1. A method for identifying platelets within a whole blood sample, comprising the steps of: adding at least one colorant to the whole blood sample, which colorant is operable to tag platelets; disposing the blood sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; imaging at least a portion of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber to create one or more images; and 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.