Interestingly, research has shown that photos with a vertical orientation are more pleasing to the eye on dating sites. Skip those landscape photos or at least crop them to a aspect ratio, the preferred size and opt for portrait-style photos instead. That same bit of research also found your choice of background can change your message rate on dating apps. Men in outdoor settings get contacted more often, while women have a higher contact rate with indoor photos. This might sound strange, but hey, humans will be humans.
What's most important though is taking a photo with a background that highlights your interests and passions. If you love to hike, snap a photo of you on your favorite trail. If lounging in your hammock is more your style, have someone capture you in your most relaxed recline.
And if you enjoy dressing up in furry animal costumes, well, um, yeah. Whatever background you end up choosing, make sure the setting is pleasing to the eye. Actually, just skip the mirror selfies. Make a bold statement right away on your dating app profile by choosing a pose that conveys confidence, also known as an expansive posture. What does this mean exactly? Photos with outstretched limbs, like doing a cartwheel or raising your arms wide, scored as more attractive — for men especially.
This gives you a calm glow, eliminates the vampire-caught-in-headlights look, and helps your unique beauty shine through. For an even better photo, try to take a snap during the Golden Hour. This is generally right after sunrise or right before sunset.
Lean into the glow and you'll be set. Feel free to keep glaring at people who tell you to "smile more" in real life. Plus, smiling is contagious. Your smile automatically makes other people feel good , which is a great place to start when you're hoping to make a connection. Generally, the best smile to use is one that shows some teeth, so skip that sly, closed-mouth smirk.
