If you’ve joined an online dating site, then you are obviously interested in meeting someone. And exactly how is that someone supposed to be interested in you if they don’t see a photograph? Hopefully these tips will help you choose a good photo of yourself for your online dating profile.

Online Dating Profile Photographs

• Photos are important. No, really it is! Most people aren’t interested in chatting with someone without a photograph. So your photograph is important because:

•    It shows you’re serious about meeting and finding someone.
•    People might get the wrong impression and think you’re hideous or something!
•    You might be mistaken for a fraud or scammer.
•    You might not show up on searches because a lot of people set their search functions to show only profiles with photographs.
•    You might not get any replies if you initiate contact as people are wary of profiles without photographs.

• Remember, the focus of your photograph is you and no one else, so keep these points in mind.

•    It shouldn’t be a distant picture where your face can barely be seen.
•    Try not to have any other people in it as it distracts attention and of course, raises questions about who the other people might be.
•    The best shot is a head and shoulders picture where your face can be clearly seen.
•    Avoid hair in your face, sunglasses, hats or other accessories.

• Don’t get paranoid about your photograph because it should be an honest and natural representation of you.

•    Not a passport photo…that’s just BORING!
•    But on the other extreme, avoid a photo which looks like something out of a model’s portfolio.
•    Inject some personality/attitude into your photo and don’t just stand there!
•    No airbrushing allowed! You’re not a celebrity!
•    Don’t raise false expectations but don’t mislead them into thinking you’re a dowdy old hag either. The point is your photo shouldn’t lie about how you look.

• This follows on from the point about having an honest photo. Having an outdated photo will only give a false impression about you. The way you look changes constantly so at most, your profile photo should be about 18 months old. You want people to get to know you and love you for who you are now, not who you used to be!

• When you smile, have you noticed how your eyes sparkle? Okay, corny maybe but its true. And when I say smile, I mean a warm, genuine, happy smile not a drunken grin! Statistics from several online dating sites show that profiles with smiling photos where the person is looking straight at the camera receive many more views and requests than others.

• This might seem obvious but you’ll be surprised how many get it wrong  – always use a well lit picture.

•    Make sure your photo shows your face clearly, and is taken in good light.
•     Natural light is best, but if that’s not possible, avoid dim lighting.
•    Use a high resolution photo so your face doesn’t appear hazy.

• Most dating sites allow you to upload at least five photographs. Make use of this.

•    Upload photos in different situations, but YOU should still be the focus.
•    Additional photos will give others a better idea of your personality.
•    If you have more than one good photo, rotate between photos. This will increase your activity on the site, making it more likely for your profile to show up on searches.
•    Use your creative or arty shots as additional photos if you like them so much.
•    More photos can also create a topic of conversation. For example, this guy had a snake wrapped around his neck for one of his photos and that resulted in several profile views, emails and IM requests.

Don’t stress over your photograph, but don’t just ignore it either. Just putting a little thought into your choice of photograph for your online dating profile could end up making a world of difference!