Online Dating Photos: Selfie Advice

We’ll be upfront with you here – we’re not fans of dating profile selfies, but we realise that it’s not just a short-term fad and that they can be a good way to get a photo for your profile that is up-to-date and doesn’t involve roping in a mate.

If you are going to use a selfie for your profile picture, here are some tips to make sure that it’s the best selfie that you can take.

Hide the dirt – Please do not take selfies in front of the toilet, in public bathrooms, in front of a big pile of dirty washing, or with a pair of pants on the floor. Ideally you should have an uncluttered background so that it doesn’t cause a distraction from the subject of the photo – you.

Keep it clean – While we’re on the subject of dirt, avoid overtly sexual photos. Topless or bikini selfies take the mystique away from getting to know someone.

Don’t block your face with the phone or camera – Sometimes mirror selfies can mean that half your face is blocked by the camera. Instead of using a mirror, hold your camera at arm’s length and use the reverse screen option so that you can see what the photo will look like.

Set a timer – If you’ve got a camera with a timer, you can set it up at the right height and distance, so that you can get a good photo. It might take a few goes to get the angle right, but it’ll give a better photo than an outstretched arm or a selfie stick.

Watch the light – Avoid incredibly dark rooms and incredibly bright lights. A really bright light will make you look washed out, wheareas a dark environment will make it hard to see you and if you try to lighten a photo taken in a darkened room it can look grainy.

Remember that any photo that shows your face clearly is better than no photo at all, so get adding your photos now!