Your profile picture is an essential part of your online dating profile. It serves as a first impression and determines whether your profile will be given a closer look. The additional pictures on your profile are also important (3-5 are best), so there are a few things you should look out for to ensure that your picture selection is up to par.
When it comes to your profile picture, it’s especially important that your face is clearly visible. After all, the face is one of the central expressions of our personality. In any case, you should always choose a profile picture in which you like the way you look. Only then will you feel confident in yourself and your profile. A “staged” profile picture that looks great but simply doesn’t correspond to your own personality only creates problems later on when you try to live up to the picture. Tense behavior on the first date would be inevitable.
An absolute no-go for a profile picture, for example, is an unrecognizable face. Whether it be hidden behind a mask or sunglasses or buried under tons of makeup. The widespread duck face trend also isn’t particularly expressive. Beholders often perceive the duck face as more embarrassing than alluring.
A profile picture that is aimed either at your cleavage or your washboard abs from above may look nice, but if this is your picture of choice, you should ask yourself what you’re really looking for. Revealing pictures tend to attract more one-night stand seekers than Mr. Rights.
Selecting the other pictures for your profile can also be a bit tricky. Generally, the same “rules” as for your main profile picture apply. However, these additional pictures give you a lot more options how to present yourself.
Variety is the magic word here. Snapshots from your life, selfies and full-body shots are all great choices. The more the variety of pictures conveys your personality, the better. Use the pictures to show that you lead an interesting life and make potential dating partners curious about becoming part of that life.
Nude pictures, on the other hand, are no-go’s. Unless you’re looking for purely sexual contacts. The general rule: The more skin your photos show, the more affair lovers, ONS seekers and sexual adventurers your profile will attract. This, on the other hand, makes it unnecessarily difficult to distinguish between seriously interested candidates and those just looking for fun.
Profile Picture Do’s
- Your face is clearly visible
- A full-body shot is included
- Using a profile picture that you like
- Authenticity
- Expressing your personality, e.g. by showcasing your hobbies
Profile Picture Don’ts
- Your face is hidden behind sunglasses, a mask or too much makeup
- Group pictures
- Blurry pictures
- Nude pictures
- Having children in the photo
- Landscape pictures without people