At one time being a shorter guy bothered me. Statistics show that taller men are more successful in business, and that women tend to gravitate towards men that are taller than them – most of the time. With age and experience I have realized that how you treat and interact with others has a greater effect on how people see you than your physical size does though. I also have realized that some women can careless how tall I am as long as I’m okay with them wearing their heels around me. Well, apparently I’ve gotten to be completely okay with it.

Not long after Julia and I started dating I took her to church with me. She was wearing one of many pairs of heels she owns, and I was wearing one of several pair of Chuck Taylor’s I own. At 5′ 9″ she is a tall girl to begin with, but with the heels she was wearing that day, they would have put her around 6’2″ or 6’3″ I’d say. Me? On a good day I’m 5’5″ or so with flat healed shoes like Chucks on. So, here we are cruising up into the church house together with her towering over me. I found it comical because I couldn’t have kissed her if I wanted to, not as long as we were both standing up straight on our own feet.

Fast forward a few months and the idea for this shot got in my head. It was something I just had to do from a creative standpoint. I wanted the shot to have a fashion photography type look to it, but have a comical side to it as well. Something like a comic strip or a Far Side cartoon. Us both dressed as if we are out at a formal event – and her in that same pair of heels that she had worn to church that day – standing side by side to accentuate the height difference between us and not downplay it. So, the lighthearted side to the shot is – it’s just me picking at me being short. The more serious, yet positive, message behind it is about adaptability in relationships. The willingness to adapt, compromise, and sacrifice for people who are worth it in your life, while still staying true to who you are.

You can see the image at a larger size by clicking on it.

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Previously I had only done portraits of Julia in her work clothes – gray scrubs. To me she looks great in them, but they really don’t do justice for the effort she puts in to take care of herself and look nice. The girl is definitely a girly girl. So, I did these shots that same night that capture more of the Julia I usually see, rather than the Julia that her patients see. 

Aside from the kissing series I set out to do, this was my favorite shot of the night. I was holding my camera at my hip and just pointed it at her to test my strobes. She was unaware that I was about to take a shot when I called her name and took this as she looked.

She’s all legs, eyes, and heart.

“Wa-Cha!” :: Julia is a goofball, and is pretty Ninja like too apparently. She slipped this kiss in on me when I wasn’t expecting it – no step stool needed. The grin on my face is due to her referring to it as her “Wa-Cha!” kiss. Yes. Goof. Ball.

I did the shots of us together in everyday clothes in case she ended up hating the original kiss series. I think this one was her favorite of night.