Tips on how to take the perfect selfie for your online dating profile

  OneWife.com        March 15, 2018

Online dating is incredibly exciting, but first impressions can count for a lot. So how do you take the perfect selfie for your profile picture that will get women interested from the outset?

Over the past few years, a ‘selfie’ has become the standard format for profile pictures across social media and online dating websites. However, it’s important to take a little bit of time preparing and taking this all-important photograph, otherwise, you could put people off.

Here are some simple tips to get you on the right track from the outset.

Let me teach you something…

Get the lighting right

Anyone with any sort of photography experience will tell you that the most important aspect is lighting. This goes for a selfie too. Natural light is most definitely the way to go, rather than harsh artificial lighting. Look for a softly lit sky early in the mornings or early evenings when the sun is not at its brightest – you want to bathe in the light, not dazzle yourself.

If you’re taking the photo at night, a great idea is to walk past a shop that has a window display lit up. Stand facing the window and take the selfie with the street behind you. This way you will get the nice, soft, diffused light from the window across your face, while leaving the backdrop darker. A little practise, and it will look like a professional has taken your picture!

Background is everything

Talking of background, it’s so important to factor this in to any photo you’re taking. If you decide to snap a selfie on a night out, make sure there is nothing untoward in the background. If you’re at home, don’t have mess, clutter or even photos of your ex-girlfriend in the background. You want a clean background that does not distract from your face.

Let’s make a photo together?

Look natural

If there is one thing that could be a huge turn-off when online dating, it’s a profile photo that either turns out to be not recent or overly photoshopped, or one where you are pouting or doing a really fake, over-the-top smile. It’s so important that your selfie is natural, and recent. It will help in the long-run.

Choose your angle

There is an old clich? about picking your best side, but it’s so relevant. If you don’t look your best from above (e.g. perhaps your hairline is receding), then do not take a selfie with your phone above you. Similarly, if there is a side of your face you prefer or an angle from which you prefer your appearance, then choose that for the selfie. Think about your shot before taking it.

Simple edits only

So many photography apps and social media platforms allow you to apply lots of edits and filters to photos. However, don’t go mad. Only ever do simple edits – don’t forget, you need to look natural. A photo that has been edited to death is likely to look awful.

Smile!

Last but not least, smile. You want to look happy on your photos, and it needs to be natural. Think of a happy time or a funny joke to make yourself smile or laugh naturally if you need to.