We get one chance to make a first impression.
LatinConexiones believes that the first impression is so important that we should have several chances to present ourselves and the most important step to demonstrate who we are is through photos. The following are suggestions from our site and various relationship experts to help your photos be most effective. Probably, our most important suggestion is to post as many photos as your membership allows.
General tips
Please keep in mind that this is a community-oriented dating site so your friendship circles will expand and you may discover others who have the same hobbies or interests that you have. The intent of the photos is to allow you to present yourself beyond your physical appearance. Your photos will share great communication about who you are and what your life is like. To that special someone that you seek you have a good opportunity to begin your communication with some great talking points.
Most people on our site are not seeking knock-out gorgeous partners. Most members on this site are looking for compatibility, similarities and matching chemistry as they are the primary foundations of long-term relationships. Great relationships are the goal of this site.
Be genuine. There are so many characteristics and qualities that are communicated through photos. Many viewers will unconsciously detect certain qualities and although they may not be able to specifically describe why they will have positive reactions to what they see they will “feel” their reactions. Genuine expressions, both natural and candid, where you appear comfortable will represent you well.
The photos must be current. One of the greatest complaints about online dating sites is that the photos were old and did not truly depict the person as he, or she, is today. Deception is not how to start a relationship and will eventually be discovered and that will end a relationship before it has an opportunity to get started. The photos should accurately reflect who you are. You want them to be flattering but not overly so but be courageous enough so you do not under-represent yourself.
Please remember that there exists a distinction between what potential partners say they want and what they really want. Their reaction to photos reveals what they really want so follow these general rules and guidelines and trust that potential partners are listening to their inner senses.
There are also very interesting distinctions in the rules and guidelines between what is favorable or unfavorable between men and women when it comes to “selfies”. Generally, selfies by women are far more readily acceptable by men. On the other hand, selfies by men are construed differently. Women read more into selfies by men and may perceive some concerns no matter how the males appear in the photo.
Use a quality camera and post the highest quality photos you can.
Tips
Red-eye – The best way to avoid red-eye is to focus on something just beyond the camera so the flash doesn’t produce dilation.
Lighting. There are many opinions regarding natural lighting from the great outdoors and manufactured lighting inside. Here again, there are some gender differences. Generally, women react favorably to photos of men outside. They like the idea of ruggedness while men like photos of women inside showing their softer side. There are many photo ops on this site so there is room for flexibility. If it is an indoor shot utilize the natural light from a nearby window but be sure it shines well on the subject. An indoor photo without natural light appears softer if that is what you wish to show. Outdoor natural light at its brightest can reveal shadows so wait until the sun is lower in the sky.
What to wear? Everyone has color combinations that flatter or enhance the color of the skin, eyes and hair. So pick those colors and avoid clothing with big patterns. You will want to look like you are put together whether it is a formal setting or walking on the beach in jeans and a tee. Remember that horizontal lines accentuate body width and vertical lines accentuate body height and a slimmer appearance
Primary or Cover photo
This is the one photo that continues to appear on the Home page, in searches, interest pages, message pages and is the photo that everyone will see over and over again. You must be in this photo. Please put good thought into the important qualities you wish to present and allow viewers to see the best example of you. Please trust that snapshots over professional service photos serve a better overall purpose.
A headshot is suggested for the primary photo. Show the entire face. Let that be the only headshot unless there is an interest in demonstrating different hairstyles or other changes. If there is some setting that you believe conveys an important quality about you be certain that the head (from the shoulders up) dominates the photo. Smile! Usually, every person looks so much more beautiful with a smile on their face. It shows happiness in the heart. Do not use a selfie for the primary photo.
Select makeup and accents that are as close to natural as possible. Wear your favorite color. Have the camera positioned at the same level as the face. No sunglasses, friends or pets and be mindful of what is in the photo or background so nothing distracts from looking at your face.
Second Photo
Include a full-body photo as your second photo. Remove the mystery as immediately as possible so the viewer doesn’t have to do any guesswork. Remember, if the first impression is made complex in any regard the viewer will move on before reading the rest of your profile.
If there is a desire to appear slimmer do not face the camera directly. Stand with the body facing slightly to the right or left of the camera angle and leave the feet in place while turning only the top portion of the body toward the camera
Supporting photos
Supporting photos are an opportunity to show the rest of who you are. Show your passionate interests, your hobbies, your leisure preferences, what you do with your friends, family and the many different facets to your life. The standard LatinConexiones membership permits five photos and we strongly suggest to post all five to enhance your first impression. Additionally, studies have shown that if more photos are added the viewer is more likely to review your complete profile.
