Close up - In the operating room, we can zoom in with either a microscope or in this case with a rigid endoscope. This close up surgical view shows a capillary ectasia on the surface of the left vocal cord that is perhaps 1 mm or 1/16th of an inch across. Only about 1/2 of the vocal folds fit in the frame of this picture. The endoscope also come in angled varieties (typically 30 degress and 70 degrees) allowing a view of the undersurface of the folds as well.
Office view - When using office equipment, the image is often viewed with the front of the vocal cords at the bottom of the photo.
Operating view - On this website, I have oriented all the photos - whether taken in the operating room or in the office - with the front of the larynx at the top of the photo. This places the left vocal cord on the left side of the image and the right vocal cord on the right side of the image.