Ladies,


While this article seems to be crawling with useful information, let me assure you it is commercially driven. While the author may in fact be a great stylist, theinformation around how to create a great profile photo is lacking.


First off, men don't put as much equity in what you wear for a profile photo as the article suggests. What you wear and how you carry yourself on a date is much more crucial. The first thingmen notice in a profile photo is your hair, then your eyes. Your fashion ensemble should only be styled in a way not to distract from this. So, as the article suggests, no bright colors or hideous patterns...keep it simple. And with the wealth of information regarding cut types for tops, think of how tired you are telling a guy "eyes up here" and consider showing those assets in other images in your profile.


I disagree with early morning or late afternoon time of day. This is for landscape or architectural photography. You do not want to be in direct sunlight whenever the time is, anyway. If you are lit by the sun in early morning or late afternoon, you will be squinting and trying to get a natural smile will be impossible. If your back is to the sun in early morning or late afternoon, and you heed what the article says about no flash, you now have a beautiful silhouette.


I also disagree with going to a park or a beach. You are more likely to be self-conscious about trying to get a good photo while other people are lurking. And if you are holding flowers in your profile photo, that puts up a red-flag that you are overly desperate to marry, and the men will run. While you may think a nice background is important, it is far more important that the background doesn't distract and that you stand out from it. Brunettes should not be in front of dark shaded foliage backgrounds. Blondes shouldn't be dressed to the nines in their drop-dead gorgeous little black dress that flatters your chest on the beach. That is unnatural.


Now that we have all that cleared up, it's time to have some fun! Grab your best friend or even 3 or 4 of you. Make it a relaxing, unpressured photo day, and just have fun. You can all give each other advice on best angles and help each other with hair and make-up while rocking out to your favorite tunes and bashing us men that have no clue (we know you do it). Keep in mind the advice of keeping it simple. Don't forget to bring your supplies with you for touch-ups when you venture out.


As far as location goes, you can get a great shot on your front porch. Seriously, it doesn't matter where you go, the only thing that matters is the light and that the background isn't distracting. Don't be lit by the sun or have patches of sunlight hitting your face through trees. Use indirect light, and keep an eye out for soft light caused by the sunlight bouncing off the side of a building or rocks. Shade is good, and you can use the camera's flash to add that special pop and add that catch light that makes your eyes sparkle. And, no you won't have red-eye when using your flash as fill-light outside. If you turn your camera vertical (which you should be doing for most of these shots anyway), just make sure your flash is above the lens. You will also want to be sure that the red-eye reduction feature is disabled. By the time thecamera takes the photo on the second flash, that fleeting glow of a natural smile has long gone and left the building.


The important thing is that you fill the frame and stand out from the background. Just about every camera nowadays has a "portrait" mode usually indicated bythe icon of a head. This mode adjusts the camera to attempt to blur the background. Also, it is very important that you zoom in all the way on a camera that has 3-5x zoom lens and about half way on cameras with more powerful zooms (disable the "digital zoom" feature on your camera). You should be standing about 7-10' away and have a perfect waste level shot. This will greatly reduce background clutter.


Remember, it's all about your eyes. You should be looking right through that lens. Refrain from the natural tendency to take one photo, then stop everything to review it, make a change and take another. Instead, have fun, mix it up a bit, take several photos, then review. See what works or what you almost liked and go back for more. If you are not having fun, you're not doing it right!


BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH MY HANDS??? While you're out there shooting and having fun, this is what will cause the most stress resulting in less-than-natural looks. What you DON'T want to do is just stand there and cross your arms. Also avoid resting your face in your hands, as this often results in unflattering, scrunched faces. What you do with your hands depends on what you're wearing, what you are doing, and where you are doing it. If you're leaning against a wall, light post, or tree (watch for ants, btw), you can simply put them behind you or in your pockets. Avoid stiff, straight arms. You can crouch down a bit and place your arms naturally on your lap. This will cause you to lean toward the camera a little, and be more inviting to the viewer. Again, cropping tightly is the key.


Now that you've taken all these great shots, thereare a couplemore things you ladies should know. Under no circumstances should you have a photo with a date imprinted on it, even if it's recent. If you paid a photographer, they should not have their watermark on the image. Don't be photographed with a drink in your hand. No matter how much you can't live without fluffy, pets don't belong in profile images. Don't have several shots of you in the same outfit at the same place. Also, don't have several images where your facial expression is identical even though you are in a different place with a different outfit. A lot of women find a pose or expression they like best, and work it to death in every shot. This is bad...very bad.


Good luck, have fun, and I hope you find that special someone!


Jim