You will want to accurately depict who you are and remember using current photos is the best policy. Most people are not one-dimensional personalities. Show who you are by using different settings or doing something you love to do. Demonstrate your confidence about who you are. Do not show similar photos to others you have already posted. This area of photos does not necessarily need to have you in every photo. If you have captured something with your camera that has touched your heart or your soul then share it. Ultimately your new partner wants to know what lives inside you. What you are doing in the photos affects how the whole of you is perceived.
The things to avoid
There are some no-nos with photos based on extensive research. Extreme close up photos get very little interest from matches. If matches cannot get a good look at you they will move on
Sunglasses are a big no. Most people want to see the eyes as to many they are the windows to the heart. When there is a smile on the face the eyes light up to show general happiness and you want the viewer to see how your eyes look when you are happy. Sunglasses often hide other parts of the face and facial expressions are also revealing about what lives inside of us. Leave the baseball cap in your locker. Remember you are trying to depict the natural you.
Save the flesh or sexy shots. There are far more negative reactions associated with too much skin or too sexy than there are positive reactions. It’s not worth the risk. Please remember that LatinConexiones is a world-wide field of potential partners and there are many varied reactions to the opposite sex displaying a lot of skin. Why not take the safe route and save the flesh shots for your new relationship
Don’t take your own photos in the mirror. Research has shown that this is generally a turn-off. Recruit a friend and even better choose a friend of the opposite sex who will help identify your more appealing physical characteristics
Do not use a photo that has been cropped to eliminate someone else who was originally in the photo. It is perceived as being tacky and mean-spirited.
Drinking an alcoholic beverage. This is not an indictment against drinking alcohol but it is such a stand-by photo and it most probably does not reflect what you do with most of your time.
Things to include
There are some general tips that should be followed. The left side of the face is received with a more pleasant reaction because we present more emotion with the left side of the face. It is a great way to show emotion in a still photo.
Show the entire body. Studies have shown that women are drawn to the body just as men are. The condition of the body helps to reveal a person’s self-respect and that is important to men and women
Smile – there are experts who say that a smile is less effective for men and more effective for women. But the one indisputable fact remains and that is a smile indicates happiness. For the women a smile can be much more flirtatious and for the men the smile should be sincere and warm.
Men
It is good to display pride but not good to display cockiness. Women are most attracted to men displaying pride and less attracted to men displaying cockiness. While displaying happiness is good displaying pride helps the men to look more masculine.
Show one or two photos with friends looking happy and natural. Such a photo demonstrates an ability to build healthy relationships and also that others enjoy spending time with you. Avoid the photos of beer bashes; there are no good reactions to them. If you show yourself in a group be sure that it easy to find you in the group.
Do not try to look perfect. Showing the many sides of who you are and how normal a guy you are is more realistic than trying to show perfection.
Photos with family are especially appealing to women as there is the possible assumption that you are close to your family. The importance of family in a man’s life reveals vital information. It indicates potential as a good father and a great dad. It also shows the potential for being a good partner and the ability to fit into the family of the new partner.
A photo with your pet? Sure. Women have a good perception of men who are kind to animals. It reveals another side to the man that enables the imagination of women.
Photos of men outside get more attention than photos of men inside. Include a good mix of both in the supporting photos area.
Women
Women should display happiness. Men are most attracted to women displaying happiness and less attracted to women displaying pride. It also helps as the relationship grows for the men to be able to see if his new partner is truly happy.
Photos with dogs or cats? Save the photos with the pets until later in the photostream. Men do not react the same as women to photos with pets so do not use for the primary or second as it may indicate very little room for the new partner.
Kisses and pouts. These are turn-offs for men. Men do not want photos of these. They want the kisses to be real and the pouts to be gone.
Use current photos! This is one of the critical areas of online matching. Men who are experienced with online sites report that about one-third of the photos they viewed ultimately turned out to be old photos. Old photos are a form of lying and that will stop a relationship before it ever gets a chance to grow.
Indoor photos grab more attention of men than outdoor photos. The soft lighting from indoors helps to give a softness to the woman and being indoors helps to make the photo a little more intimate and even a little sexy.
Sexy?
Now that we brought it up let’s talk about sexy. But first, let’s get on the same page and agree if we are talking about sexy or sex appeal. There is a very big range of interpretations between the two and you need to decide what it is that you are trying to present.
Yes, sexy can be showing a lot of skin, provocative poses, clothing that pushes-up, pulls-in or sticks-out, barely covers, or is see-through. If that is your natural persona then, by all means, present yourself. Just be mindful of the segment of the potential partners that you are trying to attract and be certain that your presentation reaches that segment. It is important that your potential matches know what to expect.
Projecting sex appeal is centered around a completely different set of qualities that include being happy, looking nice, or, professional, being completely comfortable in various surroundings, having a sense of awareness, poise, body language, and great photographs. To many people, intelligence has sex appeal.
There is a natural attraction process that brings two people together and often that inner process knows more about us than our thinking process. Present who you are and you will know what to expect.
