The art form, preserved in photographs, is the result of a meticulous process that relies on models who must hold their pose perfectly still for hours and of New York City's relatively liberal laws that have no problem with a woman standing topless in the middle of a busy street. [...] instead of a person right in front of the Empire State building or the Statue of Liberty, they're softly in the background, and you've got more of a reflective view of the person within the landscape. [...] she had to deal with the constant distraction of pedestrians and even cab drivers who slowed down to gawk, snap pictures and ask questions — their faces a mix of shock, intrigue and anything-goes resignation.