Two subjects

Posted on April 18, 2012 by ailsapm

I’ve taken many photos of the Statue of Liberty – from Battery Park, from the Staten Island Ferry, from an airplane making its descent into New York – but have never really been happy with any of them. They all ended up as just another picture of a statue. But when I visited Ellis Island for the first time recently, I was wandering around The Registry Room aka the Great Hall and my eye was caught by sun spilling through the beautiful arching windows. As I went to take a photograph, I noticed the Statue of Liberty visible through the pane of glass in the door. At last, some context for the iconic statue. I cannot imagine what it must have been like awaiting processing in this hall all those years ago, catching a glimpse of Lady Liberty and not knowing if you were going to be allowed to stay, or worse, knowing that you were going to be deported. So close, and yet so far.

 

About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.
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22 Responses to Two subjects

  1. Niki, unifiedspace says:
    April 18, 2012 at 5:43 am

    Now that’s great framing!

  2. Lexi Chick says:
    April 18, 2012 at 6:46 am

    This is soooo nice 🙂 Love it!

  3. Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Two Subjects | Wind Against Current

  4. thegirlinthesunglasses says:
    April 18, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    Wow, now that is an amazing composition.

  5. annefreemanimages says:
    April 18, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    Great capture! The noticing eye …
    ~Anne

    • ailsapm says:
      April 19, 2012 at 7:26 pm

      Thanks Anne. Ellis Island is a fascinating place to visit, but this particular image really brought the immigrant experience to life for me.

  6. campanulladellaanna says:
    April 19, 2012 at 3:28 am

    fantastic framing 😀

  7. justjulia says:
    April 19, 2012 at 9:03 am

    This is more than a photo, this is the true feeling. It really touched me! Thanks a lot!

  8. Pamela says:
    April 19, 2012 at 9:18 am

    O M G. Poverty, hardship, in many cases famine, then the glory of that window and the sight of the statue followed by the fear of refusal…say no more; your picture says it all

    • ailsapm says:
      April 19, 2012 at 7:21 pm

      Yes, all of that and more. It always surprises me how a single image can have such resonance, but the minute I glimpsed the statue through the window, my mind was flooded with visions of immigrants lined up to be processed, weary adults full of fears and apprehension, kiddies pressing their noses up against the panes to glimpse this land of opportunity they might one day call home. Got me a little choked up, don’t mind admitting.

  9. philosophermouseofthehedge says:
    April 20, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    Striking. The geometric arch: an elegant construction. Nicely framing the Statue of Liberty

  10. Find Focus says:
    April 21, 2012 at 2:55 am

    I LOVE the composition of this photo!! Fantastic! 🙂

    • ailsapm says:
      April 21, 2012 at 3:06 am

      Thanks Heather, so glad you commented on mine so I could find yours. Reflections of Trump Tower is wonderful and I love Bumblebee Cafeteria!

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