5 Tips for the Best Dating Profile Photos

athousandwordstexa
2 days ago
2 min read

Ready to stop the swipe and starting attracting more clicks? Here are five action-ready tips to improve your online dating profile start to finish.

1. Nail the lighting

Natural light wins. Bright, indirect daylight (golden hour if you can) flatters skin and creates depth. Grainy or dark photos get skipped. Make sure that your photos include "catchlights" - those light reflections in your pupils that bring a photo to life. Most professional photos will intentionally include this for more flattering and engaging photos that increase gaze time in research.

2. Smile like you mean it

A genuine smile is an invitation. Practice a Duchenne smile — eyes included — for best results. Profiles with authentic smiles get more responses.

Genuine smiles — photos with women smiling get the highest engagement on dating apps. Playful/candid laughter shots — these score even higher than posed smiles.

3. Include a full-body shot

People want to see context. Profiles with at least one full-body photo get more messages and fewer awkward “who’s who” moments. Increase your engagement by including at least one recent full body photo in a flattering and natural pose. For women: angled poses work better than head on. For men: balance confidence with too much directness. Women value warmth and approachability in profile photos.

4. Show one activity or hobby (action > prop)

Action shots feel lived-in and spark messages. Play your guitar, stir a pan, walk a trail — movement sells authenticity. PMC+1 Mix it up with a softer, relaxed expression in at least one photo.