Quick Shot: Stones

At the base of the National World War I Memorial in Kansas City lies a series of commemorative stones naming those who died either during, or following service to our country. One of the stones featured the name of Clay Arthur and featured an engraving of a Purple Heart. The size of the placard and the Purple Heart immediately caught my eye in the middle of this sea of commemorative stones.  

I wanted to photograph this stone, but I wanted to give the viewer the feeling of how many stones surrounded this one. If I zoomed in too tight, the viewer wouldn't understand that this was one stone in a sea of markers. At the same time, if I made all of the stones in focus, you wouldn't be drawn to the same one I was. I crouched really low to the ground and used a shallow depth of field to focus your attention to Clay Arthur's stone while still giving the viewer a sense of how many stones were out there. 

The photo in color was almost black and white, so I decided to convert the photograph completely to black and white to add drama and contrast. I'm pleased with the final result and think it tells the story of Lt. Clay Arthur very well!