This archive report was first published on 16 December 2019.
With the rise of online dating, choosing the perfect photos for your profile has become a crucial aspect of finding a match. According to professional dating photographer Sophia Isabella, who has worked with hundreds of nervous daters, the key to success lies in creating high-quality, natural, and engaging photos.
Speaking to Datingroo, Sophia revealed her top tips for dating app photos, starting with the importance of good quality. 'Sharp and bright photos are more attractive,' she said. 'It portrays the person clearly. Blurry photos are not as engaging in dating profiles. If the quality is bad, you will look bad too.'
Another crucial tip is to look natural. Overly posed photos can put off potential dates, according to Sophia. 'A picture in the moment is something that works well on dating profiles,' she explained. 'It looks relaxed and natural. Unless you are a professional model, don’t pose for the dating profile picture. It looks like you are trying too much to impress.'
Adding a pop of colour to your outfit is also a good idea, Sophia advised. 'Put some colours in your dating life,' she said. 'Even if you are not really a ‘colourful clothes’ person, add some details to the black or white – a red scarf, a yellow hat or anything with colours.'
One of the biggest mistakes people make is taking selfies, Sophia warned. 'Mirror selfies with bad lightning are the worst choice for an online dating profile photo,' she said. 'They look like you do not care about it and like you are not making an effort to get a good match.'
Instead, Sophia recommends asking a friend to take a photo of you. 'Have some fun together and take some in the moment photos like this one,' she said. 'It will work well on your dating profile.'
Cracking a smile is also essential, Sophia advised. 'Show that you like to laugh,' she said. 'Who doesn’t love that? You are a happy, satisfied, attractive person – show it and meet someone like you in the online dating world.'
Finally, Sophia recommends playing around with different combinations of photos to see which ones get the most matches. 'It is good to change the combination of photos after some time to see which photos get the most matches,' she said. 'What is important here is quality over quantity. It is always better to have fewer really good pictures rather than a lot of very bad ones.'
One thing to avoid is using a professional headshot, Sophia warned. 'A LinkedIn photo is more formal, usually taken in the studio and can be pretty posed, so I don’t recommend it for dating apps,' she said. 'A dating profile photo should still be high quality while looking authentic, as if captured by a friend spontaneously at that “perfect” moment.'
By following these expert tips, you can increase your chances of finding a match online.
