Mick Hartley

When in America, do you start seeing things – and photographing things – in the context of how US artists and photographers have visualised the place in the past? Well yes, of course you do – though I wouldn't want to say to what extent.

There was what looked like a fairly interesting exhibition curated by Lou Reed near where this first photo was taken, at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, but I was unable to persuade my companions (wife and daughter, that is) that this would be a worthwhile way to spend our time and money on a warm sunny Saturday morning, so it was left unexplored.