American Soldier - Photos Make the Story

A. There were three images that I thought were very powerful in the photo, one taking place in the 2nd set of photos (Basic Training) and the two others taking place in the 3rd set (Iraq). The first one is of a soldier crouching in the undergrowth with a rifle armed. The second photo is of five soldiers looking at something that can't be seen by the viewer. The third photo is of soldiers loading into what looks like a mobile home or trailer, but one soldier, Ian, is enjoying a smoke. I thought these images were powerful because of the emotion they displayed - intensity, concentration, and exhaustion.

B. 
Set 1 - Home - Image #1 to Image #3
Set 2 - Basic Training - Image #4 to Image #13
Set 3 - Iraq - Image #14 to Image #26
In Image #27 he is returning home.

C. The most powerful set of images was in Set 3. Set 3 takes place in Iraq and captures the soldiers in action and the effect it has on them. It's very easy to read the emotions in these images, and many of the soldiers look grim or exhausted.

D. The images show a montage of what takes place in Ian's journey. Not only do they clearly display the process in chronological order - leaving, going to basic training, going to Iraq, and coming back - but they also display how it changes Ian by including photos that show his emotions. What he goes through and how it changes him both tell his story.

E. Many of the verbs are written in present tense as if the scene in the photo is happening at that moment. 

F. The captions add to the story that the photographs tell. On their own, the photograph tell a simple story about a boy joining the Army and going through Basic Training, but with the captions, more details are revealed behind the photos and give the viewer/reader a sense of familiarity with the subject.

G. Ian Fisher was known as the local tough in Lakewood, Colorado, but as graduation comes near, he has to think about his future. Fisher settles on joining the Army, like his father, and eventually sets on his way to Basic Training after a heartfelt goodbye from his friends and family. Basic Training proves to be a challenge for Fisher but he perseveres. He leaves Basic Training with a spring in his step and a good feeling about his future. But things go downhill at his first assignment in Fort Carson, which is only an hour's drive away from his hometown. Fisher struggles between his duty to his assignment and the familiarity of home, and he faces challenges with drug abuse. He is given a second chance after his bad experience at Fort Carson and is on his way to deployment to Iraq.