While chasing photos on Main Street and Broadway with someone who wanted practice street photography for the first time, we paused by the Arcade Theater. "Sometimes you let the shot come to you" I said. A few minutes later, a wiry man skittered a few feet away and unfolded his cardboard box into a table. Just as quickly, he deftly pulled out of his pocket three blue plastic bottle caps and a small ball. It was a shell game. The other photographer moved in to snap a photo and the man waved her away and turned his back to her.
The distraction gave me a chance to shoot several frames before I suggesting we move on to the next street. Capturing a photo in public space is a game of chance and my distractive shill helped me get this shot.
Pictured: Man prepares a "shell" game on Broadway south of 5th.
ViewFromALoft / 11.26.06
I saw this guy practicing his scam a few weeks ago. There are far too many naive people who think they can "beat the game." But it's not a game, it's a trick. I saw this idiot scam about 60 bucks from some young kid, then disappear into the crowd after bullying the money out of his hands. I then got on a number 30 bus headed to East L.A. with this same kid, who was crying for losing his money. Scumbag.
Posted by: Scott Mercer | November 29, 2006 at 11:44 AM