Q: "A shadow of a man standing over a staircase." Does this mean that "A tall man is waiting for someone at the top of the stairs"?
A: it is not possible to tell

Q: "A man riding a horse in the mountains with three other horses following him." Does this mean that "A man is herding is animals up a mountain."?
A: it is not possible to tell

Q: "Two children are playing with a soccer ball on grass." Does this mean that "A soccer ball is being played with by a couple kids."?
A: yes

Q: "A rock climber looks up while traversing a route." Does this mean that "A rock climber sees the top of the mountain and climbs faster."?
A:
it is not possible to tell