Perfect Profile Shots

When you do a search on a dating website and look at the results, what’s the first thing you do? You look at the person’s photo right? You’re not alone; this is what most people do so it’s important to make sure your profile photo shows you off in the best light. A bad photo doesn’t get a second look. A good photo will get you more quality responses and makes sure you have the best chance of finding your perfect partner.

Some people are still worried about putting up an online photo – don’t be, online dating is here to stay and an accepted why of finding romance so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed by putting your photo online. If you follow our guidelines for a perfect profile photo then you’ll have nothing to worry about.

 

Composition

Make sure your head is the focal point of the photo and that your face is clearly visible. Don’t position yourself too close to the camera (three feet away is ideal), and try to get your head and shoulders to fill the frame. A natural background will give you the best result.

Look

Don’t wear sunglasses or hats. People will think you’ve got something to hide and you’re untrustworthy. Try not to make the shot look too staged. Always smile, look relaxed and confident but not to provocative. For women, use make up sparingly and go for a fresh natural look. Don’t stay out to late the night before as you’ll look tired in the shot. Try and use soft lighting as this is more flattering. Always use a recent photo; there’s no point trying to hide your age.

Clothes

Dark clothes work best – black is always a good choice. Avoid wearing stripes and large print patterns. Wear something you feel comfortable in but not too casual. It can be a good idea to get a friend to help you, preferably of the opposite sex.

Image Editing

Touching up your images using photo editing software can make a good shot great. Most people will have access to a computer that has image editing software so it’s a good idea to lean how to use it.

• Save your images in Jpeg format at 72 dpi.
• Crop your image to improve the composition
• Adjust the colour levels of the image to get a better balance
• Rotate the image slightly to give a different effect
• Remove any “red eye” effect
• Make sure your image is less than 200k so you can upload it easily
• Don’t use any special effects. Simple images work best

If you’re still not happy with your profile photo you can always use the services of a professional photographer.