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Your Profile for Online Dating – Choosing the Perfect Picture

Your Profile for Online Dating –
Choosing the Perfect Picture

online dating profile pictures

If you were to take a quick look back in time you might find that people were embarrassed to say they met their significant other online. In this day and age though, that attitude has changed drastically. It seems with so many people hardly having enough time in the day to sit down for a meal, the idea of frequenting random “hotspots” hoping to stumble into your future soul mate is downright comical. Searching for them online is, well, infinitely more brilliant than relying on a chance encounter to put you in the same place at the same time.

However, there is one minor caveat of this approach; your profile for online dating, more specifically, your picture. You see, in the world of the internet, we have the ability to skim over a person. Meaning if your picture doesn’t hit all the right notes, people are going to be pushing the “next” button before they even read about what an amazing person you are. So here you go; the most important tips for taking a good photograph to add to your profile for online dating.

cute girl on an online dating site

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #1: Smile! Or even better, laugh! No one wants to date someone who is a downer, and while you may think that modeling picture from your college years makes you look like a sexy beast, to others it only looks like you take life too seriously and are perhaps just a bit conceited. So upload a natural picture, and smile.

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #2: Make sure you’re a reasonable distance from the camera.! For your thumbnail photo, you’re going to want one primarily of your face, but most sites allow you to upload an actual, realistic photograph. In this case, try to get one with at least half your body in the shot. The photo of you standing amidst a concert crowd that requires a little red arrow to point you out is going to be completely useless on an online dating profile. What you want is to convey that you’re talking distance away (roughly three feet), because it makes you appear more personable.

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #3: No Photoshop.! Sure, this may make you look fantastic, but as soon as you meet the person it’s all over. There is nothing more disappointing than realizing the person you thought you were attracted to doesn’t actually exist.

online dating poster

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #4: Participate in a hobby. Are you an avid rock climber? A Snowboarder? A Water skier? Have your online dating profile picture showing you do these things. It automatically makes you seem more interesting. However, just make sure you keep it tasteful. Beer pong may be a hobby, but displaying a photographer of yourself guzzling beer on your profile for online dating just makes you look like an alcoholic, not the fun-loving person you really are.

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #5: Steer clear of the “show-off” photo, or anything of a sexual nature. A picture of you in your bathroom lifting up your shirt to show your ripped abs is the fastest way to turn someone off. It says one of two things: 1. you’re ridiculously full of yourself, and no one wants to be with a cocky jackass, or 2. you have no self confidence, and will be constantly searching for approval. Keep your clothes on at all costs. That picture of you water skiing? You better be wearing a life-jacket.

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #6: Avoid the bathroom photo. Yes, I know, you see them all over Facebook, Myspace, etc, but they’re just no good for an online profile shot. First of all, the lighting in a bathroom flatters no one. Jessica Alba herself wouldn’t look her best in a bathroom. Second of all, it shows you had to take your online dating profile picture by yourself, which is a bit ironic. You don’t have any friends that could take the picture for you? No photos of yourself already of a night out on the town? Why are your photograph options so limited that you must resort to taking your own photograph in a bathroom?

Profile for Online Dating Picture Tip #7: Consider the clothing options. Are you in the military? Wear your uniform! An athlete? Wear something that shows your toned arms. Just keep in mind not to go too far. Ladies, there is such a thing as too much cleavage, and it won’t attract the kind of men you’re going for. Men, once again, keep your shirt on at all times on your profile for online dating.

military man in uniform for a profile picture

You probably already have my book on writing a profile including a full chapter on pics, how to cover up flaws, make yourself look taller, and thinner AND get women to emotionally connect with you so they email you first. If you don’t have it for some crazy reason, get over to this page and buy Magnetic Profiles right now.

If you have a profile picture you’d like me to test, describe it in the comments and I’ll get back to you.