Photographer Henry Hargreaves re-created them for his series No Seconds. This post is casting no judgement on the individuals. And is purely a fascinating insight into the minds of the individual.
Henry says: “When I first came across all the requests, I found it to be such a fascinating insight into the minds of these soon-to-be executed individuals.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0Nzk3NTYwMjE2MDMw/1.jpg)
“As I read the requests, I began to imagine these prisoners as people and not just numbers. The story became much more real in my mind and I wanted to represent this visually.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0Nzk4MDk3MDk4NzYy/2.jpg)
“Our culinary choices often say something about us that we sometimes cannot articulate easily. One of the trends with last meals was the amount of fried or comfort food.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0Nzk4OTAyMzY0ODAz/3.jpg)
“To try to find a little comfort from these last bites is an interesting glimpse into their mind.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0Nzk2NzU0OTIxNDgy/4106.jpg)
“I’m not trying to push my political beliefs on the viewer. My main goal was to have the viewer identify with the prisoner though their meal request.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODAwMjQ0NTY5MzYy/5.jpg)
“I wanted the viewer to think of them as a person for a moment instead of them being anonymous.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODAxMDQ5ODg4Nzc4/6.jpg)
“Nor am I trying to make a judgment about the crime.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODAyMTIzNjE4Nzgy/7.jpg)
“The viewer can make up their own mind as to whether they agree with the punishment or not.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODAyOTI4OTQ3MTcw/8.jpg)
Victor Feguer, who was hanged in 1963 for kidnap and murder, asked for a single olive. He reportedly thought it might grow into an olive tree from inside his body and hoped it would make use of him as a symbol of peace.
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODA0MDAyNjY2OTc0/9.jpg)
Texas has reversed the tradition of allowing death row inmates their final meal choice.
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODA0ODA3OTczMzQy/10.jpg)
Henry says: “As much as I think it’s a strange ritual, I think it’s worse to have reversed this age-old ritual. I’m sure there was more money spent in creating the legislation than will be saved.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODA1NjEzMjc5NzEw/11.jpg)
“I think it’s a subject that people can relate to and are curious about. We all eat and we will all die.”
![](https://blazepress.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTI4OTg0ODA2Njg3MDIxNTM0/12.jpg)