mrquest Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 [COLOR=#000000]I want to have a professional photographer shoot some photos for my profile. I haven't been having much luck getting responses to my messages. It can't hurt. I was thinking of just finding the cheapest photographer around, like Target photo studios, but perhaps experienced photographers know things that enable them to shoot profile photos that are more appealing. Any advice on finding a good photographer for a profile picture?[/COLOR] Link to post Share on other sites
AMJ Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I have an entire thread about profiles looking contrived. As a female, just ask a friend to take a regular looking photo of yourself. I think professional photos are just strange on profiles. Women want to see you looking happy and being natural. I think people overthink photos way too much. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
angel.eyes Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Having a professional photographer take pics of you in a variety of settings can be a great idea. Most photographers have websites. Take a look through the portfolios on their websites. When you set up the shoot, make it clear that these are for online dating. Most will avoid posed spots then if they understand the purpose for the shoot. How is the written portion of your profile? Link to post Share on other sites
kendahke Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 [COLOR=#000000]I want to have a professional photographer shoot some photos for my profile. I haven't been having much luck getting responses to my messages. It can't hurt. I was thinking of just finding the cheapest photographer around, like Target photo studios, but perhaps experienced photographers know things that enable them to shoot profile photos that are more appealing. Any advice on finding a good photographer for a profile picture?[/COLOR] I'd recommend you asking a friend you get along with very well to do it. I would think professional pictures from a photo studio might make people think that you stole the pictures and have a fake profile. Sometimes, studio pictures look cringy and cheesy, whereas a friend who captures the essence of you because you're comfortable in their presence might be a better route. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
angel.eyes Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 If they know it's for online dating, most will take photos outside the studio! Link to post Share on other sites
d0nnivain Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The siting fees for professional photographers can run quite high. It is more money then I would invest to get a date. If you need a good photo for work, that is a different story. You can try the photographers at Wal mart, target etc. Maybe even Glamour shots at the mall. But for a dating site a few candids would probably serve you just as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie4 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I find photographers who do studio portraits, tend to make it too staged, they want your hair a certain way, and sometimes you look at the result and you think "this is not me". I think photographers who do professional photos of company employees, those photos that get posted on the company websites, those are good. These tend to be realistic, yet give a very positive image. Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I think the written part of my profile might be improved. I got advice on it from an online forum, but I wasn't successful in coming up with a lot of ideas to change it. I was thinking of paying someone to help rewrite it. Having a professional photographer take pics of you in a variety of settings can be a great idea. Most photographers have websites. Take a look through the portfolios on their websites. When you set up the shoot, make it clear that these are for online dating. Most will avoid posed spots then if they understand the purpose for the shoot. How is the written portion of your profile? Link to post Share on other sites
Jejangles Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I agree with everyone else, I think it's better to have candid photos on a profile with maximum one studio shot. Get a friend with a good eye to take photos. And remember, whenever you are dressed nicely and feeling good, ask someone to take a photo of you! Try to revise the written part of your profile and remember online dating is a numbers game. You probably need to send approximately ten emails to get one reply. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 The photos I have seem pretty good to me, but lately I've been getting almost no replies to my messages. Maybe it's because I posted a body shot that shows that I'm skinny. I don't know if professional photos will help. I do think people base a lot of whether to reply to a profile based on looks. Maybe a professional photo will look a little better than what I have now. I want to see if anything will help me get better results. The siting fees for professional photographers can run quite high. It is more money then I would invest to get a date. If you need a good photo for work, that is a different story. You can try the photographers at Wal mart, target etc. Maybe even Glamour shots at the mall. But for a dating site a few candids would probably serve you just as well. Link to post Share on other sites
angel.eyes Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Target? Wal-Mart? We aren't talking passport photos by the high schooler staffing the customer service desk. Ditto for mall glamour shots. Those are for people who fantasize about being models. That has nothing to do with OLD shots. There's a large cottage industry of professional photographers who do OLD photos on the side. I have a bunch of friends who've gotten a nice set of shots for $25-30. They'll come to your house, take shots inside, on your property, at a local park, etc. They have an eye for good backgrounds and overall photo composition. The photos look natural and are just so much better than anything a random friend would take. It's like night and day. Analog TV vs. HDTV. For someone who wants to improve the photo portion of their profile, it's a no-brainer. The siting fees for professional photographers can run quite high. It is more money then I would invest to get a date. If you need a good photo for work, that is a different story. You can try the photographers at Wal mart, target etc. Maybe even Glamour shots at the mall. But for a dating site a few candids would probably serve you just as well. Link to post Share on other sites
