I have a friend who never misses an opportunity to point out how short Mel Gibson and Tom Cruise and other film stars are 'in real life' - as opposed to the way they seem to be on the silver screen. It's not something that troubles my choice in men, but it's a strange fact that photographs can create an impression of bulk or height in favourite and familiar models that is quite misleading.
Landon Conrad and Jessie Jackman
Landon Conrad always seemed to me to be a big man. I suppose his 'Desperate Dan' jutting, square jaw may have played a part in creating this impression but he looks tiny here next to Jessie Jackman. This dramatic contast in size contributes in no small measure to the erotic impact of his submissive pose.
Aha you say, it's only because he's kneeling down, well, maybe not..........
Landon Conrad and Christian Wilde
Christian Wilde has long been familiar to us as part of the Bound Gods stable of resident 'Masters'. I've never been quite convinced of him in that role on account of his slender physique and rather studious looking face. However, this picture of him next to Landon Conrad (again) casts him in an entirely different light. I find it quite difficult to resolve it with my preconceptions of the two men.
Landon is transformed from fearsome predator into cuddly bear.
Christian from slender student into an awkward looking giant.
Left to Right:- Trevor Knight, Andrew Stark, Donny Wright
Andrew Stark and the lovely Donny Wright appear much as you would have expected in this photograph. I must say it shows Andrew Stark with a much better physique than I credited him with from memory, yum!
But it's Trevor Knight that provides the size surprise. It's quite unexpected and not at all what you would guess from his roles as a top in erotic videos. We're in brooch territory here! Which, I hasten to add, is not intended as a derogatory remark. Trevor's physique from waist downwards is perfectly proportioned and very attractive.
Another case of a pugnacious face creating an impression of size which is an illusion.
Juan Lopez and Paddy O'Brian
Paddy created quite a wave of interest when he arrived on the scene as a rampaging top and his recent excursions into bottoming have, if anything, added to his butch persona. However, here he transforms into cute, little boy in the octopus arms of Juan Lopez
- rest assured it doesn't stay that way!
Check out the relative sizes of these guy's pecs.
Connor Maguire and Samuel O'Toole
This picture was a double surprise for me. Previously, Connor Maguire's boyish face and slim body had created the impression for me of a typical young man, probably of average height. It comes as quite a shock to see him towering over the muscular, ultra-butch Samuel O'Toole.
It's quite wrong to equate height or any other physical characteristic with 'topping' (as the previous example proves) but it is confusing to stereotypical expectations. It doesn't help that Connor's early career was heavily laced with bottoming scenes (this one is no exception) and his soulful face is well suited to that role for those of us who like erotica with an edge.
If you compare the size of Connor's head and body you'll see he's inherited generous proportions from the neck downwards - the source I suspect of my confusion.
Austin Wilde and Tanner Bishop
They say everyone's the same size lying down, but this photo disproves that adage too. Austin Wilde never struck me as a particularly big guy (body-wise!) before I saw this. I guess his chunky build is similar to Sam O'Toole's (who I did think was big) but somehow Austin's slightly boyish, fleshy face to me suggested cuddly, stockiness rather than the sheer mouth-watering bulk that is apparent here. His diminutive partner enhances the comparison of course but I'll never quite see Austin in the same way again.
As a not totally unrelated aside, I'm no more obsessed with dick size than I am with body size, but this is a truly memorable penetration image - well done Tanner!.
There's a reason why Hollywood disguises the height of shorter actors of course and we can't expect the porn industry to be very different. Most of us in real life make no distinction between short and tall, it's not important. In some perverse way, though, our stereotypical prejudices do affect the way we view and enjoy sexual encounters and interactions on video. The same subconscious forces formed this article but I intend no disrespect, mockery or ill-will in drawing attention to these particular contrasts. Only for fun.