Online Dating Photography for Your Profile 2025
Building a rapport to capture many attractive natural smiles is essential when shooting headshots, whether online dating or for any other purpose.
We increasingly turn to Online Dating Websites and apps to find our perfect love match.
Whether through ‘Tinder‘, ‘Bumble‘, ‘OK Cupid‘ or a more traditional online service like ‘Plenty of Fish‘ and ‘eHarmony‘, a good selection of natural yet good-quality dating photos is vital to make the best first impression.
Professional and up-to-date photographs can help you stand out from the crowd. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you consider your online dating profile’s visual aspects.
Alison wanted some natural headshots for her dating profile. As well as portraits like this, I also photographed her at home in some lifestyle shots.
10 Ways to Make Your Online Dating Profile Stand Out with Amazing Portrait Photography
1. Forget the Selfie!
Your leading online dating profile headshot will be the first thing potential matches will notice about you.
Selfies are good fun on Facebook, but you’re worth more than that when looking for love. With a selfie, getting the best angle and expression isn’t easy.
As for mirror shots – forget it! If you like those, include one as your third or fourth profile photo. With professional photographs, you’ll come across as someone who invests time in themselves and is ready to find their other half.
I took this smiley full-length shot of Heather at Caerphilly Castle’s entrance, where there’s some good directional light.
2. Keep Your Profile Photos Current.
Research shows that most online daters are honest about their age and appearance, but it can be tempting not to be.
If you’re serious about meeting someone, remember they will eventually see you in the flesh. Being real from the start ensures that there will be no surprises later on.
Avoid photos from ten years ago; however attached to them you are – keep it fresh!
An hour is a long time to be photographed, so I take more striking photos after getting the standard portrait shots caught. Although unsuitable as a main profile pic, this would catch some potential matches’ eyes when used further inside the profile.
3. Look Happy and Confident!
A smile goes a long way, and it is the professional photographer’s job to ensure you look relaxed and confident. They will know where and how to place you to highlight your best features and how to bring out those gorgeous and non-forced natural smiles. Beware: overly posing looks false.
Taken in Cardiff, this one of Tim is a lovely casual one that brings out his personality. He’s also changed his clothes to give the impression that I didn’t take all his dating photos on the same day.
Online Dating Photo Tips!
Did you know that shooting a woman from slightly above makes her eyes look bigger and more flattering? A lower angle works best for a man to bring out masculinity.
When reviewing your online dating profile photos, ask yourself, “Would I want to meet this person?” If the answer is “No!” then why would anyone else?
Think about what attracts you to someone you would consider dating.
Steffie was a joy to work with on this dating shoot in Bristol. She quickly immersed herself in the shoot, which resulted in some naturally happy portraits such as this.
4. Fill Your Profile.
Most sites allow at least five photographs on their member’s profiles. So why not use this space and give potential matches more ‘eye candy’ they can make an informed choice?
Choose a photographer who spends time with different scenarios and doesn’t limit the choice of photographs too much.
The first should be a recent, crisp, clear headshot showing you smiling and revealing some of your personality. Then there should be a full-length or at least upper-body shot.
It’s also a good idea to have one photo doing an activity that interests you (see 6 below).
I try not to make the photos look overly posed. Sera’s picture could have been taken by a friend on a day out – only better!
5. Most Successful Dating Profile Photos?
Statistically, dating photos with the most clicking action are those in the landscape orientation that show at least some of your body.
Extreme close-ups suggest something to hide, as do wide-angled, far-away shots. Generally, people want a fair idea of your body shape and facial features.
A good, strong head and shoulders shot of Mab. A mixture of serious and fun shots will work for your online dating profile photoshoot.
Smiles please men most about female photos, and pride seems attractive to women looking at men. The bottom line is not to hide but to confidently display your most attractive features. Show the real you!
An exception might be the black-and-white photo of Alison near the top. She looks so gorgeous in it, and it captures her well. I love the intense gaze and natural half-smile.
If you have a photograph that shows off your features and connects to the viewer as much as this one, put it first. But go full length (or at least upper body – as above) for the second shot. By then, you’ll have their full attention!
