Online Dating Profile: The Rooftop Picture Updated: For Simplicity
Build that Profile From Scratch!
Whether you have been swiping for too many hours, buying boosts, or just frustrated in your dating life, this multi-part blog series is just for you. It’s designed to literally make an awesome profile, with a guide on how to take an excellent and best picture possible for you along with exactly what type of picture to take and why to take it.
Picture number one the Rooftop Picture:
Do you need to go to a rooftop for this picture? Nah! This is a profile, a profile means it is a message through pictures and prompts you are conveying to a girl you seem interesting, even attractive, and maybe a competent person. This makes her want to swipe right or double tap. It is merely a very, early engagement in interest/attraction. The way we do that is with pictures that make us truly look at our best, and stand-out a little bit from the rest of the profiles.
Since this is a profile we are trying to convey something in this picture What are we conveying? Hey I’m a person, I like to go out and do fun things, even a little bit fancy sometimes. I like nice things, like a rooftop bar, getting dressed up, and even having a fancy cocktail, some fun appetizers and a glass of champagne.
Why the Rooftop Picture?
Guys this is not a picture to show off your wallet, or checking account, girls don’t care about that, they care about who you are as a man. This picture shows people, places, and things. “Hey this place looks cool (place), here I am (a person), and I have a glass of champagne or a cocktail (things).
Guys let me keep it real, I’m very open about the mistake by going for a quick fix in the online dating world, and a quick fix is never the solution when it comes personal growth and development, even in the world of dating. In the land of the quick fix, this picture was called a, “Status,” picture. When the picture was first brought to my attention it truly only served one purpose, to fit into a cookie cutter profile, to give an illusion you hangout at high end, luxury rooftop bars and live in Chelsea.
So how can you keep it real, that you may not hangout in Chelsea and luxury rooftop bars, and still at the same time take this picture. Maybe it’s, “Hey I want to have an awesome profile, so I’m going to go out and take this picture,” at a nice rooftop bar. Maybe it’s I feel like going to a nice place out in my neighborhood.
Tip: Taking the picture in a place by you, and matching with a girl by you, gives the girl has something in common with you which makes her more likely to swipe right, and even better she has something to comment on. Hey if you want to be a-little fancy and go to a high end rooftop bar, go for it, especially a famous one.
It will also give the girl a reason or something to comment on if she recognizes it, or a reason to swipe right since she has it in common with you, just don’t go to a high end luxury rooftop bar in Manhattan if it truly isn’t you.
Some Quick Recommendations for places.
Some quick recommendations I have are the Rockaway Hotel in Queens, it’s a well known hotel, popular and not the city (look if you’re like me, you don’t want to go to the city). 230 Fifth in Manhattan also comes to mind since that is another famous and popular one people go to (but you’ll have to drag yourself to Manhattan.
To keep it simple, by taking that pic at a famous or well known hotel, or hall, or even better one by you, you are putting out a possible reason for the girl to be likely to even swipe right and maybe even comment on, especially if you want to date girls in your area!
Speaking of your area…huge bonus points, and even recommended if you did this picture, at a popular hall, rooftop, or slightly upscale place by you (a simple google map search should do the trick). Why? You want to match with girls in your area, so it is even more likely for girls to comment or swipe right, something in common (ding ding)!
Also, more importantly, you’re area/neighborhood is You’re Area!! Guys I don’t live in Chelsea or have any desire to go to Chelsea, is taking this picture a good idea, absolutely, should it be done in the most congruent way possible to you? Yes! How? Places in your area, places you like to go, or a wedding/party! And if you’re lucky like me that wedding had an awesome background at the catering hall, Thanks Tommy!!
Background Matters
In my rooftop picture, the background is dark, and with bright colors, but not too bright and not distracting. In the other rooftop pictures, I included below, the background is dark, plain with just some light blue, be careful picking your background, it should be dark/at night, with a little brightness, but nothing too much going on, avoiding a distracting background with many colors. Basically, use your judgement.
Notice the background, black couch, and dark outside, that’s it.
Clothes and Authenticity Matter:
Be yourself, and be your authentic self taking this picture. Wear some nice clothes: A suit jacket, white shirt, and black dress pants are highly recommended. A neutral color I’m sure will be fine, just please note I recommend black suit, black dress pants, white shirt. Also dress normally, not like Cam Newton.
Also guys make sure the clothes are ironed or at least steamed in the shower (if you're like me, you're choosing option two, bonus points for option one).
Notice, how relaxed and fun I look, it really helped I’m at my friend’s wedding having a great time!
Have Fun and Be Yourself
Make sure you’re having fun, confident, smile and just enjoying life and your best self. Look if you need to have a shot or two just to loosen up in the picture do it, but don’t get plastered for the picture.
Have a look that says I’m loving my life right now. Think about how you’d look and feel if you were just enjoying the moment, then make sure to think of it as that picture being taken.
Camera Tip: Take the Picture with the phone held at a low angle
It’s a tip I learned from going through this experience. It sounds stupid but it does makes a difference in picture quality, and even attraction, as it just creates a better angle and look for the picture. Guys I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you’d like you can always try both out, regular and at a low angle, camera facing slightly up.
Use Photofeeler.com, as feedback, not a tool for the perfect picture.
Take about ten pictures for each place you go to that night. Have fun with it, go to two or three places in a night or over the course of two to three weeks. Pick from the three best pictures from each place and upload them to photofeeler.com.
Some of you guys may be familiar with photofeeler.com, but if not I’ll mention quick it’s a website that gives immediate feedback on how attractive you are in each picture, as real people (girls if you are a heterosexual male)
Why Photofeeler and a quick how?
Please just note you need to buy credits for the immediate results! Otherwise you will be voting on other people's pictures for days at a time, just so you can get a few votes on yours. Using photofeeler, gives you immediate feedback. Also use it as a feedback a way to see what worked, what didn’t and to compare.
Don’t obsess over it, trying to get a perfect score, or go down a rabbit-hole you don’t need to, stick to the basics, take the picture, get the feedback.
Notice how the basics background, clothes, champagne all come together, also…No Edits!
Use Fiverr (If you’d like)
Next this is highly recommended but I want to make it clear it is optional. Take your best picture on photofeeler (highest rated) or maybe even two or three, and send it in to an editor on Fiverr to touch up that picture. A good editor on Fiverr will make your score after the edit on photofeeler go up an additional point in attractiveness.
For those of you guys who are new and never heard of this stuff, I know it sounds ridiculous but it works. Also just as important, do not go crazy with the edits, a simple touch up on your face on Fiverr will go along way with that additional point, which in the world of online dating is big. I know in my quick fix days, incase you couldn’t tell my edits were ridiculous.
For Fiverr I used the user Eliza P, she did an awesome job with my edits, and no she does not cut a cut, commission, or anything from me or vice versa, I’m simply telling you who I used, and she did a good job, and just so you have someone to reference. (I will include the edit she did in a future blog).
Focus on the Fundamentals
Guys the best part is, you might not even need Fiverr, check out that Photofeeler score on my Rooftop Picture. It’s a 9.0! I’m no Brad Pitt. Just good clothes, nice smile, good grooming, nice background, a good angle and a good venue really made the difference!
Look at that Gangsta Joseph! 9.0 on photofeeler!
