I’ve often wondered if it’s beneficial to submit a “best” photo on profiles or maybe better to submit something that isn’t representative of you, at your best.

I have some past experience with online dating sites. One problem I found…if you submit a “best photo, some of those who contact you get drawn into the fantasy realm right off. They see a photo and the fantasy begins. They no longer see you as human, with human flaws. Not even the most beautiful creature can look as well as they do in a photo every moment of every day. Once the fantasy begins, I have to wonder if it also lays the ground work for disappointment. The other person gets stuck in the fantasy of the photo and can’t imagine you looking any different.

On the flip side, if an everyday photo is on your profile and you aren’t at your best, yet appealing, would there be a pleasant surprise once you meet in person? The drawback to experimenting with this…you might not get as many responses as you would with the better photo.

Personally, I take the whole package into consideration, but I also live in reality. I look at the photos. I read what they have to say in their profile, their interests and how they interact with me. I also take into consideration that some people aren’t very photogenic and look better in person and everyone is human with human flaws. I don’t get stuck in a fantasy and I wonder about those who do. Maybe they live their entire life in a fantasy and wouldn’t be a good match anyway.

Kathy wrote this on April 10th, 2008 and filed it under Internet Dating |