As we steamed past the Statue of Liberty on the way to Ellis Island, our boat offered this frontal view. I chose to photograph it from chest to torch, stressing a look of outright determination that is seldom seen. The overcast background adds a somber context to its forceful attitude. The contrast of the oxidized green copper patina to the gilded flame in the torch suggests that while the statue was 129 years old at the time of this photograph, the passage of the years has not dimmed the flame, nor the idea of freedom that it represents.