Dating Profile Photo Tips For Over 70s

A profile with a good photo gets far more attention than one without, and you do not need to look like a film star to get it right. All it takes is you, some decent light and a willing grandchild with a phone. Here are five simple tips.

1. Smile Please!

A genuine smile does more for your photo than any filter ever will. Think of something that makes you laugh, perhaps the Boks lifting the World Cup, or your brother in law trying to light the braai in the rain, and let it show. A warm smile tells people you are friendly, easy to talk to and well worth a message.

2. Find Some Good Light

We are blessed with sunshine, so use it. Stand outside or next to a window in the soft morning or late afternoon light, and avoid the harsh midday sun that has everybody squinting like they have lost their reading glasses. Soft light is kind to every laugh line. Then add a photo of you doing what you love: tending the vegetable patch, out on the bowling green, fishing off the pier or standing proudly next to your famous potjie.

3. Frame It Well

Dating sites often crop pictures to fit, so keep your face near the middle with a little space around it, or you may lose the top of your head along with your best side. Hold the camera at eye level, check that the picture is sharp, and use a head and shoulders shot as your main photo.

4. Just You, Please

That photo from the family reunion may be a favourite, but with twenty cousins in the frame nobody will know which one is you. Use a picture where you are on your own. Kindly leave out photos with a late spouse or former partner in them too, even cropped, as a stray arm round your shoulder can raise more questions than you want in a first message.

5. Keep It Current

Use photos taken in the last year or so. The one from your fortieth birthday may be lovely, but your date will be expecting that person to walk into the Wimpy. A recent photo means no awkward surprises for anyone. A professional photographer is a nice treat but not essential, a modern phone does the job beautifully. Ask a son, daughter or grandchild to take a few snaps outdoors and choose the best two or three.

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