This isn't remotely ambiguous (see discussion box) if we take proper account of the fact that it refers to Louis Baltz, who was (some say...) obsessed by the need to look at stuff from a vertical mid-point:

www.galerie-photo.com/lewis-baltz-par-bernard-birsinger.htm...
3) Lewis s’est souvent placé sur les talus de gravas, à mi-hauteur, ce qui lui permet un avant-plan plus éloigné et donc de diaphragmer vers 8, pour échapper à la diffraction, ce qui lui permet d’être à la qualité maximale de son optique.

As for Tony's comments (again, in the discussion box), it's back to maths class! The ST says: "... a tiled floor raised about half a meter... ", then there's a "counter space" (= work top or work bench) probably at least another 70 or 80 cm higher. That's already 1m30 - about one-half of the typical distance between the (real) floor and ceiling of a typical room.