Profile pictures: how to look your best in the online dating world
March 21, 2008 – 9:03 am
If you want to date online, you have to have a picture. If not, your profile will likely get overlooked along with all of the other profiles that don’t have pictures.
Dating profiles without pictures are just not eye catching. Plus, one only has to wonder exactly what someone without a picture is hiding. Are they unattractive? Is she bald? Do they have a third eye?
In many cases, it’s better to stay away than to hazard a guess. Dating websites know this, and they even have a browsing feature that allows people to filter out profiles without pictures.
You’ve probably used it yourself. You want to look at profiles with pictures, so why don’t you have a picture on your profile?
Still looking for that perfect snapshot? The following guidelines will help you out:
- Choose a picture that is up to date. The number one mistake that people make when uploading a picture to their dating profile is choosing a picture that is too old to fairly represent what they look like now. Not only is it dishonest, people can tell when you use an old picture. The quality isn’t as great, granny boots are out and hopefully you’ve changed your hairstyle at least once since the 80s.
- Modesty is best. Do not upload anything that is overly sexy. A snapshot of your cleavage or too-short shorts is going to draw the wrong type of attention to your profile. If you’re in it for a one night stand, sexy is okay. If you want commitment, on the other hand, tone it down.
- Stay away from glamour shots. Do you really look like that everyday? No, you only looked like that for one day out of your life which just happens to be immortalized in the one and only photograph that you use online. Be honest. Show people what you really look like. It’s what they want to see anyway.
- Do not cut out or blur out other people in the photograph. This looks tacky. Even if you think you’ve done a superb job, people can tell that the photo has been doctored.
- Do not upload pictures with multiple people in them. This means no exes, no kids, no friends, no sisters… no body. Who likes to search through a sea of faces and wonder which one is the one looking for a date? Not me and certainly not the people who are viewing your profile.
You should always try to choose a current picture that you feel confident of. If you don’t have one, it’s time to take more pictures. Ask a friend to take a few snapshots of you and pick out your favorites. If you don’t like any of your pictures, have someone else pick one out for you.
There is no reason not to include a picture on your dating profile. And, who knows, it might even get you a date.
