The Veteran Vision Project by Los Angeles photographer Devin Mitchell captures unique, double-sided visual stories of men and women who have served in the military.

Mitchell brings his work to the University of Central Missouri for public exhibition early this fall while also dedicating his time to photograph veterans and active duty service members from UCM and surrounding communities. 

Mitchell’s technique enables people viewing his images to look beyond the military uniform to see the “human” side of people who serve in military roles. In one of his works, for example, he took a portrait of a former Marine in uniform, and a second photo of the same soldier as he appears in civilian life, now with prosthetic limbs. Then, using a photo editing system, he fused the two portraits into a mirror image showing the two intently staring back at each other.

The end result is a powerful reflection of the double identity this veteran is facing after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and the struggle he now faces as a civilian to overcome the scars of war.