More on the Statue of Liberty

This iconic symbol of freedom celebrated its 125th birthday at the end of October 2011 and promptly closed for a year's repairs.

Created by French sculptor Frederic August Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was presented to the USA as a sign of friendship from the people of France.  For immigrants specifically, it became a symbol of freedom - 12 million of whom passed through Ellis Island as they entered the United States.

During the celebration the American and French national anthems were played and "The New Colossus", a poem by Emma Lazarus which is inscribed under the statue in bronze was read by actress Sigourney Weaver - with the famous line about welcoming "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

A salute from passing boats and a fireworks display followed.  

The $27,25m renovation is to improve the spiral stairway up into the crown and to add safety devices and other modern requirements. The installation of five webcams in the torch will bring never before seen views of Liberty Island and New York harbour to the general public.

Using light as your subject

Using light as your subject and not just as a photographic tool is perfectly demonstrated in this photograph of sunlight streaming into New York's Grand Central Station as commuters make their way across the concourse.

Light is something you see everywhere and anywhere - in the mornings when you wake up or walking in a gallery or museum or just working somewhere.  Everything that the light is hitting here is being lit up.  You dont always have to think of your subject as being lit.

Sometimes the light itself can be the subject.  If you look at the people in the photograph - none of them are doing much at all - they are just acting in the background.  It is all about the light.

The Grand Station - by Tate Husband 

(Image available from The Cow Artworks)

The Wall Street Bull

Photograph by Des Oxford, in 2006.

The bull is a 3,200 kg bronze sculpture by Arturo Di Modica that stands in Bowling Green park near Wall Street in New York City. Standing 11 feet tall and measuring 16 feet long, the oversize sculpture depicts a bull, the symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity, leaning back on its haunches and with its head lowered as if ready to charge.

"That bull is one of an edition of five", Di Modica told the New York Daily News in 1998. In 2010 a similar Charging Bull sculpted by Di Modica which looks "younger" and "stronger" was installed in Shanghai.