Profile perfect
By Karen Ann Monsy | January 7, 2011
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Orkut — all over the place1, aren’t you? Now find out how a single snap can say it all.
Researchers suggesting people pay more attention to the kind of pictures, specifically profile shots, they post on their Facebook/ Twitter accounts are on the rise.
According to freelance photographer Tiffany Schultz, “People don’t think much about their profile pictures — but they should because social networking sites are becoming such a huge part of our lives today. Included in Tiffany’s list of absolute no-nos are the self-shot kinds (you know the ones: images taken with a mobile camera — and part of the person’s arm extending upwards into the frame) as well as the badly cropped ones (complete with some poor anonymous chappie’s2 arm flung around your shoulder).
According to research, the photographs we share online are one of the most important methods of building relationships on social networks. In fact, they create a more powerful connection than even the words we pick to describe ourselves.
Facebook and Twitter are generally seen as personal networking sites but profile pictures on LinkedIn and other corporate networking sites are equally important. “Potential employers may not be able to access your entire profile, but they can definitely see your profile picture,” Tiffany cautioned. The question is: what exactly do you want them to see?
Dr Asi Sharabi, social psychologist for Cosmopolitan, feels a person’s expression in his/her profile picture is a
dead giveaway about his/her current status. A pouting pose, for example, would project a provocative, sensual
symbol that indicates someone seeking intimacy or a partner; one of yourself on a carefree holiday indicates a
possible tendency for escapist fantasies or over-stressing in daily life; on the other hand, a shot of yourself looking away from the camera would indicate a headstrong and confident approach to life.
Here are a few tips from Tiffany for how best to create that memorable profile shot:
- Avoid the stiff smile! Go for the ‘after laugh’smile instead — it always works best.
- Magic hours for outdoor photography: early morning or in the evening just before, during or after sunset.
- Make the most of your assets. For example: Don’t cover freckles, says Tiffany. “They’re awesome. They’re you. So make the most of them.”
- Photographers always ask you
to [put your] ‘chin down’ — it makes one look more flattering
that
way
. Even
slightly
raised
eyebrows
work
too.- Avoid wearing sunglasses for a photo; they’re like stuffing your hands in your pockets — you come across as having something to hide.
- Go for B&W shots if you’re looking for classic and flattering.
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Glossário
Asset = dote físico, qualidade.
Flattering = atrativo, cativante.
Headstrong = determinado(a).
Huge = enorme.
Shot = fotografia.
Snap = fotografia.
To caution = alertar.
To crop = recortar.
