Before you jump into online dating (or dip your toe), I’d like to talk about the 5 photos you need to begin. Too often I see singles embark on this adventure on a whim---with poor quality photos. Online dating is visual and while they may look at your well-written profile, they will first look at your photos. We do live in a visual society and that’s even more so the fact with online dating.

As a dating coach for over 25 years, it never ceases to amaze me as I am working with clients and we look for good first dates for them and the candidates photos are old, fuzzy, poorly cropped or filtered to the max. No, no, no!

(always caption your photos: Ft Lauderdale January 2023)

5 Tips for Online Photos:

1. A full body shot This is a must! You should be alone in the shot. Good examples include outdoor shots or at a function dressed up and the photo should be in the last year. (Caption: My BF took this at PV Park, Oct 2022)

2. Always Smiling That means no Victoria Beckham looks or runway looks. A smile conveys warmth and a happy person.

3. A head shot No, I don’t mean a studio shot or a LinkedIn style photo. These are too stiff. Most dating sites and apps will require a head shot as a primary photo and they won’t accept sunglasses. Remember, this will be the first impression and you want them to scroll to your other photos too! (Caption: My daughter took this! August 2022)

4. Action Shot

You need to show something you are interested in. Photos such as playing tennis, golf, pickleball, hiking, snorkeling, boating, playing a board game---all convey your personality and interests. (Caption: Ready for a day on boat! Dec 2022)

5. A group shot Why? It shows you have a social life and friends! But, make sure you are easy to pick out in the shot---it could be 4 friends having drinks, celebrating a birthday, a holiday family shot. These are all warm, happy photos. (Caption: My 50th Birthday! November 2022)

Other:

No-No’s: No shirt on, bathroom shots, in your car shots, too much cleavage, holding a big fish.

The magic number of photos is 6-8 high quality pictures.

Many of my male clients don’t have good photos---that’s why we use a professional photographer that can generally turn around the photos in 48 hours. (Men in general don’t like to have their photos taken or have a folder of them on their phone as my female clients do!).

You want to show up on your date looking just like your photos. You don’t want to meet someone who looked like that 10 years ago, right?

Yes, it’s fine to show family shots---just no young children.

As always, I want you to have success---and this begins with your photos. Don’t start online dating without great photos!

Happy Dating,

Andrea McGinty Dating Counselor/Dating Consultant 33000Dates.com 702-494-7344