angel.eyes Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I think the written part of my profile might be improved. I got advice on it from an online forum, but I wasn't successful in coming up with a lot of ideas to change it. I was thinking of paying someone to help rewrite it. Re-write it yourself! You need to match your profile. If someone else does it for you, are you planning to hire the same person to write all your messages and texts? Show up on your date and feed you lines? As soon as the disconnect shows up, you'll lose the person. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 How do you locate those professional photographers who will do it cheap? I think you may be exaggerating about Target and Wal-Mart. They do baby and family photos. I question if they're that bad. Target? Wal-Mart? We aren't talking passport photos by the high schooler staffing the customer service desk. Ditto for mall glamour shots. Those are for people who fantasize about being models. That has nothing to do with OLD shots. There's a large cottage industry of professional photographers who do OLD photos on the side. I have a bunch of friends who've gotten a nice set of shots for $25-30. They'll come to your house, take shots inside, on your property, at a local park, etc. They have an eye for good backgrounds and overall photo composition. The photos look natural and are just so much better than anything a random friend would take. It's like night and day. Analog TV vs. HDTV. For someone who wants to improve the photo portion of their profile, it's a no-brainer. Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I've tried to rewrite it myself. A writer may have helpful suggestions. Re-write it yourself! You need to match your profile. If someone else does it for you, are you planning to hire the same person to write all your messages and texts? Show up on your date and feed you lines? As soon as the disconnect shows up, you'll lose the person. Link to post Share on other sites
thefooloftheyear Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 There's a saying that can be applied to many areas of life.... "It's far better to under promise and over deliver".... Don't put yourself in a position where one photo is the best you will ever look...It's got let down written all over it.... Just put up a good amateur photo and leave it at that... .02 TFY Link to post Share on other sites
LaraC Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 I'm female and I think its a good idea for men. For one, I know they get fewer responses overall. Why not put your best face forward? It also gives the impression that someone who has enough money to hire a photographer is above a certain economic level. Consider hugging a dog in the shots too. Super lovable. Tell the photographer you want fun easygoing shots in natural light. Oh and you are straight male, hire a female photographer. This is a trick from America's Next Top model, to get sexy eyes that can't be faked. Straight people will find it more difficult to do the sexy eyes while staring at a photographer of the same sex. That's why they always have that hot guy, Neil or Ned, can't remember his name, do the girl's close-up photos. Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Since I haven't gotten a date in a year, some kind of change is needed. I'm not trying to get a photo that makes me look like someone I'm not. Maybe a professional can produce something a friend can't. There's a saying that can be applied to many areas of life.... "It's far better to under promise and over deliver".... Don't put yourself in a position where one photo is the best you will ever look...It's got let down written all over it.... Just put up a good amateur photo and leave it at that... .02 TFY Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 At least a few people think it's a good idea. Good suggestion about the photographer. I'm female and I think its a good idea for men. For one, I know they get fewer responses overall. Why not put your best face forward? It also gives the impression that someone who has enough money to hire a photographer is above a certain economic level. Consider hugging a dog in the shots too. Super lovable. Tell the photographer you want fun easygoing shots in natural light. Oh and you are straight male, hire a female photographer. This is a trick from America's Next Top model, to get sexy eyes that can't be faked. Straight people will find it more difficult to do the sexy eyes while staring at a photographer of the same sex. That's why they always have that hot guy, Neil or Ned, can't remember his name, do the girl's close-up photos. Link to post Share on other sites
