Online Dating 101: Photos
You don't need to have the skills of a famous fashion photographer, but for best results you should do more than point and click. Follow these eHarmony Photo Guidelines to put your best face forward.
by eHarmony Staff
Step 2: Your Photos
When it comes to selecting the best photos for your profile, you don't want to choose just any old snapshot. You need the right photo-the kind that captures the real you, and attracts and shows your matches who you really are.
1. Make your primary photo sing -
If a picture's worth a thousand words, make sure you're saying your best-smiling, with eyes wide open; they are the windows to the soul. 
2. Showcase your style with your secondary photos -
Secondary photos are those viewed when a match clicks in to your primary photo to see more photos of you. Secondary photos are a great opportunity to showcase your personal style, so long as you stick to these commonsense photo tips and eHarmony Photo Guidelines.
3. The Medium is the Message
| Cell phones and Web cams may seem convenient, but pictures come across grainy and shady. Get a hold of a good digital camera, take traditional film photos and scan at a high resolution, or have them professionally taken. |
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Another option: Professional Photos
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Long gone are the days when you'd get your picture taken every year in school. Professional photos are another way to guarantee great pictures for your profile. Photographers and photo studios are easy to come by and headshots needn't cost a ton of money. Plus, professional image quality is far superior than most do-it-yourself options. |
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On to Step 3: Guided Communication >>
24 comments on
“Online Dating 101: Photos”
[QUOTE=rotnrobie;795207]Unfortunately online dating is 99% about the photo that you put up.
With my normal profile on match,
I would get a couple of women a month that write to me.
So I tried an experiment, I replaced my photo with one of a hot looking unknown actor 1/2 my age (I'm almost 50). Within 24 hours I had 30 emails.
Then I used the same attractive photo and wrote the text so that he was an arrogant jerk. Still the ladies hit on him like flies on a fresh turd. These very same women go on in their profiles about how they want someone who is nice and caring for their life long love blah blah blah. What total BS! What would this young guy want with a bunch of middle aged women? And the only lasting thing they would get would be an STD....
I was going to invite them all to meet "me" at the same location at the same time. Imagine how funny it would be to see all these lovely ladies dressed to the max standing in a row waiting for Mr wonderful.[/QUOTE]
This is good stuff. Internet dating is definitely slanted far more to looks and physical attraction than one would think or tries to believe.
- November 21, 2009 07:36 PM
Kudos princess1085! Not only is that an excellent list but also very similar to my own. There's no need to repeat your list, though. Mine is just in a different order. I look at statements made first. While I am doing that I check spelling and evaluate grammar, etc.
Before the guys jump on this, let me inform you that the photo is that absolute [U][I][B]last[/B][/I][/U] thing I look at on a profile. If everything else looks good to me, only then will I scroll back up to see the photo. If I am completely repulsed, I will close. There have been very few (less than 10) men that I have closed out due to looks. Everyone else gets a chance if they want one.
I know that I am nowhere near the best looking female out here. There are many more who are much better looking than I am. I do, however, get tired of being evaluated on looks alone. It comes with the territory, unfortunately.
We all need to present ourselves in the best possible manner while we search for our best possible mate. Sadly, I also have to agree with juswanna help. There are some extremely shallow people out here. On the good side, there are a lot of magnificent people out here, too. If you are patient, you will find your match. ;)
- November 20, 2009 10:16 PM
Unfortunately online dating is 99% about the photo that you put up.
With my normal profile on match,
I would get a couple of women a month that write to me.
So I tried an experiment, I replaced my photo with one of a hot looking unknown actor 1/2 my age (I'm almost 50). Within 24 hours I had 30 emails.
Then I used the same attractive photo and wrote the text so that he was an arrogant jerk. Still the ladies hit on him like flies on a fresh turd. These very same women go on in their profiles about how they want someone who is nice and caring for their life long love blah blah blah. What total BS! What would this young guy want with a bunch of middle aged women? And the only lasting thing they would get would be an STD....
I was going to invite them all to meet "me" at the same location at the same time. Imagine how funny it would be to see all these lovely ladies dressed to the max standing in a row waiting for Mr wonderful.
Anyway Eharmony does work better, and feeds your matches to you slowly enough that you look beyond the photo. I have since found someone so I no longer need to do this....
- November 11, 2009 10:52 PM
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