Eric Sonera -- Final Photography Project

War is one of the most complex subjects in photography. Many photographers have conveyed their thoughts on war, and/or attempted to take an objective stance on the issue, through photography of the enterprise itself. (Robert Capa would fall under this category.) Others have chosen to use stand-ins to communicate themes related to war. David Levinthal is one such photographer, and I draw inspiration from his works: specifically, "Hitler Moves East", and "IED: War in Afghanistan and Iraq". In this photographic series, I attempt to explore the relationship between the ideals of war's application and conduct of soldiers, and how it is carried out in practice. The POW Code of Conduct (which is required memorization for the Armed Forces) is appropriated and used in my images as a metaphor for idealized warfare in the abstract, while the photographs themselves represent the practice of war and are contrasted with the text of the Code. Much like David Levinthal's use of dolls to create true-to-life scenes, I use army men toys to stand in for soldiers, and stylized lighting, focus, and sharpness to produce distinctive images. - Eric J Sonera

An American standing on a rock in front of several casualties. Here, the American's apparent jubilation after killing enemy combatants is contrasted with a snippet from the 6th Article of the Code stating that as an American, he is "responsible for [his] actions".

The following American is shown surrendering to the enemy troops in the background. The text from the 2nd Article ("I will never surrender of my own free will") begs the question of when surrender is appropriate.

Both the picture and the text show the burden of leadership. The picture shows a sergeant leading troops into battle, and the text from the 2nd Article ("If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist") remind us of the emphasis on the leader.

The Americans shown here are being led to a POW camp. The text ("If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners"), which comes from the 4th Article, is reinforced by how overwhelming the enemy is in such circumstances.

Two Americans being shot illegally by enemy combatants. Here, the text ("If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available"), which is from the 3rd Article, is at odds with the total lack of power that a POW truly has.

The aftermath of a skirmish (all troops American). The final sacrifice alluded to by the text of the 1st Article ("I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give up my life in their defense.") is apparent in this image.