Dating Profile Tips
When it comes to online dating, your profile is everything! It is the first introduction to every potential match out there, and having a fully optimized profile is key to getting the right kind of attention. When you take care to show off the best parts of yourself, great things can happen. Follow our dating profile tips to make the most of your profile and attract the kind of swipes you’re looking for.
It’s Not All About You
Apart from you looking great, you need to remember that everything else in the photo is equally important. That’s why looking somberly in the gym mirror, selfie style isn’t the ideal photo. Make sure you stay true to your lifestyle but also portray yourself in the best light. Love the gym? Try taking a shot with some friends post workout or even better, an action shot rock climbing, playing basketball or on the soccer field.
Your Social Network is Important
Include pictures of your friends. This gives your date insight into who you hangout with. Just make sure you don’t take pics with that one friend that looks like supermodel, Gisele Bundchen (or for that matter, her husband, Tom Brady). It’s pretty simple, you want prospective dates to be excited to date you, not your friends.
Diversify Your Photos
Make sure you get a selfie distance headshot that flatteringly shows off your face. It’s equally important that you have several full length photos from different angles. Don’t make dates guess what you look like.
No Far off Nature Shots
You know the profile I’m talking about. They have these gorgeous nature shots where they’re a dot in the distance. One shot of them skiing off a cliff and another whitewater rafting. After ten photos you still have no idea what they look like. You can easily display your lifestyle with you in it. A quick way to achieve this is to be clearly recognizable in all your shots. Give your profile to a friend to approve this.
It’s All About the Light
These days your smartphone is probably your primary camera. These are amazing at taking great pictures but they can’t work miracles. You’re not going to have professional lighting so have the natural light work in your favor. Shooting in the shade is usually best as direct sunlight can cast unflattering shadows on your face (bright forehead, shadowed eyes). If shooting in direct sun, avoid being backlit- this is when the background is brighter than you, and the photo comes out with you looking dark, or underexposed. Great times of day to capture natural light are what photographers call “magic hour”, a window of 2-3 hours after sunrise, and before sunset. Use that to your advantage when grabbing happy hour with friends.
Avoid Posing
The best pictures will capture your energy and personality. That’s what sets really great pictures apart from the crowd. The best way to pull this off is to be with friends in your natural, everyday environment.
Quantity Matters
Anyone can look amazing in one photo. They managed to get the perfect angle and lighting but in reality they look nothing like that photo. To avoid this make sure you have at least 4 photos, but consider putting the maximum number of photos allowed. No one will fault you for having too many photos. It gives dates a better idea of who you are.
Consistency = No Red Flags
Make sure your pictures are current and are representative of what you look like. Five years ago when you were rocking blue hair isn’t going to work. It’s a huge red flag when you look different in every picture. Remember, prospective dates usually assume that you look like your most unflattering photo.