Are You Ready for a Photo Makeover?

With 50 million singles scanning online profiles, you need to put your best face online. Your profile photo is a great way to make a great first impression and attract responses that can turn into dates. Increase your odds of finding summer love that lasts with eye-catching photos using these photo makeover tips.

Take Lots of Photos

Dating is a numbers game and so is getting a great photo, so take lots of film or digital shots. Go wild on these bright spring days so you come home with a few amazing shots. As a corporate photographer, I was trained to take 100 photos to get five good ones. OK, you probably don't need to take 100 photos, but start will a roll of 24 exposures to get a few good shots. And if you're not using a digital camera, when you have your film developed, make sure to get a copy of your photos on a CD so it's easy to upload them to your profile.

If you prefer to leave it to the pros, there are many photographers out there who can take your profile photos.

No matter who takes the photos, follow these five fun photo tips to attract more dates online this summer:

Five quick, easy photo makeover tips

1. Focus on you - Especially for your primary photo, you'll need a photo that's you and only you. Yahoo! Personals and other sites crop primary photos to make a full-frame view of a person's face. If you start with a close-up, the cropped primary photo will be clear and sharp. Singles want to see you first (versus your dog, family, softball team, etc.), so this photo should be all about you. Smile and be happy -- show that you're fun to date.

2. Be casual and cool - You want to post a casual shot that show's how you look when you're ready to go on a date. Avoid the formal, corporate-type shots where you might look too serious. I coached a guy to remove his coat and tie photo and replace it with a photo he liked from a family birthday party. With this casual, fun photo, he received 35 emails the next day from women.

3. Wear your colors -Pick out colors that are good for your skin tone. You're naturally drawn to your colors, so you probably already know what makes you look good. If you want some additional advice, hire a style consultant or a professional photographer who can coach you on what colors to pick.

4. Watch the lighting -Lighting can greatly impact the quality of a photo, so take your pictures in different settings so you have options. I coached a guy who was just started Internet dating. He told me, "Wow, I got so many emails, but I can't see the faces of many women in their photos. I wish that I could see them." For the best results, try taking shots inside with a red-eye reduction flash, and then outside when the sun is setting.

5. Choose backgrounds carefully - The background in a photo can make a huge difference. Try different backgrounds and make sure nothing is sticking out of your head by accident. When a woman recently asked me for photo advice, I immediately saw that her blonde hair was blended into a tan wallpaper background. I recommended that she have professional photos taken, and wow, what a difference it made with her online dating results.

Summer is the best time of year for a photo makeover online. Start clicking the camera offline now and then click online with the right dates.

And how many photos should you include with your profile? Based on the experience of Yahoo! Personals members, if you use all five available to you, you'll get more replies to your profile.

Happy Hunting!

Want more photo tips? Put your best face forward with these seven tips for getting a great online photo.

Liz H. Kelly is a dating coach and author of "SMART Man Hunting: The Fast Track Dating Guide for Finding Mr. Right (or Ms. Right)." Her proactive dating strategy has been featured on such shows as FOX News, BBC Radio, Dick Clark’s “The Other Half” and Lifetime’s “Speaking of Women’s Health.” Her dating tips have also appeared in Cosmopolitan, Glamour, USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. Look for Liz online at smartmanhunting.com.

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