Thousands of refugees have landed on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos, this year, leaving behind a life of conflict in the hope of something better in Europe.
Almost everyone leaves a trace of their arrival. Photographer Bradley Secker was struck by the piles of life vests that littered the beaches where he spent a week documenting migrants and refugees arriving by boat in October.
The inflatable boats used in crossings are perilous, and the quality of the life vests varies. Many are mass-produced in Turkey and often defective. More than one sinks in the water.
The vests are left behind upon landing, or tied to trees to signal a safe landing point. Each discarded vest serves as a marker of a person willing to make the dangerous crossing, and a symbol to those arriving of what was left behind and what is yet to come as thousands continue to travel into Europe.
