On Hinge you need profile pictures that don’t just catch people’s eye, they catch their imagination.

That puts some more pressure on your Hinge photoshoot. What are they going to say to your selfies? “Nice mirror”?

No, you’re going to have to take great Hinge pictures, packed with talking points and vibrant backgrounds. And most likely, you’re going to have to do it alone.

Because what does your Mom know about a good Hinge pic? And nobody wants to interrupt a night out with the boys for an impromptu photoshoot.

So let’s find out how to take good Hinge pictures by yourself.

How Do I Take A Good Profile Picture Alone?

Taking Hinge pics isn’t the number one priority for those on a survival game show, but we’re talking a different kind of alone here. Like, you’re just at home or grabbing a coffee by yourself…

Less extreme? Or is it? This is a matter of swipe and death.

So you need to know: how do I take a good profile picture alone? Forget the mirror selfie and use a tripod to place your phone at waist height. Take pictures with the rear-facing camera, angled slightly upwards. Shoot videos and export screenshots later to try multiple poses.

Most guys feel super awkward posing in front of the camera by themselves, but it gets easier with practice. Posing doesn’t have to mean pouting at the lens: try walking toward the camera or taking your watch on and off to get some natural poses.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have DIY professional photos at the touch of the shutter button.

7 Ways To Take Great Photos On Hinge By Yourself

For the average guy, a solo photoshoot is about as appealing as a trip to the dentist. And both can lead to uncomfortable smiles.

But you don’t need to break out your Blue Steel to get great photos of yourself for Hinge. Once you learn a few tricks, you’ll be ready to take a solo snap whenever you can.

So instead of your photos feeling forced and uncomfortable, they’ll be natural, appealing, and super interesting to your Hinge potential matches.

So here are my hacks for taking great photos on Hinge, by yourself.

1. Use A Tripod

Take your pictures with a tripod for Hinge profile pics that show off your best angle alongside a notable background. While a tripod might seem like a heavy-duty piece of pro photographer kit, they’re actually cheap and packable.

Chuck out your selfie stick. Tripods help you get perfectly framed shots that look exactly like they were taken by another person. No friends needed.

2. Lean Your Phone On Something

If you’re caught short without your tripod, you can prop your phone up on a water bottle or shoe to take a solo shot. Don’t put your phone on the ground: place it at waist height on a table or wall, with the phone leaning slightly away from the subject. This centers you in the frame and makes you appear larger and taller, compared to your surroundings.

3. No Selfies: Use The Rear-Facing Camera

The selfie camera on the front of your phone is typically lower quality and has a wider lens than your rear-facing camera. If you’re zooming and cropping, that leads to grainy pics and the lens size can distort your pictures.

Always shoot with the rear-facing camera for the best Hinge profile pics. 

4. Use Live Photos For Multiple Shots

Getting a good photo is like, blink and you’ll miss it. With a typical photo capturing just 1/60th of a second, there’s a lot of pressure on that moment. But Apple’s Live Photos function records 1.5 seconds on either side of when you hit the shutter. This means it captures subtle changes in expression, allowing you to choose the best shot.

Here’s how to turn on Live Photos on your iPhone:

1. Open up the camera app.
2. Tap the three concentric circles at the top of the screen. 
3. When Live Photos is on, the circles turn yellow.
4. Tap the shutter button to take a photo with Live Photos.
5. To review the photo and frames, open the photo and then touch and hold the screen to play the Live Photo.

And this one isn’t just for the Apple fanboys and girls: there are plenty of Android versions out there too.

5. Shoot In 4K Video And Export Frames

Having a few frames to choose from helps you present your best self on Hinge. But instead of two or three frames, 4K video gives you 30, for every second you’re filming.

There’s a slight compromise in quality, but our smartphone cameras are capable of shooting impressive video. You can try several poses in one take, wait for passersby to move on, and get bonus angles as you walk back toward the camera.

When it comes time to select your frame, don’t screenshot. Use your phone’s video editing software to export your chosen shot.

6. Ask A Stranger

This one’s old school, but it has some unexpected modern upsides. Asking other tourists, security guards, or the barista of the cozy coffee shop to take your picture is a quick way to get the shot you want.

If you’re cringing at the idea of posing in front of strangers, this is a great opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. You’ll build valuable social skills that might even come in handy on a first date.

If you’re going this route, remember to give your chosen photographer some guidance. Indicate how you want the photo framed and how you’ll be posing.

7. Always Look Your Best

Hinge is all about getting others to interact with your pictures and prompts, and you never know when you’ll stumble onto some crazy street art, a vintage motorcycle rally, or an alien abduction in progress.

So every time you leave the house, make sure you’re looking presentable: that means clean, pressed clothes and groomed hair.

If you’re traveling and you might find multiple photo spots in a day, keep a spare hoodie in your backpack for an impromptu outfit change. This can make it seem like photos were taken on different days, providing more variety for a killer Hinge profile.

There you have it: high-quality images without the hassle. Great dating profile photos help you find hookups, long-term relationships, or the modeling career you deserve. Say cheese!

How Do You Take Timed Pictures Of Yourself?

