A method and apparatus for identifying platelets within a whole blood sample. The method includes the steps of: a) adding at least one colorant to the whole blood sample, which colorant is operable to tag platelets; b) disposing the blood sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; c) imaging at least a portion of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber to create one or more images; and d) identifying one or more platelets within the sample using an analyzer adapted to identify the platelets based on quantitatively determinable features within the image using a analyzer, which quantitatively determinable features include intensity differences.