The colours work well in this half-length shot of Heather. So I made it very vibrant and added contrast in the edit to make her and the colours ‘pop’!
6. Include a Talking Point or Personal Interest.
I find outdoor dating shoots to be the most pleasing regarding light and opportunity. These bring many opportunities in terms of locations and added interest.
If you love dogs and animals, why not bring your pet? You could have the shoot near your home to quickly drop them back there and carry on alone. Or if you like to draw, bring a pencil and paper.
If you love the great outdoors, have your dating photography session in the countryside, as it will reflect you better and help attract a like-minded mate!
Many people find smiling on demand quite tricky. Mab hints at a natural and unforced smile in this one, which works well.
7. Age is No Barrier!
Whatever your age, there is someone out there for you. People are looking for love and friendship all over the Internet from age 18 to 70 and beyond. Whoever you are at whatever age, someone is looking for someone just like you. Professional online dating profile headshots should show off all your best features and attract others – they should make your matches want to find out more.
8. The More You Put Into It, the More You’ll Get Out.
This is true with most things in life, and photo shoots are no exception! Preparation can be critical. Research online and find what sort of photos appeal to you. Practise poses and looks.
On your shoot, communicate with the photographer. And listen to their advice. If they suggest something, go with it unless you don’t want to. Don’t be afraid to try out new things – ways of standing, actions, looks.
This photo shows more of Alison from the waist up. People looking for love through online dating generally want an idea of body shape.
9. Don’t Be Afraid to Ham it Up!
If you enjoy having a good time, show it in your photos. Act silly or pull a face if it’s what you do. Your photographer will only supply them if they look good, so it’s up to you whether to upload them to your profile.
But you might attract that perfect match who is into ‘daft’!
10. Enjoy the Experience.
Your photoshoot should be a fun experience. Time to invest in doing something for you is time all too easily forgotten about these days.
Online dating photographers’ should give you an enjoyable experience that is all about you. I like to talk a lot as I’m photographing people’s portraits, which puts them at ease, and before long, they seem to forget that I have a camera. It makes for a fun shoot, resulting in some great natural portraits for the profile.
Bottom line: You should leave it confident and optimistic that Mr or Ms Right is just around the corner.
I used a little fill flash on this photo to balance the sunlight in the background. Heather’s lovely smile is perfect to attract plenty of matches on online dating sites.
ONLINE DATING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT
For a shoot of 1.5 hours in a location(s) of your choice with all edited files provided by upload. Approx. 50 photographs supplied in a mixture of colour and black and white – £350
If you’re happy to travel to Caerphilly or Wanstead, then only pay – £320
Read more>> Portrait Photography & Headshots – To Capture the Essence of You.
Dating Profile Photography FAQs
Q. WHAT IS ONLINE DATING PROFILE PHOTOGRAPHY?
A. Dating profile photography is a photoshoot designed to bring out the best in you and help you find your perfect match. Have a look at this page to read the top ten tips to get the most when having your dating portraits taken.
Q. WHICH AREAS DO YOU COVER FOR DATING PORTRAIT SHOOTS?
A. I live in Caerphilly near Cardiff, so I cover all of South Wales, including Swansea, Newport, Neath, Pontypridd, Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Blackwood and Penarth. I’m also active in Bristol and London, so that I can arrange shoots there. But if you come to Caerphilly for your shoot, I offer you money off the price!
Q. DO YOU SHOOT IN A STUDIO OR OUTDOORS?
A. I have all my dating shoots outdoors as I think they look more natural and less staged. We should easily be able to arrange a nice day, but if it rains, a light, bright umbrella can add a different dynamic to your photos.
Q. CAN I BRING CHANGES OF CLOTHES TO MY DATING SHOOT?
A. Yes, indeed you can. Try not to complicate things; top and accessories changes will add variety to your photos. Also, there may be limited places to change, so bear this in mind.
Q. HOW WILL YOU EDIT MY PHOTOS?
A. I edit in a mixture of vibrant colour and black and white as suits the photo. When two or more photos are similar, I’ll try different editing techniques so you have options to choose from. I supply all the photos I edit and don’t limit these.
