If you have started the New Year with a desire to find new love them maybe you have decided to give on line dating a try? If you have glanced through some of the on line dating sites then you will know by now that there’re an awful lot of people out there so you have probably decided to do what most of us do & look at the photos first! In this article we discuss how to interpret those on line dating photos & maybe give you some hints about what you should consider about you own one too!

What no picture? If a profile does not have a picture then it could mean that the person is just shy but in reality this is not that likely as virtually everyone knows that you significantly increase your chances of success if you add a photo to your dating profile. If it is a guy then chances are that he does not want to be recognised, this could be because he’s embarrassed :oops: but it could also be because he’s married, so it is worth being a little wary. If it is a girl then she could also be married but it is also quite likely that she does not like the way she looks. Right. Women tend to be much more self conscious than men so bear this in mind, howeverif her description says she’s great looking then that is a contradiction too far in my opinion.

Out of focus / fuzzy shots; there really is no excuse for this! Either they’re too lazy to get a decent picture taken, which in these days of digital cameras is hardly difficult, or they almost certainly have something to hide. Either way, lazy or secretive, they’re probably not worth the effort unless you check them out very carefully.

Photos with people cut out; this is a sure sign that there was a partner in the shot. It is highly likely that the partner is now an ex as only a fool would take a picture of themselves with their partner, cut them out & put it on a dating site! However – as above, this is incredibly lazy & may be something you want to check out further.

Group shot photos; can you tell which one is the person in the profile? This isn’t only lazy; it is inconsiderate to the mates in the photo who may not want their picture on a dating site. As a secondary photo a group shot can be ok, especially if it ties up with an interest in their written profile, but not as the main photo.

Bare chests or glamour type shots; this person is only interested in one thing & it is probably themselves unless you’re on an adult dating site!

Inconsistent images; if there is more than one photo & the person looks different in each of them then beware; they’re probably not that up to date. Hair doesn’t grow & change into five different styles over a few months. Sure she could have had her hair cut recently but either she liked it, in which case all her photos would be of the new hair style, or she hates it, in which case they will all be of the old one.

Body Language; an open posture & a smiling face are the most attractive features any of us have & they will jump out in a crowd of dating profile photos. If some one has their arms crossed or are scowling then they’re probably nervous, uncomfortable or cross.

What is in the background? You can occasionally read a lot into someone’s lifestyle & age from the background of the shot or the clothes they wear. Do not take these too literally as some people are pretty clued up about profile photos & may have spent hours selecting the perfect clothes & backdrop, but then that in itself tells you that either they care.

By far the best dating profiles include the following photos; one clear head & shoulders shot where they’re smiling, or at least look happy :) & relaxed. One full length shot & maybe one action or interest orientated shot (this is me on holiday in Venice for example will tell you a lot about the person).

Finally, remember to read the profile in light of the picture & vice versa. If some one says they look awful in pictures then they probably do & will be even better in real life. If they clearly state their age but the photo looks younger then it’s probably recent & they look good for their age! If they state their age & the look ten years older then they either are lying or really do look bad. And do remember to check out the clothes, you can often judge someone’s age roughly by the clothes they wear ? take a look at your friends & work colleagues & you will probably be easily able to see what I mean!

Cheryl Ashbrook is a marketing expert & author for the on line dating advice website http://www.MaxMyProfile.co.uk. Visit us if you would like help with your dating photo or get help writing your dating profile using the completely unique step by step online dating profile building tool, MaxMyProfile.