In the world of social networks there is nothing more important than your cool profile pics. It’s the first thing everyone sees. Therefore, having a good photo will help you make a positive first impression.
But what does it take to have a great profile picture? Thousands of things! What you wear, how you smile, what kind of background do you have; everything goes hand in hand to make you look your best. We offer the latest tools and tricks to help you take, edit, and post your best profile picture. In this way, you will be a boom in your favorite social networks.
Table of Contents
Tips to create the best profile picture
Taking your profile picture
The best profile photos start with your taking. Here we share tips and tricks to achieve it:
- Use a neutral or simple background. On a white background, fair skin can appear faded, and colorful backgrounds can create an unfavorable skin tone.
- Use natural and soft light, avoid intense flashes. This will make you look your best and will hide the shadows in the image.
- Show off your most natural smile. Don’t be afraid to show your pearly white teeth.
- Avoid selfies that show your arm holding the camera. If possible, use a timer or have someone take your photo.
- Experiment with angles. Many say that taking photos from above works best, but we all have our best profile. Try different angles and positions to find yours.
Profile photos for professional sites
Profile photos on professional sites like LinkedIn should look… well, professional. Here are some ideas on how to achieve a look that says, “I’m the best employee you’ve ever had”:
- Wear appropriate clothing for your profession. But, if you feel like dressing more formal, feel free to do so. Going further in a full suit could give the impression of being capable and competent.
- Smile but don’t overdo it. Make yourself available and attentive without looking like you’re laughing out loud.
- Smile with your eyes. Yes, you read that right. Everyone talks about squinting, which is precisely what happens to your eyes when you smile. According to psychological studies, eyes wide open denote fear, while those that squint denote competition.
- Avoid wearing hats, glasses, or other accessories. Not only do they make you look very casual, they also tend to darken your eyes, which are the most important part of a cool portrait.
- Stick to the traditional passport-style photo. Enlarged or cropped photos may be forced and, on the other hand, full-length photos do not show up well within the confines of a small profile photo.
- Avoid using effects or filters. However, if you want to use a simple black and white effect like we did in the image above, feel free. Traditional black and white adds a fine touch to your professional portrait.
Profile photos for dating portals
There are many studies on what it takes to achieve a perfect profile photo, especially when it comes to dating portals. Here’s what science – and good common sense – says:
- Women do best when they smile showing their teeth, while men can settle for a closed-lip smile. Some research shows that photos of men without smiling and looking away from the camera are quite popular.
- Sports photos are a huge hit with both genders. As are honest photos, outside, and photos of people walking through the city.
- Everyone should steer clear of selfies, particularly terrible “bathroom selfies.”
- While black and white photos are not common on dating sites, they are quite popular.
- Do not use photos of yourself that show that you cut someone out.
- A study advises showing your left profile because it expresses more emotions.
- Most studies show that including other people in your photos is not a good idea. Nonetheless, men do look good with animals in their photos.
- Another study mentions that you should not look directly at the camera, while another says that you should look at it directly. And yet another one suggests that you should not only look at it directly but also flirt with it. In conclusion? Take these studies with caution and be sure to apply your own judgment.
- In the profile photo above, we used a Light Retouch to fade a few wrinkles and reduce the reddish appearance on the man’s complexion.
Profile photos for social networks
When it comes to your profile picture on Facebook and other social networks, you have more freedom since you are not necessarily looking to find a job, a new client, a date, or a life partner. That said, if you use these sites for your business, career, or love life, following these instructions is a good idea.
If you want to try out some fun effects for your profile picture, this is the place to do it. For this photo, we used the Quiet effect. While it does not change the overall appearance of the woman, this effect gives a dazzling, fun, and ethereal glow.
Use Retouch on your profile picture
If there’s one thing all types of profile photos can benefit from, it’s a dose of Retouch. The key is to use the right amount. You don’t want to transform so much to the point of being unrecognizable. On the contrary, it simply intensifies your appearance.
For the profile photo above, we used Wrinkle Remover to smooth the skin under the eyes, Tooth Whitener to brighten that smile, and Lip Color to add a little pink to the lips. Finally, we adjust the overall brightness to remove excess shadows.
cool profile pics ideas: Amazing Tips for perfect profile pictures
The profile picture says more about a person than many are aware: which section was chosen? Which clothes? How does the person present himself? Is she smiling – or is she trying to present herself with a thinking pose? “We cannot communicate,” recognized Paul Watzlawick. And so our profile picture talks and tells a lot on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Does it consciously or unconsciously conveys sympathy, trust, competence or not to the viewer. It would therefore be negligent not to use this effect or to leave it to chance. So that your profile picture achieves the best effects, we explain what your perfect profile picture should look like and what you should pay attention to …
Profile picture Attraction
Pictures have their own language. What can be seen in the picture does not have to be so important – the sub-message of a profile picture can also reveal a lot to the viewer – for example:
- Which section do you choose?
- Does the photo show you all or only a small section? Maybe just your chocolate side too? Some viewers could (of course not have to) get the impression that you have something to hide.
- At what angle does the profile picture show you?
- A straight front view always looks a bit static, but also stable. With an oblique escape, the dynamism increases, but also the playfulness. Ascending (line from bottom left to top right) is always better than descending. Too much of it though – and you look pretty confused.
