Two 30 foot high winged bronze figures flank a 142 foot high flagpole on top of the Hoover Dam. They were called "Winged Figures of the Republic" by sculptor Oskar J.W. Hansen. I chose to photograph just one of them, and in a very abstract manner. I moved in on just the legs and feet, incongruously abstracting the image to stress the textures that tell a story. The great dam, still the highest on earth, is now more than 70 years old. Since its dedication in 1935, millions of visitors have rubbed the feet of these statues for good luck, or just for the tactile pleasure of touching them. The contrast in color and texture is striking – the smooth golden toes quickly become heavily textured feet and legs, fading gradually to green. I also included the textured wall behind the statue. It is natural rock, part of a canyon carved by the river now tamed by the dam itself. All of these textures, so different in color and feel, combine to help me tell my story.