How To Take Dating Profile Pictures
How to Take A Good Dating Profile Picture
We love talking about dating profiles and especially dating profile pictures. This is your chance to show off your modeling skills.
We talked about this in our podcast episode - Dating Hotline: EP 02: Dating Profiles for a refresher on how you should be approaching your dating profile. You’ve heard us say it before and we’ll say it again. Your Dating PROFILE is NOT the same as your SOCIAL MEDIA profile. You want to throw up some thirst traps but you also need to show more of yourself. When we work with our Dating Profile Image Consulting Clients, we strategize with them. We use their dating profile to tell a story.
Here are some steps to remember when you’re taking pictures.
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures:
Use Your Angles - and I’m not talking about different face poses, I’m talking about body angles. (see the picture below)
Tell A Story. Use your pictures to tell a story with your dating profile pictures. Don’t smile and look like a mannequin in every picture. Show off your personality and your hobbies but make sure you’re still visible in these pictures. There’s nothing worse than scrolling through a profile and by the end of it not knowing what this person looks like.
Show Off Your Face. Take off those sunglasses and start practicing looking at the camera. EYES are seductive and if you know how to take a picture without sunglasses your eyes will pull the other person in. Sunglasses imply that you’re hiding something - Eyes are the gateway to the soul.
Make Triangles. Use your body to create triangles with your arms and your legs. Bend your elbow or your knee to create an angle complimenting your body. These are visually pleasing and flatter in pictures!
Action > Inaction. Candid pictures are better than static pictures.
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures Rule #1: Use Your Angles
Below are two pictures of me in the same outfit. The first picture is a straight-on view of myself and the second is where I play with my body’s angles. I have an hourglass figure and so I like to create diagonal lines up and own my body. Allure is sexier than showing off skin. Seduce the person looking at your dating profile with a variety of flattering pictures. Use your body, your eyes, and your pose to encourage that right swipe.
WRONG
Why is this picture bad for a dating profile?
Unflattering front-facing body language
My hips look wide from this angle
My body appears to have no shape
The picture is not dynamic enough to swipe right
RIGHT
Why is this picture good for your dating profile?
Flattering body language
Dynamic picture with many focal points
Zig Zag Angles:
White sweater off my right shoulder
The right hip is higher than the left hip
Left hip to the right knee
Right knee to the left foot
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures Rule #2: Tell a story
“A picture is worth 1000 words” and when it comes to your dating profile, we want you to use all 1000 of them. In other words, upload a picture and don’t forget to use the caption. Take advantage of every avenue to introduce yourself to the person viewing your profile. Compliment your picture with a well-written caption telling a short story. These are great opportunities to showcase your personality.
Wrong
CAPTION: Found my favorite road
Why is this picture bad for a dating profile?
This static picture is pretty, but it’s better suited for my Instagram because it doesn’t capitalize on the opportunity to tell a story. This picture does not tip the scale in favor of the right swipe
Right
CAPTION: When the weather chooses not to cooperate with my #goodhairday
Why is this picture good for a dating profile?
This captures a slice of life moment and it provides a glimpse of my personality showcasing my lighthearted humor
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures Rule #3: Show Off Your Face
We want to see what you look like. Take off your hat, your sunglasses, and your mask. Just like masks only show part of your face, sunglasses hide your eyes and that’s just as important as the lower half of your face. Wear your mask in real life but when it comes to your dating profile, remove all distractions from your face. Introduce yourself without sunglasses, show off your money maker.
WRong
Why is this picture bad for a dating profile?
My sunglasses prevent you from seeing my eyes making you guess what I will look like on our date.
Right
Why is this picture good for a dating profile?
Removing all distractions from my face you can now clearly see what I look like and what you’ll meet on our first date.
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures Rule #4: Make Triangles
Triangles compliment our body and they flatter in photos. Take advantage of creating triangles in every picture, you will command the attention of the frame. Position your arms and legs to compliment your figure. Just
WRong
Why is this picture bad for a dating profile?
My hand looks big in this picture and it competes with my face for the attention
RIGHT
Why is this picture good for a dating profile?
The triangle from my arm directs attention to my face
The triangle from my leg fills the picture frame
How To Take Dating Profile Pictures Rule #5: Action > Inaction
Candid lifestyle pictures are great but choose wisely. If not curated well, these can very easily not be as flattering as you think. Below are two pictures of candid lifestyle, a selfie and a slice of life. Both could be found on a dating profile but one is substantially more flattering than the other. Think about the message you send with the pictures you choose for your dating profile. Do you want to spend time with this person? If yes, then you’ve curated well.
WRong
Why is this picture bad for a dating profile?
This selfie doesn’t encourage a right swipe
RIGHT
Why is this picture good for a dating profile?
This previews a date with me - you see what you would see on a date in real life.
Now that you’ve learned what works and doesn’t on a dating profile, ask yourself if you have the right pictures? Our dating consultants will sort through the pictures you have and then arrange the dating profile photoshoot to capture the remaining pictures for your profile. Make your dating profile a tool that works for you. Book your Dating Profile service here.
What do you think? Do you have any favorite dating profile picture rules? We want to know them! Leave a comment below and let us know. We love hearing from you so don’t forget to share your feedback!
- the AND, SWIPE RIGHT team
Did we miss something? Do you have a question? We want to hear from you. Email us with your thoughts, your feedback, and what topics you want to know more about. Reach us at info@andswiperight.com