Elliot Erwitt, "One Handed Bandit"
1954
This picture was interesting to me because I think it captures Las
Vegas perfectly. There is so much going on in the photo that it is
difficult for the viewer to take it all in, very much like Vegas. At
first glance it might seem that a masked man is robbing the elder
lady, but it is only a mannequin. It also takes a while to realize
that the background is a mirror and not just the surrounding area of
the casino. The shallow depth of field helps to create this confusion,
by focusing on the interaction between the two it draws our attention
to the exchange instead of the environment around them. The framing
helps with this confusion as well, with the arrow on the door leading
our eyes to the older lady and the bandit.
