Photo of the "Bomb Shoe" Richard Reid used to try and blow up an airliner
Taken in Iraq by Andy Graham
Lost Sole in Iraq, Unknown Photographer
Lost Sole in Iraq on the Highway of Death, Unknown Photographer
Shoes at the Grace Cathedral memorial
Over the past couple of days there have been some tragic events. The terrorist attack over in India and a car accident closer to home here in Pensacola. While one is larger and resonates on a larger global scale, the deaths here during a car accident are easily looked over in largerews, but both are involve the loss of life foro reason which makes them both tragic.
The two events have a connection for me as they both involve a lost sole. As I watched theews where they detailed the events that took place in India, one survivor described the details of her exit from one of the hotels that were under terrorist seige. She spoke of being rushed down a hallway by armed commandoes, sheoticed blood everywhere. She mentioned she was so thankful for them having removed the bodies so she didot have to see them, but one thing she willever forget was a lone woman’s high heel that sat at the spot where its owner was shot down. A lost sole I am grateful toever have seen although it would make for one powerful image, an image photojournalists live to get. So in that, I do wish I could get that photo. Not for the morbidity of it, but for the documentation of a tragedy. To humanize the event, to help bring it to reality, to let people around the world connect to the event on a relatable level so maybe it would help people realize the brutality of this world. To maybe even help people relate to those that were gunned down,ot as some far off foreignors, but human beings just like us all. We are all connected, we are the world.
Thenot long after the terrorist attack, the localews told the details involving the car accident. A man had gotten really drunk at a downtown Pensacola bar and got into his car and chose to drive home. He ended up going the wrong way on Pensacola Bay Bridge and running head on into a car driven by a father of three. Both men died on the scene 🙁 And as theews is showing footage, the camera at the scene pans from the crash to a man’s shoe lying alone on the ground with the lights flashing in the background. Another iconic image that I wouldot like to take a photo of, yet feel compelled to be able document it.
To me there will also be something haunting about a lost solo shoe, something that seems out of place. Hence why I am still inspired to photograph them at any chance I get.
Dear Randy;
Just saw your blip on CNN——
OMG I was just talking about this —————-
My children and I live and DRIVE all over Sarasota Fla. and have taken note over the years about the amount of shoes in the road all over this county. We have noticed this for about 12 years now and we have made it a game to describe a situation in which this shoe could be ralated to……..I was just talking to a client on Thursday this past week about writing a letter to the editor at the Herald Tribune asking the same question. Thank God some one else has noticed. I wanted to make an Art Project out of it being Sarasotais the Home of the circus and noted for its Arts. I suggest you come on down in the event you have not been here.
Lots’a shoes in SRQ
JCD aka Blanchlo
I love Sarasota, I have spent a lot of time down there, and around Bradenton. I have quite a few shoes around the area, just not actually in Sarasota. I LOVE Siesta Key! And many friends that graduated from Ringling SOD. Thanks for the comments and support, happy holidays.
I have ALWAYS been fascinated by the sight of a single shoe along the road. I am oddly comforted to know that I am not alone. Your photo’s are beautiful. I will have now see these lost soles just a little differently from now on. Thank you and may your hearts find joy in the eternal spirit of Noah. Happy holidays.
If you had ANY artistic talent you would have PICK-UP the shoes so our Beautiful country would no be so cluttered with TRASH! Take the picture, pick up and dispose of the TRASH! I think that when you took the pictures you claimed ownership (you are profiting off the pics) so how many LITTERING TICKETS is that you are responsible for? PLEASE do not call yourself an artist, YOU SIR ARE A LITTER BUG!
Hi Randy
When I saw this on CNN “news to me” tonight I fell off my chair!I was a transit busdriver for 16 years here in Florida and started ‘Shoesiting’as a hobby while driving my bus.
My passengers were intriqued also of this phenomonom and started bringing me their sightings written on whatever they had to write on,,napkins scraps of paper etc. They would tell me where they sighted the footwear, describe it, if possible get the size and drop it in a big canvas bag in the shape of a sneaker that I had hanging from the cashbox. We had great fun with this diversion.. I always wondered how one shoe would appear, so I started ‘theorys’ of each shoes story. I thought.. do people just walk out of one and don’t notice?? I even designed on paper a designer safety chain that would go around your ankle and be hooked to the shoe so it would drag behind you if you should walk out of it!This went on for at least 8 years and it really broke up the monotony. I loved the challenge! One time I spotted a white shrimpers boot at one end of town and found the mate 10 miles north. People started bringing me shoe keychains,anything shoes related. I run into some of my co-workers and they say ‘everytime they see a shoe on the road they think of me’. That makes me happy.I will be visiting this site often! Sue…’Shoesiter’
Hmmm…the littering comment was pretty humorous. Such hostility. I do not pick them up because what if somebody just lost that shoe and that was part of their favorite pair of shoes and they went back to find it when they realized they left them on the back bumper, and then find it is gone, because I deemed it as trash? No, I do not want someone to be mad because i threw away a pair of shoes they maybe could barely afford in the first place. I do not want to play “shoe God” And by the way, in one shoe I found a black widow. Dont really want to bring that into my home. Who knows what fleas, or mites, bugs, disease and other things are on those shoes. No I will not be picking them up. Sorry it got you so mad you had to blast me and as far a profiting…that was the funniest part of the whole statement! Thanks for the laugh and Happy Holidays James Philips
Sue the Shoesiter,
I love your idea. It is so cool to see the different ways people are connected to the lost soles out there. You have a great idea. I am sure you were the talk of the town. It is always great to have fun people like you to add spice to everyday life. Thanks for sharing with me.
Robin,
May you too have a Happy Holiday season, thank you for the lovely comment.
I find this quite humorous. I brought up the site of a single shoe on the side of the road to my friends and family years ago. They all thought I was crazy. However, since I brought it up, they think of me and my shoe issue every time they see one on the side of the road. What strikes me a lot is what if it is someone’s shoe who went missing or that was kidnapped? That could be the only evidence there is to find them or at least know what direction to be looking. Something always nags at me that I should turn it in or let the police know. I never do but always think I should. When I see two shoes, for some reason I am not worried but one shoe… It doesn’t make any sense but it is good to know I am not the only one out there who notices these things.