Just for fun, here's another version: https://flic.kr/p/23pSn46
The location of the original is: https://www.loc.gov/item/det1994017934/PP/

I don't think you can even attempt to project what the original photographer intended, and further, I bet that since he was just a staff photog on the road, shooting for a large company where drones at home printed his picture in the most expedient possible, I don't think anyone at the time cared what he thought about it. It's almost certain that he didn't develop the neg, didn't see it, didn't print it, and didn't care, himself, as long as the check cleared.