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90% of online dating responses are based on your profile photos alone. I suspect most of you want a great look that says I am a quality person – warm, friendly, engaging and attractive. This is what your profile pictures needs to show. I want you to literally jump off the page and stand out from the sea of dating photos on any dating site.

Profile photos that are bright, well-lit with pin-sharp focus or artsy with only specific focus are what catch my eye. I also love a photo which tells people a little about the person’s personality. Clothes, make-up, hair style, accessories, props, the background and location all help. Also, getting a variety of “looks” with different outfits and backgrounds, some close up and some that show you in an environment (aka, the full body shot) are essential.

It’s also important that the person in the photo look confident, relaxed and happy – which goes such a long way to attracting people to your profile. This is the psychology side of professional photography. My aim is the draw various moods and feelings out for the camera to capture. If you think your not photogenic, no worries. The camera may love you and you don’t even know it. Maybe you are photogenic if the right person is taking the pictures. Often the most exciting pictures are unexpected moments as photographer and client do a dance of finding the perfect expression.

All this said, there is both a science and an art to great photos. The science is in getting the complex camera to work right in the best lighting and background. The art is in getting the ideal “look” – the real, inside you. This is the fun and gratifying portion of the picture taking effort.

Smiling helps too… In a 2011 study at the Face Research Laboratory at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, subjects were asked to rate smiling and attractiveness. They found that both men and women were more attracted to images of people who made eye contact and smiled than those who did not. If you don’t believe me, see how many looks you get when you walk outside with that smile your wearing right now.

If you are inspired to work with someone for online dating profiles, to show the world your best self, in natural looking photos, contact me 510.847.2753.