Bidens tower over Carters in viral photo: 'How is this real'

[CousinIT]

https://news.yahoo.com/biden-carter-giant-tiny-photo-optical-illusion-153920309.html?ncid=twitter_yahoonewst_sjwumo1bpf4

During their trip to Georgia last week, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden met with former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter at their residence in Plains, Ga. It was their first in-person get-together since Biden took office.

The meeting was held in private, without any reporters present — Jimmy Carter, now 96 years old, has had health problems, and his abilities to speak and hear are diminishing. But the Carters and Bidens did pose for a photo, which was released late Monday by the Carter Center.

The release of the image of the current and former presidents and first ladies begged two obvious questions:

Are the Bidens giants?

Or are the Carters tiny?

"The image is possibly distorted by using a wide-angle lens. When taking photos in a smaller space you often don’t have room to move far enough back to get everyone in the frame, so you use a lens that can take it all in. Unfortunately, if you use a lens that is really wide, while also standing very close to the subjects, it will distort the photo, making those close to the camera appear giant while shrinking those further away." — Guardian

[world wide wally]

1. The Carters are just evolving into Hobbits.

[Maraya1969]

2. If Pres. Biden sat in that chair his legs would be way up almost touching his face

Same with Dr. Biden. It is the photo that makes then look so small.

[captain queeg]

3. Does look weird. I was going to say people shrink in old age but this is way beyond that reason

[LAS14]

4. In another thread someone pointed out that this is what happens if you take...

... a photo with a wide angle lens from very close up.

[jimfields33]

5. Whoever did this picture should not have.

Two presidents of the United States should have used regular camera lens.

[PCIntern]

6. Correct!

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

8. Correct...

If you look at the teacups in proportion to the Carters they look normal. If you look at the in proportion to the Bidens they look tiny. That is from the wide angle lens.


The photog should have known this.

[Ninga]

7. I don't know who took this photo. I can tell you who it was not. Not Pete Souza. Nt

[Zeitghost]

9. A few things are causing this.

First, the above mentioned wide angle lense as well as lighting/flash that eliminates shadows. President Biden is out in front of Mrs. Carter by a good bit, making him appear much larger. President Carter is reclined back and sitting at an angle making him appear smaller. It also looks like he might be a little longer in the legs and shorter in the torso, but that could be his clothes and the photo angle.

It sure is nice to see the Carter's enjoying their golden years together!

[StarfishSaver]

10. I think the problem is an issue of "foreshortening"

It's a problem artists often have to grapple with. When a person is sitting with their legs facing out toward us, we lose much of the information about their legs and they look like they're much shorter than they are. Artists have to depict it just right to give the impression that there's more body there even if we can't see it. Photographs usually don't confuse the eye like that, but this one does.

[sir pball]

17. Photographs use forced perspective all the time, it's just usually obvious

The mandatory "holding up the Leaning Tower" or "I can hold the Statue of Liberty in my fingers" tourist photos use the same effect as in the Carter photo, but for an obvious illusion rather than some serious WTF. Also used extensively in Lord of The Rings to make the hobbitses look small.

[jmowreader]

11. I have seen Jimmy Carter in person, and shaken his hand

On Jesse Helms’ last election the Democrat in the race brought Jimmy Carter to Fayetteville to campaign for him. After the speech he shook the hand of every person in the room and thanked them for coming.

Jimmy Carter really is that small.

[bif]

12. That really looks creepy!

[Patterson]

13. But President Carter is as close or closer than President Biden. He should look bigger.

[Buns_of_Fire]

14. An unfortunate accident while calibrating the Secret Jewish Space Laser?

[Bayard]

15. Wow

Biden's look like ventriloquists!

[Sur Zobra]

16. Tiny Dancer

comes to mind