Thanks for the comments.(posted 8512 days ago)If he took a big step back, he'd block the view of the empty sidewalk disappearing into the distance. I think explicitly showing the empty sidewalk reinforces the overall mood of the photo. (Of course, I didn't even think about it until Wayne mentioned it.)
"Atgetic?" Hmmmm, I think I've heard of Atget. I think. Maybe I should visit the library more often. . .