Hello, I'd like some help with something simple. In other words, why is this stupid?

[Analogue Admirer]

Hello,

I'd appreciate if someone could help me. I, myself, understand this but I need to explain it to another person and I'm hopeful someone on here can be more eloquent than I. Why is it stupid to place lines upon an internet image ( whose original source is a black and white POLAROID photograph) between two points in that image and then another line on another internet image ( the original source being an 8mm color film frame ) with a line between the same two points as if this accurately measures the distances so one can say they are closer or further apart or the distance is the same? I'll be glad to elaborate or answer any questions. Thank you very much.

 

[480sparky]

They were taken with lenses of different focal lengths, at different distances, from different angles........... and most likely at different times.

 

[Analogue Admirer]

480sparky, thank you for your reply.

You're correct. But, can you give me some more info? I'm looking for why this is stupid, why no one on earth does this to measure true distances.
I'm sorry, but I'm dealing with a really arrogant, uneducated person. He thinks he's got a long line and a short line. I need this dumbed down.
When I see someone this stupid who presents this as a real argument, and thinks he's won, I want to scream and curse.

FYI, the point of the image was to show that Marie Muchmore film frame 44 and Zapruder film frame 315 and the Mary Moorman Polaroid photograph correlate, that they show the same split second in time of the same event from three different locations. The drawn on black line is between DPD Motorcycle Officer Hargis's head and JFK's head. While I think it's possible to find a rough estimate of the distance between Officer Hargis's head and JFK's head in the two photographic sources given drawing a stupid black line on internet images of these different photographic items is not the way to do it. He doesn't grasp the idea of depth and how photography reduces the 3D world down to two dimensions. This is not the same as drawing two dots spaced apart on two different, white sheets of paper and trying to decide which line is longer, which is exactly what he thinks he's doing. Dealing with this guy is like banging my head into a wall.

 

[benhasajeep]

Save your breath. Its not going to change the opinion of the other person.

Look up Forced Perspective. It might give you a better way to explain why the closer shot makes it appear the officer is further away, than in the further away picture.

 

[Analogue Admirer]

Benhasajeep, thanks for the reply.

To be clear you're calling the Moorman photograph, (the black and white one) the closer shot, and the color film frame from the Muchmore film as the further away picture, right?

 

[480sparky]

Take the poor sap out with a camera and take two photos of the same scene but with different focal lengths from different locations. Have him (or her) try to explain why the angular distance between two points in the photo can possibly be different if they never moved.

 

[benhasajeep]

Benhasajeep, thanks for the reply.

To be clear you're calling the Moorman photograph, (the black and white one) the closer shot, and the color film frame from the Muchmore film as the further away picture, right?

Yes.

An example would be the typical tourist picture of someone holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. They are using forced perspective to make it seem like the person is same size as the tower and at the same position appearing to be holding it up. When in reality the person is probably 100-200' away. But if you drew a line between the person and the tower. It would be very short.

It's all about the angles! It could all be proven with math examples. But I am not the one to be doing that!!!

 

[Analogue Admirer]

Benhasajeep, thanks for the reply. Yes, I've seen the picture of a guy looking like he's holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It's on Wikipedia, I think. There are some similar shots rudely using the Washington Monument.

Math on a weekend should be restricted to wondering how many beer bottles are left.