North Dunedin Tinder is one of the nine circles of hell. If you manage to escape the aggressive post-hunt photos to the more left-wing side of Tinder, you end up with people describing their star-sign, Myers Briggs, and twenty other tests they’ve taken just to avoid reconciling with their own personality. It’s not looking like a great place to find Prince Charm-ish, but there are a few steps you can take to set yourself apart.
What better way to boost your Tinder game than a few tips from a pro? We got Connor, a photographer who’s shot for Victoria’s Secret to give breathas a few modelling tips, then had them hit the street so we could shoot a new profile.
Vibes
The time of day that you take photos greatly changes the vibes of the photos. If you want an “industrial” look, Connor suggested shooting in the middle of the day. Presumably, this goes for all the surveyors out there who wish they were tradies, but their parents wanted them to get a degree. “If you want a cute moody look, early in the morning is best, and a summery look will come from shooting in the afternoon”, said Connor. However, if you’re trying to pull as much as possible, Connor recommends afternoon shots for their Golden Hour “tropical sunset type of vibes”.
Also, get a good camera to take these photos. Not everyone will have an actual camera but please for the love of everyone stop taking photos on the outdated brick you’re pretending is a Kodak.
Make it interesting
The next piece of advice Connor was willing to spill for free was “make the photo interesting”, which really showcases the depth of talent he provided. He suggested the photo “makes sense of why they’re doing it”. Simply standing in the field doesn’t make sense but “standing in a sports field with a ball does”, for example. The photos shouldn’t be forced, you want them to be candid. “You want it to look like one of the boys took a photo of you and you didn’t notice they were taking a photo,” said Connor. Easier said than done, but maybe if the boys are truly your boys, they’ll help you out with this.
Not one to follow his own advice, Connor then followed Ben to Central Library to photograph him in full ski gear, to showcase his outdoorsmanship. While this shot did not make sense of why he was doing it, it definitely is interesting. “Every single person is sort of interesting in some way,” said Connor, “[like] a cool job or hobby.” If you can get a photo of you in these situations, they can lead into a good topic of conversation that people can reply to and riff off.
Framing the shot
Having the camera remain at eye level is a very neutral, familiar stance. This can make you seem friendly or warm. Once you start shooting from below, up at the person, “they’ve got power and they look bigger than you” said Connor. If you’re shooting from above, “they look smaller than you, so they look weaker”. The vibe of how you’re shooting shouldn’t be from the same exact angle over and over; use it to show the depth of your glistening personality.
We used angles to showcase Ben’s sensitive side. Watering and caring for plants not only shows he can care for potential hookups, but the power pose shot from below demands your attention. The angle here teases a mystery: is this man wearing underwear?
The last rule for framing is the “rule of thirds”. The frame should be split into 9 even boxes, and most smartphones have this option built in. Use it. At the intersection of these lines, put things of interest. “If you have a fish, put it at those intersections” said Connor. Or, counterpoint, put the fish down and pick up the frying pan to show people you like cooking and could wine and dine them.
Polish
After photography, comes editing. “Don’t be afraid to edit the photos as well, to a degree” Connor advised. Evidently, deep frying them is a no, but a bit of colour correction and framing never hurt anyone. You can use apps like Lightroom or VSCO, which Connor recommended as they are easy to use and “much better than nothing at all”.
Bio
The final step to any good Tinder profile is the bio. A bio adds to the profile and once more gives a topic of conversation. Not having a bio at all is “definitely weird”, according to random student Shannon. She was also avidly adverse to people who put their height in their bios, and “recycled internet jokes” which show a lack of creativity. Rather, she recommended you “come across like a normal person”. Don’t be yourself.
Another student, Mel, reckoned “unbridled horniness is generally a turn off”, which was a shock. Moreover, having to correct your age in your bio versus what it says on your profile just shows that “they clearly just got Tinder at 16 and are lying” which is not only a turn-off, but also illegal.
Go forth and take good photos. Care for your boys by taking candid photos of them, and make sure they don’t have their height in their bios. Fish are actually okay, but mostly in an ironic way.