4 Must-Have Dating Profile Photos

Choosing photos for your online dating profile is tricky (if you’re here, you’ve probably already experienced this first-hand).

Your dating profile is essentially a marketing campaign for your love life and marketing is not easy, especially when the product is…yourself. 

The good news is there are 4 online dating photos pretty much everybody should include in their dating profile. 

These four successful dating app photos are effective for men and women alike, on quick-swipe apps like Hinge & Bumble, and also on long-form dating apps like match.com and everything in between. 

Alright here it is!

women over 40 dating photography

1. You need a headshot dating photo

The dating headshot photo is about all about showing off your face and your eyes. And, a headshot dating profile photo doesn’t just need to be one of your online dating profile photos…

A close-up headshot photo needs to be the FIRST photo in your online dating profile. 

Your dating headshot photo is hands-down the most important photo in your entire dating profile. If you only have time or budget to upgrade one part of your online dating profile, invest in a stellar headshot dating photo (the Quickie dating headshot photo package is meant for this exact scenario).

The first photo in your online dating profile is the gate-keeper.

If your first dating photo doesn’t trigger a “YES, I want to see more” reaction in your ideal matches, they won’t even see the rest of your profile.

So it needs to be a banger!

You can be smiling or not smiling in your dating headshot photo; what’s crucial is that you have what dating coach Blaine Anderson refers to as “piercing eyes”. Eyes that are looking at the camera with emotion and intention. Engaging eyes; active-listening eyes; eyes that draw people in and make them want to see more of you.

Not sure how to rock piercing eyes? If you hire a great dating profile photographer (me me me!), they’ll coach you so you really nail your first impression with a headshot photo that conveys genuine warmth and confidence.

Full body urban dating photo

2. You need a full-body dating profile photo

The full-body dating profile serves a very specific purpose:

The job of the full-body dating photo is to give potential matches a look at your physique and overall build. 

When you meet someone the old fashioned way, by bumping into them face-to-face, there is no scenario in which part or most of their body is totally hidden from you. But this is possible on dating apps because someone could exclude (either deliberately or on purpose) photos that go below, say, the chest. 

Most of us have had the experience of meeting someone in person after seeing their photo online and feeling…surprised. This is not a good way to start out. Including a full body dating photo ensures that babes know generally how you’re shaped before you show up on a first date. 

The traditional wisdom is that your full body dating profile photo should show you all the way from head to toe. However, I don’t think this is necessary. If you see someone from the knees-up in their dating profile photos, it’s safe to assume you’ve gotten a full-enough sense of their general build (most folks aren’t hiding anything below the knees, ya know?). 

If your full-body dating photo doesn’t include your lower legs, don’t stress. Just be sure enough of your body (torso and upper legs) show to give an accurate sense of your overall body shape. 

Whether you’re seated or standing, facing forward or slightly turned to the side, all of this is up to you and can work for your full-body dating profile photo.

Full body dating photos can be tricky to shoot yourself! Beware of camera angle distortions that can cause you to look shorter or more stumpy-legged than you already are. 

PRO TIP:

If you are attempting the full-body dating photo as a mirror selfie (not ideal but hey, if you’re desperate), hold the camera down by your waist rather than up by your face to elongate proportions.

3. You need a [REAL] smiling dating photo

In an ideal world, across your Hinge profile photos or Bumble photos or whatever app you like best, you’re showing a variety of different facial expressions. One or more of those expressions needs to be a GENUINE smile. 

A smile is a universal expression of warmth and approachability so it works like magic to connect with people and draw them toward you.

But not just any smile will do. Your smile needs to feel REAL.

This means finding (or creating) a dating photo that was taken when you were really smiling, not just a half-assed “say cheese” smile where your mouth is shaped like a smile but your eyes are not in on the action (for men, this is soooooo bad. It comes across as creepy. I’ve even heard it referred to as a “serial killer smile”).

Here’s a look at the difference between a fake and a real smile (notice his eyes):

There is one easy hack to get a dating photo with an authentic smile–have someone take your picture when you’re *actually smiling*, lol! Not smiling for the camera, just actually real-life smiling when the picture is taken (pssst–this is one of my superpowers as a dating profile photographer).

4. You need a lifestyle / activity dating profile photo

An activity / lifestyle dating photo is a chance to show off more of what you’re like and the types of things you’re into–how you enjoy spending time, where you like to hang out, hobbies, etc.. 

A dating photo that shows you doing something you love helps paint a picture of what your life is like and invites potential matches to imagine being with you in different contexts.

When done well, lifestyle dating photos not only attract quality matches but they also help filter out folks who wouldn’t be a good fit for you. 

Say, for example, you like to spend every weekend camping and hiking in the woods.  Showing you camping and/or hiking in one of your dating profile photos will be attractive to outdoorsy people who also like those things. Plus, it will be a deterrent for folks who hate hiking and camping, ya know? You won’t waste your time on them.

Or maybe you’re a bit of a homebody and like to cook and read. Infuse some of that into your dating profile photos so peeps who also like to be cozy at home can see you doing that and imagine being there with you (and maybe think, “phew! Thank god she’s not one of those avid hiking girls”). In terms of what hobbies or activities to include in your dating profile photos, that all depends on you. The right answer is: hobbies and activities you actually do and enjoy. Anything can work here, from a photo of you sipping coffee at your favorite local cafe, browsing through old vinyl at a record store, off-roading like Scott, playing your guitar, gardening, reading tarot cards, the possibilities are endless.

5. *BONUS* throw in a laughing dating photo

This one is not typical and you probably won’t find it on any other “what photos to include in your online dating profile” lists. But hear me out:

Including a laughing pic as one of your online dating photos is almost guaranteed to elicit smiles and warm feelings from potential matches (thank you, mirror neurons!). 

A laughing photo shows potential matches that you’re FUN. 

Mid-laugh is also a totally guard-down, total present moment so it can be really leavening in a dating profile, particularly if some of your other shots feel more moody, serious or posed. 

. . .

If you’re sifting through your camera roll for dating photos to use on your Hinge profile or Bumble profile or whatever app you like best, and you can’t rustle up all four of these types of dating profile photos (headshot, smile, full body, + activity) it’s time to create some new dating profile photos.

But at least now you have something to aim for! Stay focused and if you need help, hire a dating profile photographer (pick me pick me!).

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