Same deck, 6 camera angles. The one you choose changes everything.

Three factors. (1) Linear perspective: overhead views compress depth — a 12×16 deck looks square from above and rectangular from elevation. (2) Foreshortening: at low angles, the deck's near edge appears huge while the far edge shrinks dramatically — exaggerating the apparent size. (3) Context inclusion: drone views show the deck plus 50+ feet of surroundings; eye-level views show just the deck. The 'feel' of a deck is determined more by which view a viewer sees first than by the deck's actual dimensions.

Hero 3/4 is the universal default — used in 90%+ of real-estate and contractor portfolio images for good reason. It shows depth, surface texture, and railing height simultaneously, all readable in a thumbnail. For premium listings: pair the hero shot with one drone overhead (shows landscape context) and one low-angle dramatic. Plan view almost never used in marketing — too abstract for non-architects.

Elevation is a strict side-on view with no rotation — the camera looks directly at one face of the deck. Hero 3/4 rotates ~30° from elevation, giving you a partial top view + the side simultaneously. Elevation is technical (shows true heights + proportions); hero is marketing (looks more dynamic + 'real'). For permit submissions, an elevation drawing is required; for the brochure, the hero shot is what sells the deck.

Two reasons. (1) The drone's high vantage point places the deck near the foreground while keeping the background (yard, fence, neighboring structures) far away — relative size makes the deck look 3-5× larger. (2) Drones can frame tight to the deck while still capturing context, an angle impossible from any ground-based viewpoint. The 'drone deck shot' has become standard for premium real-estate listings exactly because it makes good decks look spectacular.

Three situations. (1) Showing substructure as a feature — exposed joist hangers, post bases, or a basement walkout setting. (2) Emphasizing height — multi-level decks or elevated decks read as 'dramatic' from below in ways they don't from hero. (3) Showing what users actually see when seated on the deck — eye-line at ~36-42" when seated. Designers use this to evaluate guard-rail proportions and seated sightlines. Almost never used in marketing — looks 'documentary' rather than 'aspirational'.

Three settings. (1) Altitude: 30-50 feet — high enough for landscape context, low enough to see surface detail. (2) Angle: 30-45° down from horizontal — shows deck top + perimeter simultaneously. (3) Time: golden hour (1 hour before sunset) for warm light + dramatic shadows that reveal surface texture. Avoid: noon overhead (washes out color), cloudy days (flat lighting kills depth), and full vertical down (loses the 'in landscape' feel). FAA Part 107 requires registration + license for any commercial drone use including listing photography.

Multi-angle. No single view captures everything: (1) plan to check footprint + pattern, (2) elevation to verify proportions + guard heights, (3) hero to preview the 'finished feel', (4) low to check seated sightlines. Most homeowners and contractors evaluate only the hero angle — and miss design problems that show up at the other views. Spending 5 minutes scrubbing through all 6 angles in a design tool like this catches more design issues than 30 minutes of hero-only review.