and manufactured in Portland (on Peak's Island) by Flowfold.  The company has been making their goods since 2010 from "high tech racing sailcloth," and their products seem to be catching on. I like the cut of their jib, and so should you. Also note that some Flowfold folk will be at the Picnic Holiday Sale at the Portland Company Complex today.

A Portland institution since 1994, Coffee by Design has a variety of coffee and other goods available in their stores and online. Nothing says "Portland, Maine" like a CBD bumper sticker or coffee mug. 

Portland's own independent book store, Longfellow Books, is still alive and well and books always make a good gift.

Want some more lists of local gifts? Check these out:

Support Portland's Creative Economy with These Locally-Produced Gifts - by LiveWork Portland

Maine Today's Buy Local Gift Guide - by Fore Front Fashion 

Maine Made Holiday Gift Guide: 2012 - Bourbon. Portland. Beer. Politics.

Back in October

I still have plenty of photos from previous months that I never got around to posting. This photo from October is, of course, of Exchange Street. 

Commercial Street Vista

A view of a portion of Commercial Street from this past summer.