What Are Profile Pictures? A Definitive Guide

Profile pictures are the front and center of your online dating profile. Even before your name and age, your profile picture grabs the attention of potential dates. Most dating platforms let you have multiple profile photos, and it’s essential to take full advantage of every one.

A profile picture is like your digital first impression. Sure, you want to look good. You should show off your face, flash a smile, and make sure the photo is well-lit. But looking good isn’t the only aspect to consider in a profile picture. 

Your photos are one of the most — if not the most — important aspects of your dating profile.

A+ profile pics show off your personality, interests, and lifestyle. They let other users know what your vibe is, and if you do them right, they can even hint at what kind of relationship you’re looking for.

It’s critical that your dating profile pictures are stellar. If choosing your profile photos is stressing you out, fret no more. This is your guide to finding and taking the perfect dating app profile pics.

The Purpose of a Profile Picture

Profile pictures are one of the foundations of online dating. They show other users what you look like and what your life entails. Most platforms require profile pictures to ensure user and safety privacy– beyond the obvious benefits of being able to see other users, verified profile pics increase security and user safety.

First Impressions

First impressions happen online and they can be just as impactful as the ones that happen offline. We make and take first impressions every day, but the mechanics behind it are a little more complicated. First impressions are our way of sizing up people when we meet them.

We tend to get attached to our first impressions of people, and it can be challenging to move past a first impression, whether it’s positive or negative. The way you come off before someone can get to know you or your personality matters.

You really do only get one chance to make a first impression, so you better make it a good one.

When you meet someone IRL, first impressions are influenced by the way they look, sound, and move. When you meet them online, looks take control. This makes the role of the profile pic even more central to the overall success of your dating profile.

Trust and Authenticity

One thing that unites casual and serious dating is that everybody wants to know what their date is going to look like. It’s not necessarily all about vanity or physical attractiveness, though. Using personality-filled and high-quality photos proves to other users that you’re a real person.

Maybe sharing your photos on a dating app feels vulnerable. That’s understandable– not everyone feels comfortable putting their photos online. But any kind of dating requires some level of vulnerability, and it’s not like you have to upload your birth certificate and Social Security card to your profile.

Profile photos show other users you’re serious about being on the app and aren’t a fake profile. If you want dates, or even a message, you’re going to want to have profile pictures.

Conversation Starters

Dating profiles are created to give you conversation starters once you match with someone. You can start the convo based on where your match is from, where they went to school, or what they do for work. But let’s be honest– not everybody reads the details so intently.

Stellar profile pics get the conversation started. When you include details about yourself in your pics, you give yourself and other users a great jumping-off point for learning more about each other. Pics can bring up questions like: 

“OMG, I’ve been here before! This is my favorite hike in the area.”

“Are you at Pinball? That’s my favorite bar!”

“That dog is so cute. Please tell me they’re yours.”

Optimizing Your Profile Picture

Since your profile pictures are a first impression, you gotta make them great. Give yourself time to collect and take the best photos of yourself. You can also get friends involved to take pictures and get input on the ones you’ve already chosen.

We don’t always see ourselves the way others see us, so outside input is helpful.

Choose the Right Photo

Having clear and high-quality photos is non-negotiable. Photos shouldn’t be grainy or low resolution. Make sure you use recent photos of yourself that reflect what you look like now. 

Busy backgrounds can be distracting. Try to choose photos that have you as the main focus and don’t have a lot going on behind you or random people in the background.

Your face should be the focal point of the photo. Other photos should include full-body shots, but having a close-up as your first photo is a good move. We gather a lot of information from people’s faces, so putting yours clear and close boosts your chances of finding compatible matches.

Consider the Composition and Framing

Time to get artistic. For awesome profile pics, we can take some advice from the people who create profile-worthy shots every day: professional photographers. Most pros agree that getting the right background, lighting, and framing are the foundations of a great photo.

For head and shoulders shots, you should choose a plain and complimentary background. Choose a simple outfit that you wear frequently, and don’t do any hairstyles, makeup, or accessorizing that you don’t do on a day-to-day basis. 

Use the best quality camera you have access to. As a proud iPhone 6 user, I often enlist my iPhone 14 friends for help with taking photos.

Use bright, indirect natural light if you can. You don’t want direct sunlight on your face, as it’s often too bright and makes it difficult to pose with a natural expression. You also don’t want the photo to be too dark, and avoid using artificial light if you can. Natural light is the best.

Dress Appropriately

Your profile photos should put your best foot forward, but they shouldn’t be too orchestrated. Wear clothes you already have and embrace your personal style. Make sure you look polished and put-together, and don’t go too crazy with accessories.

Your outfit shouldn’t distract from your face. Depending on the platform, you might want to dress up or dress down. On platforms geared toward dating for professionals, like Elite Singles, users may benefit from using professional-style headshots (think the kind you would see on LinkedIn).

But more often than not, finding a balanced middle ground is the way to go. Your photos should look professional, but your appearance should be casual, easygoing, and reflective of everyday wear. 

If you’re anything like me, your day-to-day outfit might be a T-shirt and leggings. Respect. One cute “loungewear” pic is totally acceptable, but put on the slightly fancier version of your everyday wear when it’s time to snap profile pics.

Express Personality

Where you are and what you’re doing in your profile pics is going to send a message to other users. When every one of your photos seems to have a bar as the background, that sends a message. When all of your photos are mirror selfies, that sends a message. 

Your photos shouldn’t just show your face and body. They should tell a little story about who you are and what you enjoy.

Include photos of your favorite people, places, and activities. If you love your parents and have dinner with them every weekend, throw a picture of you and your mom in there. Whatever your hobby is, include a photo of you doing it.

