No doubt you've heard the expression "She (he) casts a long shadow" as many times over as I have. It's trite but an effective visual, often meant in the most complimentary way. Most of us would take pride in hearing that said about about themselves.
And . . . it can also be used in a detrimental way to describe how someone has negatively affected a discipline or enterprise. It's all about context.
On May 20 slightly before 8 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, I turned away from the blinding sun rays coming at me from the western sky. I was out for a short fresh-air jaunt before settling into an evening of streaming a Seattle Symphony concert in my living room. I looked down and was amazed at what I saw.
Really? I have THAT much influence? OR . . . am I that big a pain in the you-know-what? Don't answer!