There’s no doubt that more and more people are going online. People use the internet for everything from research to shopping to socializing – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. People are also meeting others online now more than ever. Dating websites are becoming less taboo and more mainstream, and getting on an online dating website means you need to create your profile, which means you need photos. A photo says a thousand words and most people will not even look at your profile if you don’t have at least one photo. Most people struggle with getting a good photo of them self to post online, so here are some guidelines to help you put your best face forward online.
- Don’t leave your photos blank. Again, 99% of people will not look and your profile and/or reply to you if they do not see a photo. A photo says a thousand words and can convey to the viewer, in a glance, the type of person you are. It also shows that there is a real person behind the profile. So don’t be afraid to show yourself.
- Don’t take a photo of yourself in the mirror and post it. First, it just looks bad, period. All self portraits in the mirror have a feel of creepiness to them. Just don’t do it. Furthermore, it says very little about who you are, what activities you like, etc. And it makes people think that you have no friends to take your photo, or take photos with you.
- Always smile in your photos. It’s the happy memories that you want to save. It’s the happy memories that you want to share. And the bottom line: people are attracted to happy people.
- Ask people to take photos for you. Men especially don’t want to look vain by asking someone else to take their photo. Men, the trick is to ask a lady, not a man, to take your photo. Especially if you have a female friend, usually they will be more than happy to do it. And they can give you some feedback on your poses too. Bonus!
- Get photos of you doing your favorite activities and/or having fun with friends. This is the best way to show who you really are. And it shows you at your happiest. Again, people are attracted to happy people.
- Use only recent photos! Don't post photos from 5 to 10 years ago. Even if you "don't look as good now," people don't like to be surprised (and to be honest, disappointed) when they meet someone who does not look what they are expecting. This is a waste of your time and theirs.
Ok, now that you have your photos, let’s put them online.
- Post at least one face shot and one full body shot. This gives viewers a complete picture of you. It is better not to leave them guessing and wondering, “What are you hiding?” That could lead to an early decline decision. (Body image issues? See Part II of this article coming soon.).
- Selecting which photos to post is important. What do you want to convey about you? For example, showing too much skin may be sexy but it could also give the message that you are “easy.” Try this exercise: ask a friend (preferably someone that is similar to the person you would like to date) to look at some of your photos and tell you what it conveys to them. Some examples:
Enjoys the outdoors. Is active. She’s happy. Likes to ski or snowboard. Looks confident and respectable. Looks very well put together.
NOTE: your friends may not judge you, but strangers will. Pick the photos that best articulate what you want to convey.
- Do not have a shot of you and a previous girlfriend/boyfriend on a dating website. More times than not, it’s a turn off.
- In a photo with multiple people, make sure it’s obvious who you are. For example, state that you are the second from the left, if that is where you are standing in the group, etc. If possible, it’s best to crop out everyone else so that the focus is on you alone. Besides, your friends may not want their photo shared.
- Try not to blur or block out other people in the shot. This just looks bad. See the sample photo below. Again, crop your photos whenever possible.
- Cropping your photos. It’s a good idea to take out the excess space around your face and/or remove the other people from your photos. This focuses the viewer’s attention on you – the whole reason why you are uploading your photo. If you don’t already know how to this, there are several free tools and articles online. For Windows PC, you can use Paint, http://www.ehow.com/how_2046775_crop-image-ms-paint.html. And for Mac OS X, you can use Preview, http://www.ehow.com/how_2126752_images-preview-mac-osx-leopard.html.
Original Photo by Tim Williamson, tdwmedia.com/
That’s about it. Just follow those basic guidelines and you should have better photos online as well as better responses to your profile. Of course, if all this is too much for some of you or you just don’t want to deal with it, all hope is not lost as you can get a professional photographer. For around $300-$400 you can get a photo that makes you look like a million bucks. And with all the money and time you spend on online (it is the new social scene!) a good photo is worth the investment.
Voila! This professional portrait is fun, fresh and
just little flirty; sophisticated yet sexy.
Photo by Nancy Rothstein, nancyrothstein.com
Makeup & hair by Joey Cheung, jbeautique.com
Ok, there you are. Good luck! And go put your best face forward online! Stay tuned for part II – How to hide your flaws and accentuate your assets in photos.
Please add your comments to this blog. Questions, suggestions and/or complements are much appreciated!
Dao Nguyen
Founder, CEO and Social Instigator
More about Dao Nguyen at
http://www.howaboutadate.com/HBD/info/infoMain.zul?page=people