How To Pose A Couple With A Major Size Difference

Here’s a few couples you may have heard of: Shakira and Gerard Pique, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth, Savannah Brinson and Lebron James, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas… If you and your partner have a noticeable size difference, you can happily add your name to this list of “power couples”!

I’m a humanist and there’s nothing I love more than celebrating Humankind in all its shapes and sizes! My main goal as a photographer is to reveal the bond between people, showing how special they are together and making them feel / look GOOD wether it’s Lebron James (6’9) or Lady Gaga (5’1")!

When I met David and Dinnah for the first time, I was struck by their sweet and fun intimacy. Their size difference was, in the end, just a small detail. My main focus is always emphasizing the emotion and love between a couple - and this engagement session was no different!

I decided to use a few little known secrets to reduce the physical separation of their faces, so when they kiss and cuddle, it looks both natural and cinematic - just like “in the movies” .

Here are my six tips for posing couples with a drastic size difference:

1. Embrace the major height difference!

There is a big chance that the couple knows about their height difference (duh!). Couples are not “One-Size-Fits-All”, and I love to show their differences, what makes them unique, and how beautiful they look together!

Thats why I pose couples with a noticeable height difference in the same way than couples without. Celebrate difference by putting it in the spotlight!

2. Get close

Focusing on the face is a good way to draw attention to the couple’s connection and love, and away from the height difference. How tall you are really doesn’t matter when the faces are in the spotlight…

I usually try to get as many shots as I can of  “nearly kissing”, “kissing” and “hugging”. I know it’s everybody’s dream to have a huge lense and a stranger that you just met, one inch away from them, while French kissing… Ok, maybe not, but I know that my clients want to have beautiful photos of their intimate moments together - So go on, get close, cuddle, kiss, touch noses, lean into each other and “smell that temple”!

Check out the second point of my article: “5 Reasons Why You Should Book An Engagement Session”

3. You may be seated

A seated pose is always a great idea. Period. Give me that Vogue attitude!

For a couple like David and Dinnah it helps minimize the height difference and makes it easier for them to interact naturally.

Little bonus: For the couple with drastic size difference, sitting on your partner’s lap looks perfect! You are also perfectly poised for a kiss!

4. Do the Split

If your neck is feeling stiff after half an hour of kissing your shorter or taller partner, it’s time to bend those knees or use a natural booster.

Bending the knees is only a good look when done right (see David just below!). Usually I recommend hiding your legs behind your partner’s outfit (hello ballroom dress or skirts!) or you can always crop your shots! A little split (wider stance) can work wonders too and is more comfortable than bent knees. Whatever works for you, go with it!

Lastly, look around you and use the setting to create a natural booster for the shorter person: sidewalk, stairs, boxes, benches, swing sets, even rocks… The world is a playground, don’t limit your imagination!

5. It looks so easy

Take advantage of the size difference and do some acrobatic figures! When David took Dinnah in his arms, it looked so easy and romantic I had him do it over again and again.

Another pose that is perfect for couples with a noticeable height difference is a classic pose that we’ve all seen in magazines and movies: the magic bend (also called “the dip” - see below). This pose looks so natural and easy for people with a height difference.

6. Move your body

Dance, walk, have fun! In the end, the most important thing during a session is feeling comfortable! Movement and poses that make you feel great will help give the “confident” look we all want in our photos. So a little bit of dance, twirl and craziness will always add personality and charisma!

Big shout out to Carissa Woo Photography, for whom I shot David & Dinnah!