- Is the photo taken yourself, by a friend or a professional?
- Sure, we’re talking about social media here and not an application photo, as selfies and friends’ snapshots can also be used. Nevertheless, such an image speaks: The “selfie” says a lot about one’s own and desired image; the professional photo, on the other hand, speaks a lot about willingness to invest in one’s image.
- Are you going to take the profile picture in a group or alone?
- Usually, the individual portraits predominate. That makes sense with a profile picture. But some also show up with your partner or friends – which in turn subtly says a lot about the importance of this relationship and relationships in general.
How to take the perfect photo
As you can see: a picture is actually worth a thousand words. But what does the perfect profile picture look like? The operators of the photo evaluation tool PhotoFeeler recently looked at this question. The tool offers the possibility to have your own profile photo rated and to rate the profile pictures of others yourself. A bit like: “Am I sexy or not?” The operators finally evaluated the data from 800 profile photos and around 60,000 reviews and derived characteristics for the perfect profile photo from this. Result: Optimal profile pictures follow a few simple but effective rules – these …
Select the correct image section
A profile photo that was taken too close makes you unappealing. A picture that shows you as a whole, however, also has a negative effect on the perceived competence. It is best to choose a section of the picture that is upside down and a little off the shoulders.
Smile while showing your teeth
Smiling people come across as sympathetic straight away. A natural smile, in which you have opened your mouth slightly and showing your teeth, also makes you appear more competent. If you laugh heartily on your profile photo, this increases your liking, but at the same time decreases the perceived competence.
Squint your eyes slightly
Wide open eyes can quickly appear frightened. Slightly squinted eyes immediately give a more self-confident impression on profile pictures. In particular, you should lift the lower eyelids slightly.
Turn your head to the side on the profile picture.
With an oblique posture, the jaw and chin are emphasized and more clearly visible. Make sure that this area is underlined with a minimal shadow.
Wear formal clothing.
The survey confirms the saying “clothes make the man”. As a man, if you wear a dark jacket over a light shirt, the viewer will consider you more competent and influential. The same goes for women in business suits. Or you choose a section on which this cannot be seen.
Do not choose your profile picture yourself.
Many treat their own profile picture like a sanctuary: It is guarded, presented with pride and defended against criticism of all kinds. Let someone else choose the photo? Definitely no! This is absolutely out of the question for most of them. Error! If you believe the results of an American study, we don’t have a good eye for how we look in our photos.
In the studies, different profile pictures were compared in the categories of attractiveness, trustworthiness, competence, dominance and self-confidence. However, half of the images were selected by the test persons themselves, while the other half were decided by outsiders. The result was clear: if the images were chosen themselves, the profiles were less well received – and that in all areas.
So the way we see ourselves often does not match what others perceive. If we find ourselves particularly attractive, trustworthy or competently portrayed, this does not necessarily have to apply to others. Self-image and external image – they are sometimes colossal. So if you want to look better in your social media profiles and shine with your profile picture, you should better ask a friend, partner or colleague which picture he or she should upload.
Great profile picture influence when looking for a job
Most should now differentiate – between business networks such as LinkedIn or Xing on the one hand and private social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. The profile pictures are selected accordingly: Here the serious photo in a suit or costume, there more the leisure look with pictures from the beach or from vacation. It’s not wrong. However, you shouldn’t choose the profile pictures on Whatsapp, Facebook or Instagram very carelessly. Personnel decision-makers are increasingly looking for applicant profiles on these channels – or doing a so-called “cross check” to compare how you present yourself there.
When researchers at the University of Ghent examined whether and how Facebook profile pictures affect job searches, they found that the influence is greater than expected. The first impression on the supposedly private channels can be decisive. After all, the profile picture remains there – despite the privacy settings – always visible. Although these are private profiles, the profile pictures can have a positive as well as a negative influence on the application chances.
Women in particular should choose their profile picture carefully. This is suggested, for example, by a study by Oregon State University. According to this, women who post too sexy or too revealing photos on their social media profiles are classified as less competent (sometimes even as “stupid”). Other studies also show: Emphasizing physical signals harms women when applying and at work: although attractiveness arouses sympathy. But if the sexual stimuli dominate, then they outshine the impression of competence.
The perfect application photo
Even if the application photo does not have to have anything to do with the profile picture – quite a few invite and upload the same picture in business networks. Sometimes also on Facebook & Co. If you intend to do this.
If you are currently applying – then please pay attention to a few basic rules for the perfect application image:
- Always ensure good lighting when taking pictures. It is essential to avoid backlight, direct emitters (make cast shadows) and annoying reflections.
- Make sure you have a subtle background that matches you and your clothes in terms of color. A restless background is distracting.
- Avoid all clothing with motifs or words. Such decorations only disturb and do not look professional in this context.
- Post-processing is allowed – in moderation (!). A little more light and contrast here and there is perfectly fine. But don’t let pounds or wrinkles go away.
- Use only a recent application photo. Pictures that look different than you do today are taboo.
- And very important: Application photos are usually taken in portrait format – profile pictures are, however, square in most social networks. Make sure you choose an optimal section, not just the center of the picture. Sometimes it can even be more attractive to only select part of the original image. The prerequisite for this is of course that the original photo is large enough.