I rock climb, and I love including a photo of me climbing outdoors in my dating profile. I use it to let others know I’m one of those people who enjoys rock climbing– and that I’m stronger than I look. 

Get action shots of yourself enjoying hobbies and activities. If you have pets, make sure to include a photo with them, whether they’re cats, dogs, ferrets, rats, iguanas, or snakes– they’re all great conversation starters. Honestly, the weirder the animal, the better they are as an icebreaker.

Red Flags in Profile Pictures

I’ve been told I’m too picky about what I consider a dating profile pic red flag. If somebody is holding any sort of dead animal with a smile on their face, it’s an immediate left swipe from me. Same thing if you’re posing with a car or a motorcycle. No hate. I just know what I want.

We all get to set our own standards for what makes a flag red on a dating profile, but here are a few things you should stay wary of — and avoid in your own profile.

Overly Edited Photos

Editing is pretty much expected on social media. But your profile pics are a place to be authentic. Don’t be too critical of yourself when it comes to your photos. Choose pictures that embrace your best features and show off your personality. Don’t get caught up in the minutia. 

Heavy filters and extensive editing deprives you and other users of authentic dating experiences. Dates will end with disappointment when people’s photos don’t match their in-person appearance. Over-editing takes a lot of authenticity out of the digital dating process.

Scammers are also known to engage with heavy editing, so doing so, too, could set you up for trouble.

If somebody’s profile pictures look too smooth or “perfect,” the odds are it’s edited. Same if aspects look warped or out of shape. If profile pics don’t seem right, it’s best to just pass on a profile. Focus on finding authentic matches and don’t dedicate too much time to the rest.

Inappropriate Content

Profile pics should be authentic. Don’t let them get too real. 

Some dating platforms let you put nudes on your profile, but, for the most part, it’s a no-go. My advice is to save the more promiscuous pictures for chat or text, especially if you’re geared toward serious dating. You should also seriously consider the data and security implications of storing and sending nudes anywhere on the internet.

Don’t include knives, guns, swords, or any other weapons in your profile. It’s off-putting and can scare away other users. Don’t advertise or self-promote, and always take a look at a platform’s guidelines to see what kind of content is allowed in photos, and what isn’t.

Lack of Authenticity

Yeah, you should put your best foot forward in your profile pics. But you can’t lie your way into being cool. Use your profile pictures as a practice in authenticity and confidence. Embrace who you are and be proud of it. 

Don’t use stock photos, and don’t over-rely on group photos. One or two group photos are OK, but a group photo should never be the first pic on your profile. If a photo is a group photo, it should be overwhelmingly obvious who you are. 

I’ve seen guys on dating apps circle themselves in red in group photos. Crude, but effective.

Don’t cosplay hobbies or lifestyles that aren’t yours. Even little fibs will catch up with you eventually– what you’re already bringing to the table is enough. Being yourself is more important than any other factor in the dating journey.

Technology & Trends

Dating apps are always adding more features to make profiles better. I tend to be on and off the online dating wagon, and I find a new development or update every time I re-download the apps. 

Profiles are getting more robust and personalizable features now, and new additions like video snippets and verification-badged photos give you a chance to show more of your personality and authenticate your identity.

The Rise of Video Profiles

On Hinge, Tinder, Bumble, and more, you can include a short video in your profile. I personally love this feature. 

Knowing how somebody sounds and moves when they talk is essential for me to decide if I’m attracted to them, so I always include a video in my dating profile, and I love it when I see other profiles do it, too.

You can often include a prompt for your video. I’ve seen some great profile videos, including ones where other users recount their most embarrassing stories or show off their whistling skills. It’s a foolproof way to make getting the conversation started simple.

AI-Generated Photos 

AI-generated photos are officially a hazard for online daters. AI is getting really good at creating super real looking photos, but you can still look out for a few tell-tale signs that an image is created or manipulated by AI. 

If a photo almost looks like a hyperrealistic painting– it’s AI. AI tends to have trouble getting hands and backgrounds right. Looking at hands in photos that look suspicious will help you gauge whether it’s AI. If the background of a photo looks choppy or unnatural, the odds are that it’s AI-generated.

Some apps offer AI enhancement for images. Don’t run your profile pics through these apps. They may make them look sketchy to other users and you don’t need an AI filter to find online dating success. 

Photo Verification

Verification proves to other users that you are who you say you are. Having a verified account boosts your matching chances, and some platforms have algorithms that prioritize verified accounts. 

A lot of platforms use verification technology that includes face scanning. Once you’ve completed the verification process, your profile and photos will be marked as verified. This lets other users know what’s up.

Cultural Influences

Your profile pictures can also help you reflect the social causes you care about. During COVID-19, many people began including their vaccination status in their dating app profiles, whether through their photos or a profile badge.

After the summer of 2020, many users wanted to express solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and against racism and police brutality. For most of these users, especially the Black and Brown ones, this position was an influential and important aspect of their identity.

Like anything important to identity, people expressed solidarity on their dating apps. You can still show your support for social justice and BLM on many of the mainstream apps.

Profile Photos Are Your Online Identity

Profile photos are the most important aspect of your dating profile. The other parts are absolutely important, but nothing plays as central and impactful of a role as your photos.

I get it if this feels intimidating. In a world that relies on Body Tune and glorifies the Instagram face, being authentic to an online audience can be frightening. When online dating, being authentic is the only way to be. And it’s going to set you up for better connections.

Take a look at your own dating profile and make sure your photos are the best they can be. Ensure they’re high-quality, tell a story, and show off all the wonderful things that make you, you. Your online dating success relies on it.