Consider a simple example.
Imagine two friends standing on a staircase.
One stands several steps above the other.
A photographer takes a picture from an angle that hides most of the staircase.
When someone later examines the image, the person standing higher may appear dramatically taller.
If the two friends move onto level ground, their apparent difference may disappear.
Nothing about their actual heights has changed.
Only the physical arrangement has changed.
The same principle applies when people stand on sloping paths, raised platforms, uneven grass, or different levels of a building.
Even a small change in elevation can affect the way people look when photographed together.
Seating introduces another variable.
A person sitting upright on a chair may appear taller than another seated person who is leaning backward.
A bench positioned on raised ground can also create a different impression from a chair on a lower surface.
The photographer’s choice of framing can make these differences more or less noticeable.
