aegean
Save your maths.
A telephoto lens will compress the apparent distance between 2 objects and give the impression they are much closer. It's a well known feature of those type of lenses.
Not only does this result in dramatic photos like this one, but can be used to produce 'trick' photos, like the one I saw a few years ago of an RAF Policewoman indicating to a scorpion tank to stop, and it apparently screeching to a halt an inch from her foot. In reality, it was 20 feet behind her.
The effect is well known in photography, but mentioning that of course, ruins a good story.