When online dating, ideally you want to have as many people “swipe right” on you as possible. You don’t go through the strenuous effort of putting yourself on dating apps with a goal to merely have some people swipe right on you. I mean, unless you do, but that’s a little odd.
One of the most important elements of having a swipeable dating profile is having good pictures. Your pictures are usually the first thing a swiper sees and sometimes the only part of your profile they look through before deciding whether to swipe left or right on you. Because pictures are such a critical part of an online dating profile, you want to be sure to display photos which showcase the best version of you. Your pictures should not only portray an accurate representation of what you look like, but they should also incorporate elements of who you are as a person.
So without further ado, I, a 27 year old woman with several gruesome years of dabbling in the dating app world, will let you guys in on what I consider highly appealing, swipe-worthy pictures.
PICTURES TO INCLUDE
- Pictures with a cute child. Some people may disagree, but there is absolutely nothing cuter to me than seeing a man with a small, adorable child. I can’t explain it. Seeing a grown man with a little, fragile human being makes me want to cry tears of joy. (Sorry, is that weird?) But if you are going to include a picture with a child, be sure to make a note if the kid is yours or not. I fully appreciate when men are straightforward about whether or not they have children.
- Pictures with a dog or cat. Yes, quite overdone, but it also works. A picture with your little furry friend is almost as good as having a picture with a cute child. But here’s one thing to take note of: make sure your pet doesn’t look like it would rather be anywhere else than next to you. I’ve seen many pictures with dogs appearing highly uninterested next to their owner.
- Pictures in bright daylight. I can’t tell you how many dark, depressing pictures I’ve seen of men sitting in their room in horrible lighting. You shouldn’t be posting grainy pictures that make it seem like you live in the depths of a cave or dungeon. Get out of the house for a minute, and go take a picture of yourself in natural lighting. I promise it will make a huge difference.
- Pictures of you participating in your hobbies. Like to cook? Snap a picture of you and your favorite meal. Like to garden? Ask your mother to take a picture of you with your homegrown watermelon. Pictures of you showcasing your hobbies are great conversation starters considering people tend to bond over common hobbies and interests. But maybe keep your more strange hobbies for a later date.
- Pictures of you with friends. No one wants to date a hermit. Posting pictures of you and your friends will show off the fact that you have at least somewhat of a social life and are capable of having friends. If you don’t have friends… maybe now is the time to try making some. Keep in mind, however, your main picture (aka the picture displayed first) should be a picture of only you. I shouldn’t need to channel my inner Sherlock Holmes to figure out who I’m swiping on.
- Pictures that reflect what you look like now. Leave the high school senior pictures buried deep down in your junk drawer where they belong. No one aside from maybe your parents wants to see them. Posting pictures from high school will make it seem like you peaked in high school. And maybe you did, but keep that little bit of information to yourself.
- Pictures of you smiling. I know this sounds pretty obvious, but you have no idea how many pictures I see of guys where they look absolutely miserable in their pictures. Show off those pearly whites! Smiling makes you seem so much friendlier and more approachable!
PICTURES TO NOT INCLUDE
- Mirror pictures. You would think we left these behind in the MySpace era, but I still see pictures of guys standing in front of their dusty bathroom mirror with a failed attempt at “smoldering.” I know you want to flex and show off your muscles in the comfort of your own bathroom, but I believe I speak for most women when these pictures come off as pretty cringey.
- Pictures of you and your ex. Can anyone give me one good reason why anyone would include a picture of themselves with their ex on a dating app? I really would love to hear someone’s logic and reasoning behind this because I cannot think of half of a good reason why anyone would do this.
- Blurry pictures. I feel like this one is pretty obvious, but please post nice, good quality pictures. You shouldn’t look like Caspar the friendly ghost in any of your photos. Extravagant, professionally taken photos are definitely not necessary! A simple, iPhone quality photo is more than enough.
- Pictures you’re not in. I know you REALLY want to include that hilarious meme you found the other day as one of your pictures, but I suggest sending them in a message at a later date instead of having them on your profile. I usually scroll right past photos without a face in them. Just being honest.
- Pictures of you in bed. Although I think the type of bedding a man has can be very telling, I don’t particularly find it attractive on a dating profile.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it, fellas: my tips for which pictures to include and NOT include on your dating profile app. Of course I don’t speak for ALL women, but I have a strong feeling the majority of them would agree with me on these points.
And although it may be kind of awkward, you can always have a friend or family member take a look through your pictures and offer constructive criticism as a second opinion.
Good luck, and happy swiping!
