VIDA’s Guide To

Selecting Your
Candid Photos
Welcome to the first step in the VIDA process -
sending in your photos!

Having great photos is essential to setting up your

accounts and getting you out on some great dates
with high quality people. It’s important that we are
thorough and start the process of analyzing your
photos as quickly as possible.

But we’ve found a lot of clients aren’t sure which photos to send us, so we made this
guide to help you choose your strongest options.

In a nutshell, we need a variety of photos where you look your best and are engaged
in interesting activities that showcase your lifestyle. Photos of you “in your element”
doing things you’re passionate about are ideal.

For example, if you enjoy outdoor activities, include photos of you on a hike or at the
beach, like these:

Notice in the two examples above the subject’s face is clearly visible. That’s
important - any photo that you send us should have an unobstructed view of your
face. This is a requirement for most dating sites and apps. Photos like these, while
interesting, would not work for your profile:

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved
Here are 5 quick tips that will help you select your most attractive photos:

#1: Choose photos taken in natural light.

Natural light is universally flattering, so photos taken outdoors tend to look more
appealing than those taken under harsh fluorescent lighting.

And they’re not just more visually appealing! A photo depicting you out in nature
reflects an active lifestyle, whereas a photo taken inside your house implies a more
sedentary life.

*While these are real profiles, they are ​not​ VIDA clients.

#2: Only submit good quality photos.

Blurry, out of focus photos aren’t attractive, and they’ll leave the
person looking at them with the impression that this is the best
you have to offer. That’s obviously not an ideal statement to
make on a dating site or app.

It goes without saying that any photo you submit should have
you in it, and you should be the focal point if it’s a group photo.

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved
 #3: Select some photos where you’re interacting with your
environment.

This is the proverbial “action” shot, and it’s a great way to add some
energy to your photo lineup.

Whether you’re skiing, biking, or playing with your dog, unposed

photos are attention grabbing and a great way to showcase your
hobbies.

#4: Submit a wide variety of photos

The strongest online dating photo lineups have a variety of shots, with a mix of action
vs. static, headshot vs. full body, etc. The more we have to choose from, the more
dynamic your final selection will be.

Here are some “categories” to include in the photos you send in:

Headshots
You need at least one clear, unobstructed picture of your face,
preferably from mid-chest up. Your most attractive headshot will
generally serve as the primary photo, so it’s important to nail this
one. That means no sunglasses, no hair in your face, etc.

But steer clear of the ultra-close up. ​Studies​ have shown that you
appear less trustworthy if the camera is too close to your face, and
you definitely don’t want your online dating photos to give off that
impression.
Action Shots
As mentioned above, action shots add vitality to your lineup, and
give people a glimpse of what a multidimensional person you
are. So include photos that showcase your hobbies, passions,
and interests.

Just take care not to look too posed in a photo. “Staged” action
shots work against you, because people start to wonder why
you had to fake photo for a dating site. So make sure whatever
you’re doing in the photo looks natural and authentic.

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved
 Animals
Research​ has shown that posing with a pet makes you appear
more attracted, relaxed, approachable and happy. And it works
even if it’s not your pet​. So if you don’t have a dog or cat of your
own, you probably have a friend that does, right?

Life Of The Party

Since these are photos for dating sites and apps, you want to
show that people like to spend time with you. Pictures taken with
your friends and family also show that personal relationships are
important to you, and they foster a sense of trust.

That being said, there are some caveats to using social activities
and group shots:
● You want to be the center of attention in the photo.
● Be the most attractive person in the photo. Standing next to
someone slightly less attractive than you will actually make
you ​look better by comparison​.
● Include a mix of genders. Being the only guy or the only
woman in a photo can give the wrong impression.
● Avoid pics that show you drinking. ​Research​ shows
drinking alcoholic beverages in a photo makes people think
you’re less intelligent.

Travel Photos
Travel photos can do a great job of expressing your individuality
and sense of adventure. They’ll help to illustrate the amazing
experiences you have in your life that a future date will be sharing
with you.

Just try to stay away from less-than-unique travel destinations

like the Eiffel Tower, Machu Picchu, and anywhere you can pose
with a tiger. These are so overused they’ve become cliché.

“Dress Up” Shots

You want to include a few photos where you’re rocking a nice
outfit, especially if you’re 30+. People in the market for a serious
relationship typically want to know you can clean up nice for an office function or
cocktail party.

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved
#5 Sub-Communicate The Right Things

When people look at online dating photos, they automatically form

a first impression based on every aspect of they see, including
your posture, your expression, the clothes you’re wearing, and
even what’s visible in the background.

This process, called “​thin slicing​,” happens within seconds. To

ensure a good first impression, your photos need to convey all the
reasons you’re such a great catch. This is called “​signalling​,” and
it can make or break your online dating photos.

It’s basically the art of show, don’t tell. For instance, a hiking
photo communicates that you’re physically fit and adventurous. A travel photo
illustrates that you have the financial means to go on trips. You want to build a sense
of intrigue with your photos, and tell a story that leaves people wanting to know you
better.

Using Social Media Photos

If you have any social media accounts that VIDA can access we will make the
selections from them. Examples would be Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc... Our
use of these sites is strictly limited to choosing solid photo options.

Sending the link to your Facebook profile to VIDA’s Photo Coordinator

(vida.photos@virtualdatingassistants.com) is the easiest way for us to find you. We
will then send you a friend request from our fake FB account named Sarah Marshall.

To get the unique URL for your personal Facebook profile:

1. Log into Facebook, then click on your name in the upper right part of the
screen.
2. Look in the address bar in your browser. Copy your Facebook Profile URL and
paste it into the email to your Matchmaker.

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved
When you send us a social media link, especially
one to your FB or IG account, please specify if there
are any folders we should focus on, or a date range
we should look at.

We will only choose photos that are relatively recent

and accurately portray how you look right now.

Please limit the number of photos you submit via

Dropbox, iCloud, or email to ​no more than 100​.

Sending in your photos as soon as possible ensures

that we have plenty of time to evaluate them, and it gives you ample time to schedule
a pro photo shoot if we believe you would benefit from including pro shots in your
lineup.

Additional Questions?

Hopefully this short guide will help you select your strongest candid photos. If you
have any additional questions, please let us know! We’re here to help you every step
of the way.

www.VIDAselect.com
© Copyright, 2019. VIDA LLC. All Rights Reserved