How To Take Your Own Killer Online Dating Photos In 4ish Steps [Even If You’re A Novice]
Online dating is difficult – especially if you have a penis.
To illustrate just how (not) hard it is, here’s a graph:
However, what’s even more difficult than messaging, is taking the right photos for the app.
Look, the primary reason 57% of male users claim they aren’t receiving enough messages is because no one wants to message the type of guy that posts photos that are:
— pixelated
— selfies
— *bathroom selfies
—Â shots with you and a drugged-out animal
— group shots where you have no idea who is who
— **groups shots with women
— obscuring your face
In other words, if this photo or one akin to it is in your profile you need to read on:
Regardless of what certain dating apps want you to think (looking at you Hinge) all dating apps are superficial.
If your photos don’t look good, she ain’t swiping right.
Luckily, the remedy for a profile that isn’t getting many swipes in the right direction is simple — just take better photos.
The question is, how.
To answer that, we asked Jessica Ruscello, emlovz’s own SF-based dating photographer.
Jess has been looking at the world through the lens since she was 9. Her experience not only makes her the perfect person to snap some photos of you for your new profile revamp, but also to guide you through what it takes to take photos on your own (or with the help of a friend).
How To Take Your Own Online Dating Photos
Don’t Look Like A Creeper
Pretty obvious advice, but how do you do that?
Well according to Jess there are a few ways.
“If you’re taking a photo for yourself for the first time, use a tripod or prop up the camera.
If you don’t have a friend taking the photo, an arm selfie, a bathroom selfie, a gym selfie, there’s no substitute for using the timer on your iPhone and setting the camera five feet away from you.”
If you’re going it alone you can prop the phone up on a book or even buy a cheap tripod on Amazon.
When taking the photo it can be tempting to use the front-facing camera (the one you take selfies with) however that camera is more often than not lower quality than the back-facing camera. But even if the cameras were of similar quality, selfies are a huge no-no.
It doesn’t matter if the selfie is taken on a beach in the Rivieria Maya and shows off your tan glistening abs, selfies are gross.
On dating apps, you want to stand out. The easiest way to stand in however is to take a selfie and post it like everyone else.
A few years back Hinge did a study on the best and worst types of dating apps photos, here’s what they found out about selfies.
Learning how to take your own online dating photos can be daunting. But when you’re ready to get started, here’s the detailed steps you should take:
— Set the camera at waist height
— Set the timer
— Be candid (have a friend talk to you or think of a funny moment that’ll make you smile and laugh)
— Stand five feet away
— Take lots and lots of photos
Soak Up That Indirect Sunlight
If you’re taking photos solo, chances are you’ll take them inside.
No problem.
What you need to keep in mind however is that indoor photos are best when you’re standing in indirect sunlight.
Why you ask?
I’ll let Jess explain.
“If the light is streaming in through the window that’s going to wash out all your features and make you squint and make your facial expression hard to read.
But if you have a bright window with indirect light stand in front of it, put your camera on a table stand about five feet away and set your camera up to take several shots from the back facing camera with a timer.”
Jess goes on to explain that it’ll take you 10-20-30 tries before you take one you like.
As a professional photographer herself, she admits that it takes her even 10-15 times before she snaps a photo worthy of your Bumble bio.
So if it takes her a few tries imagine how long it’ll take you?
Look being your own photographer is a volume game, it may take you 50 pictures to find one worth uploading.
But hey, that’s fine.
Because at the end of the day having just one photo that’s worth adding to your roster means your profile is still better than it was before.
Check Your 6
It doesn’t matter how eloquent your bio is, no one’s going to read it, especially if this is your first photo.
She also won’t read your profile if you have something rather unflattering in the background like this unfortunate Tinder user.
Too many guys (aka novices photographers) will overlook the background.
And while you can’t be blamed (you are a novice after all) you can be swiped over.
A busy or ugly background will take the focus away from you.
Here’s Jess again:
“Get all the stuff out of the way that’s going to take someone’s attention away from the person in the photograph.
Whoever’s taking the photo, whether you or someone else, check that there isn’t any trash in the background.
Because that acts as a frame, whatever is in the background of the photo acts as a frame for your body and tells a story regardless of how you’re standing or who you are. It’s kind of an amateur thing to ignore the edges of the frame or ignore the edges of the photograph.”
Jess touches on a key point worth repeating.
The photo acts as a frame for your body and tells a story.
With every photo you’re telling a story that contributes to the narrative your profile is building. Being that you only have 6-9 photos you only have so much real estate to humanize yourself and show her who you are.
Always be cognizant of the background.
The photo above perfectly uses the background to tell the viewer more about the man in the photo.
What makes the photo above unique is the background — and little else.
Imagine you photoshopped the background out and made it the back of a bar, a grey kitchen, or any other non-descript location. Millions of guys have that type of shot.
The guy in this photo isn’t doing anything special. He’s smiling and looking into the camera. What makes this shot worthy of a swipe right is the semi-blurred background (blurred so as not to take the focus away from him) that shows he’s an active guy that hikes or at the very least enjoys the outdoors.
How to Take Your Own Online Dating Photos: What’s Your Why?
This last point is less technical than the others but is even more important.
The whole reason we’re even on dating apps is to make a connection.
With that said, our entire profile should revolve around this goal.
There are two ways to do this.
One involves taking as many hobby shots as you can and stuffing them into your profile.
Show her who you are.
I advise listing out your hobbies (or what you did last week in your free time). Then take photos of yourself in this environment. Whether you play basketball, hike, play billiards, video games, or whatever else, capture yourself in your element.
But this isn’t the only way to make a connection. Connecting is also about your posture and your pose.
“Stand in a way that’s open.
Put your shoulders back, put your chest forward, big smile, look straight into the lens of the camera.
You’re not trying to look hot, you’re trying to make a connection, and a happy, pleasant like safe one with the women who are swiping through photos.”
That’s what these dating apps (huge misnomer by the way) are all about.
Making a connection and getting off the app and into the real world as quickly as possible.
When posing, appear happy and open.
Make yourself as warm, natural, and inviting as possible.
You’re a complete stranger.
A woman will only go out with you if you’re judged to be a safe one.
Portray that you’re safe by smiling and taking candid shots. As Hinge shows, candids are the way to go.
Other ways to appear safe and make a connection with women is by looking into the camera and smiling.
How to Take Your Own Online Dating Photos: Wrap-up
So that’s it really.
Those are the concrete steps you can take to vastly improve your online dating profile.
But hey, it’s completely understandable if you still don’t feel like a pro after reading a single 1,500-word article on photography tips.
If that’s the case you can always call in the experts.
To get in touch with Jess for photography or to learn more about the emlovz 3 month coaching & matchmaking programs — book a new client Zoom session with Emyli or another one of our coaches today.
During this intro session, we’ll discuss your photography needs, talk about your dating goals, create a strategy, and see if our programs might be a fit for you!
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