Soldier

Soldier is a compelling series done by photographer Suzanne Opton. She photographed soldiers who had returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and who were scheduled to return after more training back in the US. The pose of these photographs is so intimate and unlike anything we've seen in class, which really drew me to them. She had each soldier rest their head on the side of a table facing her 4x5 camera. The eyes of these soldiers tell everything, yet nothing at the same time. Some are hopeful, while others look weary and anxious. In a time when it seems people have distanced themselves from the reality of war, I think these photos can help us to understand what these brave soldiers have gone through for us and what they face in the future.