(United) State(s) Of Independence, Shall Be... Happy Fourth Of July. Statute Of Liberty, NY. Red, White & Blue Sunset - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.
An early summer sun setting behind the Statute of Liberty sets it in semi-silhouette. I took the photo with a handheld Nikon D300 2 miles away at a 450mm equivalent zoom. The sky shades - from red, white and blue - with a bird flying by behind it, are a perfect backdrop tribute to the Fourth Of July, 2010, Independence Day holiday in America.
After pulling an all-nighter, I had to go into Manhattan for a near full day of work and meetings. Starting with Fox News Channel Strategy Room, then a client meeting at Rockefeller Center, followed by another meeting and an Indian-Pakistani desi lunch (one of the treats I alow myself in Manhattan trips) was long enough with no sleep.
Then I then had to wait for a meeting at 5 PM related to a consulting opportunity I was pursuing. By the end of that meeting, at 6 PM, the 1 liter of Pepsi, 4 cups of coffee, several bars of chocolate were all that were keeping me going physically. And, that internal, eternal but mortal flame, that has burned inside me, when, even as a child, I would not fall asleep, lest I miss something in this amazing world, this amazing life.
But, I was wiped out. I was now about 2 miles from the Southern tip of Manhattan and sunset hour would soon be there. There were no cabs around and I had time... so I walked. With those 2, my total 8 miles of walking in business attire, from meeting to meeting, meant I was completely exhausted.
But, it was worth it....
There she stood... the one I came to secretly meet that night, in public. Like a beloved I place on a pedestal and gaze at longingly all day and bathe with love in the soft glowing night...
The State Of Independence.... , but never losing touch. The Feeling Of Freedom....., but always coming home.
There she stood.... The Statute Of Liberty. Her stretched arm, looking dark from the sun behind it, never tiring from holding up the flame of freedom.
Giving hope to the many who came to the shores of this great land as refugees. Providing inspiration to achieve greatness, to those who came by choice legally, as I did 21 years ago.
Mother of the Exiles, welcoming us, and saying these words.
I decided to wait until this July 4, 2010 weekend to post this picture.
Happy Fourth Of July & Happy Independence Day.
May you and I, all of us, savor the best of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this great land and enable it for others around the world.
Happy Birthday, America.
© 2010 IMRAN
DSC_4939
PS I Know, New Jersey would like to think of it as their landmark... (yawn). Guess whom she's got her back towards... NJ! LOL
PPS ISO200, 1/500 second at f/11 with Nikon 300mm/450mm equivalent lens, handheld shot with the Nikon D300 at −1EV focused at the statute 2 Miles away.
PPPS Just 1.5MB of 13MB image captured RAW. I cropped out the port's cranes to the right, water below and sky above to retain the aspect ratio and highlight the statute & sky using Shadows/Highlights and color enhancements in Photoshop.
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