Professional Tinder photographer Jordan Shields suggests choosing photos where you’re doing activities “that perhaps the other person could see themselves doing with you..”
Grosso agrees, but says to make sure you don’t fall into Tinder tropes. “The men want to be seen as fun, fit, well-travelled, established, etc. That translates into pictures of them on the ski slopes, Machu Picchu, fishing, at weddings in a giant group shot, out with friends drinking,” she explains. “It’s so generic that it doesn’t stand out. After all, who doesn’t like good food and travelling to exotic locations? None of these images offer an entry point for conversation.”
“A killer dating photo doesn’t just show people what you look like, it tells them what you’re made of,” adds Nelson. “If you’re smart, you can use your photos to tell people more about who you are rather than writing it in the bio. No one reads bios, you know that."
Outfits and grooming are key
Keep shirtless pics to a minimum, says Grosso, if you feature any at all. “Don’t post too many selfies, otherwise you come across as narcissistic” adds Shields.
In terms of clothing and styling, Nelson recommends colour. If you don’t like wearing colour, she suggests finding a backdrop that provides an injection of it. Also, no sunglasses – eyes are the window into the soul, after all.
“Do wear new or clean clothes,” suggests Shields, and make sure your grooming is up to snuff too. “Neaten up your beard or facial hair, or go clean-shaven,” he says.
Backgrounds
“Messy backgrounds are distracting and unattractive. You’ll lose people’s attention fast,” says Nelson. Instead, choose a colourful simple background or something that says something about you. “Its role is just to showcase you.” Grosso suggests opting for “a clean frame, no distractions and strange objects”.
Use photos that show what you look like now
“Photos need to look like what you currently look like,” says Blaine. “So if they're two or three years old, but you literally look the same, you have the same haircut – that's OK. But if they're even six months old, but you look dramatically different, you've gained or lost a lot of weight, or you have a beard now, and you didn't then – you need to get new photos.”
If you’re struggling to decide which photos are an accurate representation of how you look now, get a friend to give you their honest opinion. As Nelson says: “No one wants to feel deceived by their date before they’ve even sat down.”
Avoid shots with people who could be confused for your partner… or child
“[You] shouldn’t be spending [time] making disclosures of, ‘This is not my girlfriend’,” says Grosso. “The same with infants: you don’t need to spend valuable space on your profile, or in your conversation, assuring people you’re not a parent”.
Confidence and security
For Grosso, your pictures should say to a potential partner that you will not play into their deepest concerns about men. “For women, that’s safety,” she argues, saying that men need to create profiles that show they are trustworthy. “How do you create trust? Eye contacts and smiles.”
“You don’t have to be the hottest person on Tinder to attract attention,” says Nelson, “you just have to come across as quietly confident and happy in your skin. This is great as it levels the playing field and gives all guys a chance no matter what they look like.” Make sure your body language is open, that you look confident and most importantly don’t include photos where you don’t feel good about yourself at the moment they were taken. You want to send the message that you're happy with yourself.
