The Plunge into Internet Dating: The Photograph

I recently found myself single after a two-year relationship. All of my friends are in relationships, so there is no real wingmen to go pulling with. Entry fees to nightclubs is expensive and meeting for drinks with someone I might not get along with is not cheap either. Fortunately we are in the 21^st century. There is a new phenomenon called internet dating sweeping the love world.

My first obstacle was to find a dating website that fits my needs. Firstly, I do not want to pay for the service if there are free, viable alternatives. Second, I want a service with a variety of local singles. I will save you the details of my search; I ultimately decided on Plenty of Fish. It is free, easy to use, and has lots of people in the London area. That matches all of my essential criteria.

The Photo

This article will focus on the most important part of online dating: the photograph. A simple Google search will show many opinions on just how important the photo is. Primarily, though, it boils down to one thing: humans (not just men) are visual.

Browsing through a list of profiles online is no different than eyeing over a crowd in a bar or club. You see their face, form an initial impression, and then go from there. Some people will write others off purely on looks; some will be intrigued; some will disregard that initial impression and look for what is underneath. It is a fact that holds true in both settings. However, unlike in the bar or club, you can play up the photo quite a bit using a number of easy tips.

Lighting

Lights can make a huge difference in photographs. You do not need a professional photographer or his kit to get good lighting. My best tip would be to take the photo using natural, outdoor lighting. The morning sun is particularly good for a bright, 'I am full of life' photograph.

Camera

Please, oh please, do not use a cell phone camera or a web cam to take the pictures. Their quality will not do justice to you. Most people have digital cameras these days; those that do not likely know someone who does.

Smile

One of the biggest indicators of interest in flirting is a smile. Not many people can pull off the brooding look. Even less people think they have a good smile. Do not be fooled! Most of us dislike our smiles. That is no reason to keep an impartial expression. Show those pearly whites. It will attract others to you.

These are only the very basics. Starting with those three things will put you way ahead of a lot of the competition though.

http://www.plentyoffish.com/