losangelena Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 How do you locate those professional photographers who will do it cheap? I think you may be exaggerating about Target and Wal-Mart. They do baby and family photos. I question if they're that bad. Don't do a portrait studio. Where do you live? Do a google search for lifestyle photographers in your area. If you live near any major city, you can throw a rock and hit a decent semi-pro photographer. You don't need anything fancy. A lot of people think you'll look contrived, but you won't necessarily. A friend of mine had a headshot business, and she took some photos of me a couple of years ago. It wasn't a stiff, awkward studio session, we went to a local bookshop with a lot of character and took photos there. She took her time helping me to loosen up, and the photos came out great. That being said, I used one of them on my OLD profile, along with candids. So don't overdo it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Thanks. I looked up a couple of lifestyle photographers. They were kind of expensive: $300 or more. Don't do a portrait studio. Where do you live? Do a google search for lifestyle photographers in your area. If you live near any major city, you can throw a rock and hit a decent semi-pro photographer. You don't need anything fancy. A lot of people think you'll look contrived, but you won't necessarily. A friend of mine had a headshot business, and she took some photos of me a couple of years ago. It wasn't a stiff, awkward studio session, we went to a local bookshop with a lot of character and took photos there. She took her time helping me to loosen up, and the photos came out great. That being said, I used one of them on my OLD profile, along with candids. So don't overdo it. Link to post Share on other sites
AMJ Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Well, from what I just learned in my thread, you don't need fancy professional photos. You can save your $300. Take $100, go to the bar, and buy shots for the hottest girls there. Then take some pictures with them, post those on your profile, and women will start wanting you because you look desirable. In all seriousness though, you sound really down. I think there may be another reason, aside from your photos, that you're not having much luck. I think it's a good idea to try different dating sites- sometimes one site is a dud while another one is successful, and maybe ask for advice about how to send emails and what types of women to send messages to... Unless your photos now are completely blurry or generally depressing-looking...sometimes I see photos where the guy just looks miserable. Obviously in those cases, the photos are a problem. Sometimes I come across a profile where there is no picture of the guy, just photos of things. His car, a lake, a dog, a meme...I'm thinking, where's the guy? But you said yourself you think your pictures are okay. What did you write in your profile? Link to post Share on other sites
losangelena Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Thanks. I looked up a couple of lifestyle photographers. They were kind of expensive: $300 or more. Then search for inexpensive ones, or email them and explain your situation, maybe they'll give you a discount. Other ideas: Put an ad on Craigslist offering a trade for photos (if there's a service you can provide), or if there are any colleges with photography programs, it may be easier to find someone who's still learning to do shots on the cheap. I bet those would still not be bad. Link to post Share on other sites
basil67 Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 I'm long out of the dating game, but I'm reading this because I like photos. Now, I assume you've got photos of yourself out and about and doing 'stuff'. So how about just one good Instagram (or other editing app) selfie to add to the list? The thing with selfies is that you can take as many as you want over different times and just stick with the best one. Just a guess. If everyone responds that a selfie is a no-no in online dating, please ignore my suggestion. Link to post Share on other sites
salparadise Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 How do you locate those professional photographers who will do it cheap? I think you may be exaggerating about Target and Wal-Mart. They do baby and family photos. I question if they're that bad. Quit thinking cheap, or at least quit saying it out loud. When I get email or voicemail asking about shooting and it's obvious that they're shopping everyone within a hundred miles, I don't even respond. You can always find cheaper. A talented amateur or wedding photographer who shoots great candids would fit the bill... Don't waste your time/money on a department store kids photographer. They use a formula- every damn shot looks the same, and none of them are worth a crap. Also, you probably won't get any digital files or publishing rights when you buy those prints. Those people aren't photographers, they're camera operators working for minimum wage. No experience necessary. The right person for this job will disguise the professional aspect and deliver candids that make you look good without looking staged. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrquest Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 In my profile I mostly write about my interests: movies, dancing, current events. I have trouble thinking what to write about my personality. I'm somewhat shy, and sometimes worry about things. I don't seem to have the type of personality that many women say they want: confident, positive and outgoing. I think I'm a nice guy, but writing that seems kind of lame to me. I can only think of routine things to say about what I'm looking for, like: I want someone to share my life with. Well, from what I just learned in my thread, you don't need fancy professional photos. You can save your $300. Take $100, go to the bar, and buy shots for the hottest girls there. Then take some pictures with them, post those on your profile, and women will start wanting you because you look desirable. In all seriousness though, you sound really down. I think there may be another reason, aside from your photos, that you're not having much luck. I think it's a good idea to try different dating sites- sometimes one site is a dud while another one is successful, and maybe ask for advice about how to send emails and what types of women to send messages to... Unless your photos now are completely blurry or generally depressing-looking...sometimes I see photos where the guy just looks miserable. Obviously in those cases, the photos are a problem. Sometimes I come across a profile where there is no picture of the guy, just photos of things. His car, a lake, a dog, a meme...I'm thinking, where's the guy? But you said yourself you think your pictures are okay. What did you write in your profile? Link to post Share on other sites
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