Picking A Profile Picture

Tips for Men: Picking A Profile Picture

Although we have five senses (and women a sixth), we rely on our vision more than any other. You may have spent hours carefully crafting your dating profile to woo that potential special lady away from the competition, but women will not read one word if they can’t get past your horrible profile pic.

Here are some tips that will help you look your best:

1)     Smile. We all want to have fun when we go on a date. We are looking for an escape from the pressures of the office, kids, responsibilities. Your smile will convey to that potential date that you are a fun fella. Your picture should say “Hey you! Yeah you at the keyboard! Look how handsome and pleasant I am. Go out with me and you will laugh and forget all your worldly troubles”. After all a picture is worth a thousand words and that’s only like 29.

2)     No women! Yeah, I get your logic: “if women see a picture of me with other women they will think that I know how to treat a lady”. Instead, think about your audience. Most women will wonder if that chick in the pic is a former or current lover and may think that you are a creep. Play it safe and choose a different photo. “But David, this picture of me with my sister is the best one ever taken of me and I really want to use it!” That’s fine, but only if you completely crop her out. That hand on your shoulder with the red nail polish is just as bad as seeing the whole woman.

3)     Take your time. I bet you’re excited, you just joined SpeedDate and you are looking forward to dating, texting, and video chatting with beautiful women. You don’t have time to stop, they are out there lining up to meet you! Slow down hotshot and look through your photos carefully. Choose a few that work well and edit them. Your computer probably came with some decent editing software or you can download a free trial of a program. You don’t have to be a software engineer to do this, just play around until you have a photo where you look your best. Change the color temperature to black and white or sepia. Bring up the contrast and adjust the clarity. Just make sure that it still looks like you. Remember that if things go well, you will eventually meet that pretty lady in the real world. You want her to recognize your handsome face.

4)     Video chatting. Great! Your photo looks amazing and you’re getting attention online. Your potential soulmate has invited you to video chat and you anxiously accept. Within minutes she seems disinterested. What happened!? You look around and notice that your shirt is stained, your hair is tousled and you have food in your teeth. There is a pornographic calendar hanging behind you and there are flies circling the pizza box that’s been on your desk for a week and a half. Don’t let this happen to you. Be presentable when you login and make sure that there is nothing offensive or strange in the video window. Conversely, feel free to place a conversation piece nearby. She might be impressed and prompted to ask about it… “Why yes, I do play the violin!”

Finally, the best advice that I can give you on your photo, profile information or anything else you post on a dating site is to ask a woman you know for honest feedback. You may feel like you know what women want but no amount of imaginative understanding can trump advice from an actual woman.

 David is our resident Zen guru here at SpeedDate. He’s late bloomer who has come a long way since his first kiss at 17. He has since dated both on and off-line and considers himself a bit of a digital casanova. David marries a spiritual spin on matters of the heart with the wit he develops through his amateur stand-up comedy career.