Does Your Dating Profile Picture Say The Right Thing About You?

Let’s talk about your dating profile picture.

Remember when Facebook first became popular, and you spent SO much time choosing the best possible profile picture — because who knew which old high school classmate, former boss, or long lost crush might look you up?

You wanted a photo that clearly showed your face (so they wouldn’t go friending the wrong person), was tidy and confident (so people would at least think you had your shit together), was attractive (but not in a sexy way that would make your great-aunt uncomfortable if she figured out how to make an account), and just generally represented you well.

Think now to your LinkedIn profile picture — same rules apply, right? You want to look professional and approachable, like a person you’d trust to have on your team. Just like your Facebook profile picture, but in business attire.

Dating profile pictures are no different, but I watch them stump people time and time again.

Dating Profile Picture Checklist

Your first photo is your calling card! It should make someone want to spend an hour talking to you and seeing what you have in common. So, your dating profile picture should:

• be a high-quality photo – no blurriness or pixelation allowed
• be well-lit so your face is easy to see
• be a shoulders-up shot, so your face is the focus (no distracting backgrounds, either!)
• have a warm, approachable smile
• look actually like you! (No obstructing hat or sunglasses; no massive amounts of makeup; no photoshop to make you look like a Kardashian; it should look like you on a good day!)

But this checklist is surprisingly hard to complete if you’re not intentional!

If you have this photo in your arsenal, mazel! But many of us don’t have the latest iPhone camera, or aren’t quite sure what the most flattering top is for our bodies, or feel uncomfortable asking someone to take a solo photo of us.

I’d been a stylist for 20 years when I started online dating, so I had an eye for what I should be wearing in my dating app photos. But for some reason, I still thought it was fine for my first photo to be a shadowy, slightly blurry photo of me in a candlelit restaurant. I looked cute, if you imagined what my face looked like sans shadow!

I got some matches, but nothing to write home about. A friend finally encouraged me to put a little more effort into my photos… and I think you guys can guess what happened.

I got 10x the matches, went on nearly 100 dates, and met the love of my life. Easy! 😉

My point is: your demeanor, outfit, and attitude impact how people view you at work or in your book club or at a friend’s birthday party, so they naturally impact how people view you on dating apps, too. Those elements need to be front and center and true-to-you in your dating app photos, especially that crucial first dating profile picture.

If you don’t have one that fits the bill, or you’re not sure if yours does, or you’ve now learned that your photo is missing one of the key criteria, or you don’t have the time/mental capacity to do a photoshoot with a friend and choose multiple outfits, locations, and hairstyles… then may I suggest Profile In A Day?

Professional stylists will do your hair and makeup, choose your outfits, and pick the locations, all so that a professional photographer can capture you at your most natural, welcoming, and best.

We know what makes the perfect dating app profile picture, and we won’t stop until we’ve got one for you (actually, 3!).

Find out if Profile In A Day is the right fit for you — apply now!

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Designed for getting your profile Swipe-Right ready in as little time as possible. With Profile in an Hour, you’ll learn to avoid the most common pitfalls that make for an undesirable profile while building a winning profile that attracts individuals who match your lifestyle and standards.

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