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POSTING OLD PICTURES
“Old” as in pictures dating as far back as the Reagan administration, back when you proudly sported a Members Only jacket, could still fit into a size 6 or owned just one chin. The problem has gotten so bad that LookBetterOnline.com, a popular online dating portrait service, can now certify its pictures to ensure portraits were recently taken.
ME AND MY PROP
Both sexes, several dating experts said, are equal offenders when it comes to bad pictures, except when it comes to car props — it’s usually guys who pose in front of their muscle cars or luxury sedans, often with their hands folded or leaning their bodies against the passenger side or sitting in front like a hood ornament.
Then there is the infamous “Dynasty” shot — the bachelor holding a tennis racket, with a sweater tied around his neck while posing in front of a sports car.
CROPPING OUT YOUR EX
The disembodied forearm holding your hand. A split head leaning against your forehead. Or someone’s lips puckering your cheek. Worst are the cropped-out wedding pictures.
BAD AND OUT-OF-FOCUS PORTRAITS
We are talking blurry headshots or portraits that look like something from “The Blair Witch Project,” where the frightened victim beamed a flashlight on her own face.
Some use webcams for self-portraits with the shadows and bad lighting distorting their close-ups.
TIPS FOR A NICE PHOTO
Singles spend hours writing their online profiles and trying to come up with a witty headline or first sentence. But the reality is that most online daters narrow their field of prospects by looking at the picture first.
With so much pressure, you might need a little help. Celebrity stylist and star of “America’s Next Top Model” Jay Manuel gives his take on how singles should approach their photo shoot:
•Dress in a solid color.
•Use good lighting.
•Use a variety of secondary shots to reveal your personality.
•Use a clean or uncluttered background.
•Relax in front of the camera.
•Keep it real.
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