You can’t argue that it’s difficult to express yourself fully in an online dating profile. But there are ways to display your personality through the information you choose to post about yourself. Your profile photos are some of the most important pieces of information about you that other people will see, so knowing what makes a good dating profile picture is crucial.

Profile shots that women like men are slightly different than the profile shots that men like women. As a girl, you’ll get the most mileage out of certain types of pictures and less out of others. Here are some tips for choosing the right shot that will attract winks or messages from guys who are interested. While the type of photo is strategic, women who post multiple photos along the lines of those listed below also get more attention.

Selfies

Interestingly, selfies (photos you take of yourself) are not nearly as effective for men as they are for women. But because they work for girls, go ahead and take that selfie. The best angle is at arm’s length and from slightly above eye level. It’s a feminine look; plus, it’s an angle that helps eliminate saggy or double chins and emphasizes your eyes. If you want to make a sexy or flirty face, do it at the camera and not at someone outside the shot. Smiles work very well in a selfie but resist the urge to do a “duck face”. Extreme close-up selfies of just one part of your face and eyes, your lips, etc. don’t perform very well.

Full Body or Half Body Shots

Shots that put you in a medium range, where your face and body (top half or all of your body) are clearly visible but also include surrounding scenery, help establish your body type. Is it shallow to show off a great shape, whether it’s thin or curvy? Well, online dating is about making decisions based on a few pieces of information and some photos, so you decide. Full body or half body shots establish your body type, but they can also offer some clues as to your interests based on your surroundings. A shot in a bar or at a party could suggest to a viewer that you are social and don’t mind having a drink. A photo of you hiking, boating, or skiing will suggest that you have a love for the outdoors or that you are athletic. A shot of you sitting and reading a book or sitting on a blanket with a picnic make you look like the Girl Next Door. Choose the surroundings carefully and try to be the only subject of the photo to make it clear that it is a photo of you.

Photos Showing Emotion

There’s nothing wrong with including a professional head shot that you would use on a resume, but everyone knows those kinds of photos are staged and static. Men appreciate seeing photos of women showing emotions, with happiness being the most popular type of emotion men like to see. Additionally, because the left side of the face shows more emotion, you can angle the photo slightly that way for an advantage.

Showing Some Skin

Should you emphasize your cleavage or not? Is a bare midriff sexier than being fully covered? Studies show that men do prefer to see some skin, but how much you want to display is up to you and will tell strangers looking at your profile more about who you are. The best option is to wear clothing that is indicative of what you usually like to wear. If you love tank tops and Daisy Dukes and wear them everywhere you go, show them off. If you wouldn’t dream of walking around in a plunging neckline, don’t wear one in your profile picture.

Photos to Avoid

You’re putting up a dating profile to attract potential dates, so think carefully before uploading each and every picture. Avoid posting the following photos (we’re serious):

Duck face or trout face. It’s so over

Surrounded by multiple men. Even if they’re your brothers and cousins, just don’t do it

Any photos where you are drunk, making drunk faces, barfing on the floor, or wearing a lampshade

All one kind of photo, all with obvious filters, e.g. all selfies

Anything that makes you look truly hideous, because why?

Old photos that don’t represent the way you look now just because you like them better 

Now that you’re informed and ready to choose the right types of photos for your dating profile, visit Mingle2’s exciting and free online dating community and start meeting fascinating singles today. Visit our Home page to get started.