Best Tinder photos for guys: what to shoot and what to skip

What the best Tinder photos for guys have in common

Whoever is looking at your profile is asking two quick questions: what does he really look like, and does he seem like someone I'd enjoy meeting? Good Tinder photos answer both. Most of what makes that work is in your control: grooming, fit, light, posture and the moments you choose to share.

The best dating photos for guys, on Tinder or anywhere else, share a few traits. Your face is easy to see in the first one, you look cared for rather than styled, the light is soft, and at least one photo shows what you actually do with your time.

Before you shoot: haircut, grooming and clothes that fit

Small fixes before the shoot do more than any filter afterwards. Plan your photos for a day when you look your best, not the evening you suddenly decide to redo your profile.

• Get a haircut a few days before. It looks fresh but settled, without the harsh just-cut lines.
• Trim your beard and clean up the neckline and cheeks, or shave fully. Stubble works when it looks chosen, not forgotten.
• Wash your face, use a light moisturizer and blot shine off your forehead and nose before each shot. On camera, shine reads as sweat.
• Wear clothes that fit at the shoulders, with sleeves that end at your wrist. Solid colors and simple textures beat big logos and busy prints. Iron the shirt.
• Check the details: clean glasses, no lint on dark clothes, tidy nails if your hands are in the frame.

Tinder photo tips for guys: posture, angle and light

Posture changes how a photo feels before anyone looks at your face. Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed, weight on one leg, and turn your body slightly away from the camera while your face turns back to it. Push your forehead a little forward and tip your chin down to define your jawline. Give your hands a job: hold a coffee, hook a thumb in a pocket, lean on a railing.

For light, face the source: a big window, open shade outside or the hour before sunset. Avoid overhead bulbs, direct midday sun and dim bars. Have a friend shoot at your eye level from a few steps away, using the 2x lens if your phone has one, since a wide lens up close makes the nose look bigger. Take dozens of frames: the natural ones tend to happen between poses.

Profile pics for guys that show a real interest

One photo of you doing something you love tells people more than a bio line about loving adventure, and it gives them an easy opener. Pick something you actually do, not something you think looks impressive, and keep your face visible rather than hidden behind a helmet or a camera.

Good options: cooking for friends, playing an instrument, climbing, a pickup game, fixing a bike, hiking with your dog. Mid-action shots with a natural expression beat posed ones. If your interest is a quiet one, like reading or chess, a photo at your favorite café with a book or a board works too.

Overused Tinder pics guys should skip

None of these photo types are banned. They are just so common that they blur together, and several hide what people want to see. If one of them is a favorite, keep at most one and never lead with it.

• The gym mirror selfie: the phone covers your face, and the setting says little about your life. A photo of you playing a sport says more.
• The car selfie: low angle, flat light and a seatbelt across your chest. Almost everyone has one, so it won't set you apart.
• Holding a fish: it became a meme for a reason. If fishing is your thing, a photo out on the water with your face clearly visible tells the same story.
• Shirtless shots: many people read them as showing off, and they pull attention away from your face. One natural beach photo later in the set is fine.
• Sunglasses in every photo: people want to see your eyes at least once, ideally in the first photo.
• Group shots where she can't tell which one is you. If she has to compare photos to figure it out, she will probably just move on.

Photo order: lead with your strongest shot

Order matters because many people decide on the first photo, and fewer reach the fourth. This order works for most guys, and you can swap slots once you know which photos score best.

• First: a clear, well-lit photo of your face, chest up, with no one else in it.
• Second: a full-body shot that shows your style and how you carry yourself.
• Third: your interest or hobby, with your face visible.
• Fourth: a social photo where you are easy to pick out.
• Last: another face shot in a different setting, so people get a second look at you.

Test your Tinder pictures with real women on RATE

You can't judge your own photos well, and your friends won't be blunt about them. On RATE, real people rate your photos from 1 to 10, anonymously and without comments. Give each candidate photo its own post: that way you get one score per photo instead of one for the whole set.

Your score counts the people you choose to match with. If that's women, you see how women rate each photo, not how your buddies do. You can also see which age groups rate you highest, which helps if you mostly date people around a certain age. Move the top scorer to the first slot, and keep in mind that a score is people's opinion of one photo, not a verdict on you.