Which Photos Should I Use On My Dating Profile?

When it comes to choosing photos for your online dating profile, there are two types of photos to consider; your Main Photo and your Additional Photos. We’ve put together some tips for choosing a suitable Main Photo and a selection of Additional Photos that will show you at your best.

Choose a clear Main Photo

Your Main Photo is the most important photo on your profile as it will appear in people’s searches. You don’t need to panic about getting a professional photo, you just need a photo where you can clearly see your face.

Here’s a Main Photo checklist:

• Make sure you can clearly see your face – no arty shots where you can only see your eye and half of your nose.
• Don’t choose a photo where you are so far away that you’d need a magnifying glass to spot you.
• Steer clear of soft-lens style blurry photos.
• Smile – although these rules may sound prescriptive, you don’t have to look stony-faced like a passport photo.
• Use an up-to-date photo so that people know what you look like now.
• Don’t wear sunglasses or anything else that obscures your face.
• Try not to use a photo where your face is pressed against someone else, it means that the cropped photo will look odd.
• Don’t send in a group shot with lots of people who fit your description.

Add a selection of Additional Photos

Additional Photos serve the purpose of showing a bit more about you. Ideally, you should have between two and eight Additional Photos.

Here’s a Additional Photo checklist:

• Add a full-length photo.
• Add a photo of you taking part in your favourite activities; whether that’s enjoying a pub lunch or heading out on a quad bike.
• Try not to only use ‘selfies’, and try to avoid ‘selfies’ taken in the toilet.
• Avoid topless photos (men and women) as it’s a bit too exposed.
• Although not as important as for Main Photos, try to make sure that your photo is clear and not too blurry.
• Seasonal photos are good as they show that they are up-to-date. For example you may wish to add snowy photos when it has been snowing.

For more examples, see Dating Profile Photos Dos and Don’ts.