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maxlake2 — liberty
Published: 2007-05-06 05:28:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 2084; Favourites: 38; Downloads: 32
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Statue of Liberty, from Jersey City, New JerseySpring, 2007
For lack of a better explanation, this photo was "inspired" by one of my favorite photographs by David Plowden, taken in 1967. people.virginia.edu/~ds8s/davi…
I've been to this part of Jersey City, New Jersey several times in the past few years now, and as best I can tell, the vantage point from which Plowden shot his image no longer exists. I suppose what I mean by that is that development in the area has filled in the open space that appeared in his image. So I moved to the north, and more squarely behind the statue.
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Comments: 37
Interesting photo! Its so different place then I thought I would see this special statue trough! Great photo still with choice of setting and light!
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Yeah...it doesn't quite look like that anymore. Great take
I see you're an assman too 
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Nice image!
And yes, I suppose I am!
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Thanks!
And thanks for the 
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At first glance, before reading the comments above, I thought this picture was taken with the trucks in the foreground, as a statement on the privilege of capitalistic liberty in this country, which was secured by our forefathers. And then the viewer sees the Statue of Liberty in the background...on the horizon...symbol of the Freedom which has been our Nation's hallmark.
I looked at Plowden's shot, too. I like his photo also. As always when I compare shots from two different eras, I'm reminded of how...unfettered things seem in older photographs. The old days weren't all rosy, but they seem simpler. Thanks for sharing.
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Stan -
Forgive me for taking 2+ years to answer your thoughtful comment...
As an aside, if you watch the Barclays Golf tournament on CBS this weekend, you'll see what now on the site where David Plowden took the original image in 1967.
Richard
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This great shot is now featured in my journal: [link]
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Aidan,
Thanks so much!
Please see my Comment on your Journal. Generally, I don't subscribe to many Journals on dA, but I just subscribed to yours! You're an excellent writer!
Richard
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Thanks a lot. I'm getting the impression here that you and I have quite a bit in common
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Yes Aidan, it appears that we do!
R
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I love the Plowden pic - yours is an appropriate and effective homage
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Aidan,
I've always found the Plowden pic to be one of the most pleasantly disturbing photos I have ever seen. I stared at it for hours when I first saw it. You have no idea how long I drove around Jersey City trying to find his location!
Richard
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I can imagine - I understand that sort of obsession. I like the resonance of the construction '
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Hi Aidan!
Guess what I am watching on television right now? Golf. The Barclays Tournament of the PGA Tour. Why am I telling you this? Guess where they are playing this tournament? Liberty National Golf Course, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Now I know what happened to Plowden's perspective. It appears to be at or near the 2nd hole of Liberty National. According to Wikipedia, both the adjacent Liberty State Park and the golf course were both built on landfill. Seems fairly consistent with the Plowden photo. So at least now I know why I couldn't get to the place I was trying to find!
Richard
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After my Great-grandmother and Great-grandfather immigrated (separately) from Russia to America, they found each other and settled in Jersey City to live. My Grandmother grew up there and though she lived most of her adult life in Detroit, she called Jersey her home until she passed away. I went to Jersey City as a 12 year old when the family decided to put my Great-grandmother in a nursing home. She hated to leave. She couldn't bare not hearing the children play in the street and all the sounds of the city. They were both amazing women. You've made me think of them tonight. Thank you.
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Very interesting capture... Though it's not the same spot where David Plowden took his photograph, I can still see some resemblance. In his photo, the repetitive lines of the telephone poles were vertical, while yours are horizontal. Capturing the trucks was a good idea, too. It's interesting to see how much NJ has industrialized in 40 years. Just curious...if you tried to retake the actual shot David Plowden made, would you see the Statue of Liberty at all anymore?
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A -
First, let me say that this is the most insightful comment I have received on dA in ages. 
Thank you so, so much!
Richard
P. S. Please keep in touch. OK?
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Yea, I know I appreciate it when I get a comment saying more than "great photo!" (though those are still nice to receive), so I try my best to give more in depth comments to other artists. Man, they really cleaned up a lot of that area this past decade or so. There are plenty of people you are willing to pay top dollar to get a view of the city. I guess I can't blame them.
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amazing...i've been to jersey, but never that bit...and have never seen the statue of liberty that close...great shot!
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this just has that feel, it's as if she's looking over her shoulder at you.
wonderful
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Thanks so much! I have to say that I get a very odd feeling being there. It's very different from the "postcard" view. This vantage point is much more somber, as is the view from the rear of Ellis Island, which is about a mile away at about "10 o'clock" from where I was standing.
Thanks again!
Richard
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very cool, there are so many ways to see it, but we always see the same old angles and close ups. love it!
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Thanks so much! I'm glad that you like it.
R
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wwWOWww ... 
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