Online dating may not be the only way to meet a mate, but it certainly has become an essential part of the matrix. And since men are visual, women looking to catch the attention of the fellas need to make sure their profiles are perfect–the absolute perfect reflection of you.  The goal is to  get the guy to hover over your picture and profile long enough to allow the opportunity for him to get to know you on the inside. You know you’ve doing something right when you get a message from a tall and handsome man who writes, “I can’t stop looking at your picture.”

Tricks of the Trade for the Perfect Online Photo

There’s no need to hire a professional photographer to take your photo. The beauty of a digital camera is that you can snap an infinite number of shots, so at least one of them is bound to be a good one! You might ask then, what makes for a good photo? Believe it or not there’s a scientific formula. The human eye is trained to favor symmetry–from an evolutionary perspective, a more symmetrical face reflects a good, strong gene pool. The bad news? Only .001% of the human population has a perfectly symmetrical face. The good news? You can fake it. A tilt of the head, a slight turn away from the camera, and ta-daa! Another trick: fill in your eyebrows, starting at the edge of each side of the bridge of your nose. Then create an arch from the tip of each nostril, and then go in a downward direction. (See illustration)

And here’s a last little clever tactic–create bedroom eyes. You know, that look of love you get when your pupils are dilated? Studies show that men and women who have dilated pupils are viewed as more attractive, because it stirs warm, emotive feelings in the person who is on the receiving end. But you need not be in love to get bedroom eyes. Try this: shut your eyes for a few seconds and then open them and take a picture. This is action automatically dilates your pupils and gives you those loving eyes the guys long for.

There’s also a positive evolutionary response to smooth, clear skin, so be sure to apply your make up accordingly.

What are you wearing?

Style doesn’t matter as much as color, according to some studies, that indicate women who wear red stir a man’s excitement and quickens his breathing. It also doesn’t hurt to show a little cleavage, but remember to keep is tasteful. For example, take a look at this photo–which picture shows a more physically attractive woman?

Yeah…exactly.

Finally, be sure to have poses of your face and body. Remember, men are visual and while the animal in them really wants to see you naked, their imagination can fill in the blanks if he sees you at the beach playing volleyball, wearing shorts while hiking, or a cocktail dress while you’re out with your girlfriends. But note, no pictures with other guys…men are territorial even before they meet you. Try not to blame them to much; it’s a primal response.

Profile Summary

While you might voraciously read every detail in a man’s summary, men put less stock in it. In fact, too much information could lead to a guy trying to figure out how to discount you from consideration. Saying things like, “I’m looking for my soulmate,” or “I want an on-fire, God-fearing, Bible-thumping Christian!!” might be a bit too much front end information. Keep is simple. Keep it mysterious. I once knew a woman who posted two words under her profile, “Surprise me,” and was deluged with men interested in do just that.

(Content originally posted on Interracial Dating Central) Take a look at the comments over yonder….I continue to be mystified by the defensiveness some black women display when you make harmless suggestions about self-improvement. Why are there so many black chicks on the IR dating sites spoiling for a fight?