The Statue of Liberty stands proudly on Liberty Island and dominates the New York City skyline from its granite pedestal.
However, we rarely get a close-up photograph and some details are easy to overlook from a distance, so of course I wanted to have a closer look and I declared it my mission.
Whether viewed from a ferry (like in this photo), the waterfront, or directly on Liberty Island, every perspective of Lady Liberty tells a different story, but one thing remains the same: it makes us think of freedom, democracy, and hope. That’s what I wanted for the photo as well.
A vertorama of Lady Liberty
I took this photo on Liberty Island from a position really close to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, and I decided to do a vertorama, or vertical panorama, by taking multiple shots on top of each other to get all the details.
Even though I also made a very interesting panorama of the Statue of Liberty with the Manhattan skyline, this time I felt the landmark almost demanded a vertical composition, and a vertorama solves this challenge by combining multiple images into one seamless photograph.
I love how the final image came out. It really feels like the Statue of Liberty is standing above you, over this little carpet made of clouds, raising its torch into the bright blue sky.
Details you notice when looking this close
Most people immediately recognize the torch and crown, but viewing the monument up close from Liberty Island reveals new details. One that becomes immediately apparent is the determined expression on Lady Liberty’s face, more human and alive than ever.
The green color, which I had previously mistaken for paint, is actually a natural patina that has formed over decades. The statue’s exterior also shows subtle textures, seams, and rivets that demonstrate its remarkable craftsmanship.
Looking closely highlights the impressive scale of the monument, while the flowing robes create a sense of movement despite the statue’s immense size. This is an experience I can only recommend, and one that’s very different from seeing Manhattan on the big screen! If you want to photograph it from the island yourself, the National Park Service covers the ferry and ticket details.
Make the best out of a vertical panorama
To make a vertical panorama, or vertorama, capture several overlapping images from bottom to top, keeping roughly 30 or 40 percent overlap in order to give the software enough information later to stitch the images accurately.
Maintaining the same exposure, focus, and white balance throughout the sequence is essential for a natural-looking result. Most editing software already has a panorama merge function to stitch the images together, so the post-processing is usually straightforward.
However, my most important advice is to only do vertical panoramas when it makes sense to do them, for example, when your subject is significantly taller than it is wide, and a single frame cannot capture the full scene. A few of my own examples, besides Lady Liberty, include this waterfall in the Serra da Estrela, the bronze doors of the Pantheon in Rome, and the Bica Funicular in Lisbon.
The Statue of Liberty is the first stop in our photographer’s guide to the USA.
