Rock Your Dating Profile
The following post comes from one of our blog takeover winners, Saskia Nelson
Having set up the very first dating photography company and worked with over 500 clients across Europe, I want to share my top tips on how to rock your dating profile photos so that you start attracting lots of great dates.
Book a pro
If you want to improve the click-through rate on your dating profile, then the number one thing you can do that will see a huge increase is to book a pro photographer to take some shots for your dating profile. It’s an investment that will reap huge rewards. Online dating is a numbers game so increasing the number of people interested in your profile will give you more choice of dates. Yay!
When you’re choosing a photographer, check out their portfolio to make sure you like their style, their ‘about’ page to see if you think you’ll get on with them and their ‘praise’ page to see what clients and experts are saying about them. If all these things appeal to you then you know you’ve found your one.
Fake it ‘til you make it
Your soaring confidence is the difference between an ‘ok’ shot and an ‘awesome’ one, however it’s challenging to come up with bags of confidence when you have a big lens pointing at you. The best advice is to ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ and the good news is the camera won’t know you’re faking it. Faking it may seem hard too but do everything you can to get your head in the zone where it’s easy to fake it. Put on those sexy boots, play that Beyonce track and if you’re into your make up, then book in to get your make-up done just before the shoot. This is a sure win to make you feel fabulous and ensure you look great on camera. I would also recommend getting your hair cut in advance of the shoot. Split ends and dark roots show up on camera and are the quickest way to ruin a shot. Get you hair and face looking their best and you’ll really start to feel that confidence growing, for real.
Super-stylin’
Ideally you want your dating photos to showcase elements of your personality if possible. The easiest way to do this is through the outfits and accessories you choose. Start off by planning what you’re going to wear in your dating photos. Go through your wardrobe and choose a variety of outfits that show off different elements of your personality. Are you more relaxed in jeans and t-shirt or are you the kind of person who can’t wait for an occasion to dress up? If your wardrobe is leaving you uninspired, it might be time to go out and treat yourself to something new – just as you would for a hot date.
Women also have lots of options round hair and make-up. Change your hairstyle, and lipstick during the shoot just as you change your clothes and you’ll have a set of different photos that look as though they were taken at different times.
Head somewhere you love
Another thing to think about when planning your dating photo shoot is the location. Great dating profile photos will help tell the story of who you are, meaning you won’t have to rely just on the written part of your dating profile to do that. Are you the kind of person who loves messing about on the river, running round the park, browsing second-hand markets or enjoying street art?Think about where you feel happy and comfortable and head there. Even though the background isn’t terribly important, it’s great it if it can tell people a little more about your personality.
Experiment for the camera
The best shots for dating profile photos are the ones that are relaxed, happy and natural. Posed, studio shots are really naff so avoid them at all costs. To get some great shots, just keep moving and trying out new things such as different positions, backdrops, hairstyles, lipsticks. Walk around, jump up, have a laugh with your photographer, grab that camera/book/skateboard that you love and just focus on enjoying yourself. Think about someone you fancy, the last time you had a really good time, that favourite holiday and your photographer will get some great shots that show you at your best. You, but you on a really good day!
Saskia Nelson is the talent behind the award-winning and internationally acclaimed Saturday Night’s Alright, the UK’s coolest dating photography business, specialising in creating dating photos that kick ass and win dates for 100s of single people. You can follow her here
Twitter: @satnightalright Blog:saturdaynightsalright.com Facebook: facebook.com/saturdaynightsalright
