Recently I went to Grant Park to view a display of 3452 military boots. These boots represent all the soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq since the war began.

Intellectually I understood what I would see and I knew I wanted to somehow record the emotional impact of the display in an image. After shooting several photos I realized this goal—a single image—was simply impossible. That's when I started this series.

For five hours I shot a single image of every single boot there. As I took my shots, I met and spoke with retired Marines and parents of deceased military personnel, I witnessed a teenager walk between the rows thanking and blessing those represented, and volunteers on their hands and knees tending to these boots—symbols of lost life.

Following are links to the images from that day. I do not expect you to look at all of them, or even a few of them, but as your browser fills I ask that you just try to grasp the gravity of the human toll of war.

Select shots from the morning

The boots - High speed connection, faster computer, and patience required

The organizers of this display

If you have questions or comments please feel free to contact me: Link