I’m revamping my Match profile, and I’ve picked out thirty recent photos (only three weren’t taken within the last six months, and many were taken since Thanksgiving) as candidates for inclusion. Ideally, I want between five and ten pictures, all of which are flattering, that present a nice, well-rounded impression of me without being too repetitive.
And since everyone’s lousy at assessing ourselves objectively, I figured I’d turn to you fine folk to help me out.
The photos are located in this gallery here, numbered from 1 to 30. Anyone who wants to help out can do any or all of the following:
(1) List your five favorites, with any comments you might have
(2) List three (or more) that you definitely wouldn’t use if you were me
(3) Give me feedback on especially flattering or unflattering aspects of different pictures (feel free to be brutal)
(4) Tell me which picture you’d choose as my primary photo, which will be the first one that someone sees when they look at my profile
(5) Suggest crops or edits that would make particular pictures look much better
(Pictures 18, 19, and 20 are the ones that aren’t so recent; I’ve only included them in case anyone really likes them and thinks they should be used in my profile. Left to my own devices, I probably wouldn’t go with any of them.)
19, 20, 24, 27, 28, 30. You have a beautiful smile!
I like the solo photos a bit more, but the one with the guy and the two cute chicks looks like you’re a social person without the “arm around” shots in other photos so I chose that too.
Don’t crop. We always wonder who was cropped out and why.
Okay, you need a photo of just you for the main picture. No girls, no drunk friends, no family members. Just you smiling.
That said, numbers 27, 28, and 30 would all work well. Number 19 is nice, but you’re sort of set far away, so someone browsing through couldn’t easily see your face.
I would definitely not use 25, with all the drunk-looking girls.
Photo 19 is good, as are 24, 27, and 30. My favorite is 27, but then a cute photo with pet or pets is always nice, provided the pet isn’t something like a python who is attempting to eat you.
12 is a great laughing shot
14 - you’re looking kind of smoldering without trying to be sexy
18 shows you have a nice group of fun friends and aren’t a hermit living in your basement
I actually like 19 because it shows you in a different environment
27 is cute, but 30 looks like you’re trying too hard
28 is very handsome. I think I’d use that as the main picture
27 for the main picture or
30 but I’d crop out the chick on the left.
28
In general, I wouldn’t post any with other people. It’s distracting and takes away from you with a viewer wondering who the other person is and what is the relationship. 18 is the exception of showing other people; looks like you have a nice group of friends.
19, 20 even if they are older shots.
Definitely stay away from 25. 24 looks like you’re paired off. Not crazy about 16 either.
Definitely don’t use a pic with anyone else. You don’t want a woman thinking of other women you’ve dated, or wondering whether you’re too close to your mom.
My favourite is #27 also, though any/all of the solo pics are good. The only pic with another person that is okay is #14-- mostly because you don’t see who is behind that camera, and because it shows a different, more serious side of you.
Women like to see eyes-face and then a pic of your overall build. 28 29 30 19. Several of your male friend shots show nice smiles but might come across as a just a bit gay.
Solo pics for your profile. All the ones you have in the gallery of you only are very nice. I would put 28 as the main pic, with the bulk of your other pictures being of you and you only. Us girls don’t want to see you with other women (even if they are just your sister) and definitely not your Mom. Not on your dating profile. If you must include duo or group shots, place them in the last slots.
I’m going to echo everyone who has said to use solo pics only, no exceptions. Well, maybe an exception for your dog. Personally, though, I think #19 is very attractive. It also gives me a better idea of your personality than many of the others. #20 is quite nice as well.
Good luck with the whole dating thing!
EDIT: I missed the part of your post where you mentioned that 19 and 20 were older pictures which discouraged you from using them. I looked at the more recent photos and you don’t seem to have changed very much physically since those two were taken. I would say it’s safe.
Number 1 is OK. Use the magnify function in Picasa and drag it so that it’s just you. Nice shot.
The next 17 are irredeemably doofused up.
19 shows Mr Outdoors Gadarene. Not bad and a good thing to be.
20 shows Mr Cosmopolitan Gadarene. Not bad and a good thing to be.
I think 25 magnified and dragged so that the heads fill the frame is a hoot for a dating photo. The women don’t look drunk but look like they are having fun in your company. Not a bad message to send.
30 is OK you look really relaxed. Magnify it in Picasa and drag it to cut off the left at the wall.
You seem to have the happy knack of photographing well so tell whoever is taking them in future to zoom in. Most photos of people look far better with their faces filling the frame rather than full length shots
I would go with 19, 20, 27 and 28. I second the call for solo pics only… less distracting that way. I think you are ok using the older pics because, as mentioned above, there is no glaring difference in your physical appearance. I’d use 20 as the main profile picture. My two cents, FWIW… good luck out there in the snakepit!
19, 20, 27, 28 and 30, because you need to be alone. Otherwise, people will wonder who the other person is, what the relationship is, etc.–too distracting. I second using one of the puppy pictures, though the one of you on the rocks is very nice. And I agree, you truly have a lovely smile.
I like 12, 18, 19, 27 and 29. That group tells me, “fun guy, good with people, has interests outside a bar”.
12 captures your real laugh; I notice your smile in the others is remarkably consistent, and that makes me wonder if it’s genuine or a practiced “camera smile”. I like photo 12 because it makes me feel like I’ve seen the real you. (Whether or not this is true is irrelevant for a dating site.)
18, too, shows me a relaxed smile, and a fun looking group of friends. There’s nothing here that rings my warning bells around exes or sexual tension with anyone in the photo. Nice ratio of guys to girls and non threatening. Again, reality need not apply.
19: Love. It. The glasses say geeky, the outdoors says outdoorsey. That’s my kinda guy. What did you say your profile name was?
27 is adorable, even with the little hell hound.
I like 29, I’d assume she’s your mom, and this picture shows off your height very well. Some girls really like that.
