In films, for example, male protagonists have often been portrayed as physically larger than their romantic partners.
Romantic scenes frequently emphasize a difference in height.
A man may lean down toward a woman.
A woman may look upward at him.
The composition creates an image that audiences have become accustomed to seeing.
Similar conventions can appear in wedding photography.
Couples may instinctively arrange themselves in poses that emphasize traditional differences in height.
Sometimes, photographers encourage these arrangements because they produce a composition that clients find aesthetically pleasing.
Other times, the arrangement happens without anyone consciously considering its cultural significance.
The interesting question is why certain proportions have come to be considered conventional.There is nothing inherently unusual about a woman being taller than her husband or partner.
Nor is there anything remarkable about two people being almost exactly the same height.
Yet traditional representations have not always reflected that diversity.
