Recommendations to Choose the Best Dating Profile Pics
Profile photos on social media matter because they show someone’s personality. But pictures aren’t vital unless someone makes a living on social media. Your friends know you. They won’t stop being friends with you because of a new profile photo.
Yet, on dating sites, profile photos can make or break someone’s experience. In the era of swiping, photos may be the most valuable part of one’s dating profile. Other users may never look at your profile unless they like what they see in the photos.
Aim to Make the Best First Impression
Pictures determine who gets attention on dating sites. If someone logs in and sees 20 suggested profiles, they won’t visit each of them, but only those that instantly grab their attention. And certain steps can be helpful for achieving that.
Upload images that radiate approachability, friendliness, and authenticity. Smile in the photo and look at the camera. Dating sites aren’t about art but about creating connections with other people. And someone hiding their face or looking at the camera like it owes them money usually doesn’t create a desired first impression.
Also, a big mistake is uploading extreme close-ups or overly distant shots. If no one can see you, that’s another red flag. The same goes if someone uploads close-ups of certain body parts. Yes, some people might get hooked on such photos. Yet most will see them as red flags because those who want people to focus only on one thing usually don’t want them to see something else.
Tailor Photos to Various Dating Platforms
This is more important than some people realize. It’s okay if someone wants to use a dating site for casual hookups and a love-seeking site for committed romance. Maybe they want to have fun while looking for something serious. But it’s a big mistake to use the same photos on both of those platforms.
For instance, when a single woman wants to ease back into dating after a divorce using a site focused on single moms hookup, it’s recommended to upload more casual photos that highlight physical appeal of the person and not details from her personal life. People there are looking for short-term dates, not for a marriage material. However, that still needs to be done with a bit of taste. Otherwise, people may see one’s endeavor as desperation. And that’s never a good thing.
Photos on a site where everyone seeks commitment should be more discreet and elegant than those on casual dating sites. People seeking hookups and those seeking soulmates don’t look for the same things. To continue our example with a single mom, her profile photo for a committed dating site may include some personal touch and show her lifestyle, hobby and other activities she really enjoys.
Upload Several Types of Pics
If a profile photo is a window through which people peek into someone’s profile, the rest of the gallery is what gives them the complete impression. People don’t want to see a dozen of similar photos. It shows a lack of personality and can make someone think you’re boring.
It’s clever to use a portrait photo as a profile picture and fill the rest of the gallery with personality-based photos. Someone who loves hiking shouldn’t just say so in their description but upload a photo of them somewhere in nature. Someone who enjoys eating in expensive restaurants should upload photos from such places. The same as someone who does MMA should upload a photo from the gym.
The goal is to show that you have something to talk about and give potential partners a chance to relate to you on a personal level.
Hire a Pro Photographer for a Portrait
This is a bigger deal than people think. Investing in a professional photographer does more than ensure you get better photos for your dating profile. It shows other members that you are smart and serious in everything you do. Besides, quality photos show your taste and self-worth.
But be careful because every industry has different rules for photography. A professional photographer focused on landscapes or street photography may not be as good for the task as someone who shoots mostly portraits. Needless to say that cool boudoir photoshoot won’t be a good choice for a committed dating profile while boring headshot from your work won’t do for a casual dating platform.
Use Recent Photos and Update Them Every So Often
Imagine falling for someone on a hookup site because you loved their photos and arranging a live video date to realize they look nothing like their pictures. That’d be an instant mood killer. Who knows what else they might lie about if they weren’t honest about their looks?
So, it’s wise to upload fresh photos (after each appearance change).
If someone gains 50 pounds, they might not want to upload new pictures, but sticking to old photos has a 100% chance of ruining their chances of getting dates.
Yes, that may get more leads on the site, but that’s not what counts: going on actual dates matters. And nowadays, every decent site has live video chat, so there’s no way to hide and trick people into meeting someone in person. On the other hand, no matter how someone looks, there are still millions (literally) of people who find that attractive.