The self-timer can be your best friend and your worst enemy. It saves you from the dreaded selfie, but sprinting into the shot hardly helps you look cool, calm, and collected.

So how do you take timed pictures of yourself? Find golden, even lighting, and plan your background and poses before taking a picture. Place the camera at waist height and angle it upwards for the best shot.

I personally find the self-timer limiting compared to what you can do shooting 4K video and exporting the frames.

But whatever you’re choosing, you’ll get great, natural shots once you understand how your background and lighting turn average pictures into instant conversation starters. 

How To Choose The Best Dating App Photos

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane. Enter: your camera roll.

Beach pics from your last holiday. 300 photos of your best friend’s dog. The selfie you took with that guy that looked like Sylvester Stallone on a night out.

How are you going to choose your Hinge pics? I’ve got a hint: you’re not. You need to take artfully crafted and deliberately posed photos to maximize your matches.

That’s why it’s so important to learn to take photos alone. The best dating app photos don’t just appear after a night out – photos taken in the wild blur of a good time don’t show you in your best light.

But knowing how to take a good dating profile picture by yourself is only half the battle.

So let’s take a look at the essential Hinge profile picture tips.

10 Hinge Profile Picture Tips

Better photos mean more likes on Hinge, which in turn leads to higher-quality users in your swipe feed. Here are 10 proven-to-work profile picture hacks for Hinge.

1. Have A Perfect First Photo

In the fast-moving world of dating apps, you need to make a strong first impression. Successful Hinge profiles have a first photo that makes users want to see more. Make your main profile picture a clear shot of your face, and save your quirky conversation starters for later.

2. Be The Focal Point Of Your Pictures

This isn’t social media. Hinge users want to see who they’re dealing with, so make sure that you command the frame in every picture. Whether it’s a headshot or a full-body shot, make sure the first thing that catches their eye in your pictures is you.

3. Make Your Backgrounds Act As Conversation Starters

Photos should focus on you, but if nothing is going on in the background of your photos other dating app users won’t have much to discuss. Remember that with Hinge, users are encouraged to like and comment on a particular photo, so give them something to say. If you can get photobombed by a great white shark, then she’ll bite.

4. Good Lighting Is Your Best Friend

A quick way to ruin a good photo opportunity is with bad lighting. Natural light looks better, especially at the golden hours around sunrise and sunset. If you’re taking pictures at home or indoors, look for warm lighting from lamps rather than white overhead lights.

5. Learn To Crop And Edit

In the absence of good lighting, fake it till you make it: every smartphone lets you edit your photos, and a few tweaks to contrast, warmth and structure can transform your pictures.

Crop pictures to help the viewer focus on you first, and watch out when you upload to Hinge that the automatic crop hasn’t wreaked havoc on your photo.

6. Use Different Types Of Photos

Once you’ve got that perfect first photo, try to show off your lifestyle. The best photos to use on Hinge are sports photos (which make you 45% more likely to get a like), a mix of full-body pictures and headshots, and indoor and outdoor pictures.

7. Smile Wide

Hinge’s data suggests that smiling without teeth gets more matches for guys. Either way, find your genuine smile because a fake smile turns your potential matches off. If you find smiling for the camera doesn’t come naturally, try looking at the ground and working on a smile before glancing up at the camera.

8. Restrict Group Photos

One comment you don’t want on your Hinge pictures is “so which one are you?”. If she’s guessing who you are she’s going to nope out, so limit group shots. One picture of you and your best friend is fine, as long as she can clearly tell you apart.

9. Make Eye Contact

Eye contact makes an instant connection, so look into the camera for the majority of your photos. This rules out your sunglasses pictures which, I hate to break it to you, aren’t as cool as you think. 

10.  Include Candid Shots

Candid shots make you look relaxed and easygoing, pretty appealing features for your potential matches. Use open body language and natural poses, like laughing, walking, or rolling up your sleeves as a great way to make those “posed” photos appear like you were caught in a moment.

The dating app experts at Hinge released some eye-opening statistics about which photos were winners, and which were losers. A few photo tweaks can lead to loads more matches.

Do Selfies Work On Hinge?

I know how it goes. You’re setting up a Hinge profile out of boredom, and you don’t want to get off the couch, let alone leave the house and take some photos. Maybe you can hit the bathroom mirror.

So do selfies work on Hinge? Nope and the statistics speak for themselves: selfies are 40% less likely to be liked and bathroom selfies are 90% less likely to be liked. Selfies are low-effort and distort your face, plus your bathroom is a terrible background. Don’t put selfies on your dating app profile.

You can take the perfect picture at home by using the rear-facing camera and a self-timer. Use an activity like cooking to spice up your at-home pictures. Don’t fall for the selfie faux pas.

Wrapping Up

Any dating app hinges on your profile pictures, but for your Hinge pics to hit home, you need to get a few things right. Because people like and comment on specific Hinge prompts and pictures, you have to get your potential matches talking.

You don’t need a professional photographer to do that. You can take great Hinge pictures alone with a bit of know-how and forward planning. More matches, more potential dates.

For a one-way ticket to better matches and dating app success, check out my (completely free) 6-Step Tinder Tune-Up. It’s the ultimate profile upgrade guide to Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, and beyond.