With Easter just around the corner, many families will be gathering. If you’re dating someone you met online, holidays and special family events frequently raise the question: When is it time to take your date home to meet the family?

Taking your special someone home to meet the family doesn’t have the same impact today that it had a couple of generations ago. As unbelievable as it may seem in today’s enlightened times, in your grandparents’ day it was customary for a man to ask a woman’s father for permission to marry. While that antiquated social custom has fortunately disappeared from the dating scene, meeting your date’s parents and family for the first time can still be a daunting experience.

If you’ve been dating someone you met online, even if only for a few weeks, your parents and siblings are probably curious about this new person in your life. Your family may be pressuring you to bring your date home with you for Easter dinner. But taking your date home too soon can backfire and halt a relationship that has barely gotten started.

It’s best to take things slowly when introducing a new date to your family.

• Unless your relationship has become fairly serious, there’s no reason to put your family or your date through a stressful family meet and greet. There’s also no need to feed the family gossip mill or invite a flurry of intrusive questions until you’re sure you are more than ships passing in the night.
• Start small. A casual drop-by visit with a sibling or cousin is a good place to start. You might follow up with a joint date or dinner at your place.For more information please visit: Dating Photos

When your grandparents dated, the man always paid. It was a long-standing tradition for the man to take care of the woman, harkening back apparently to our caveman days. Aside from the whole ugly “ownership” issue, few women worked and men had the cash to pay for restaurants and theater tickets. By the time your parents started to date, women’s lib had kicked in and women insisted on going Dutch or taking turns picking up the check for the evening. It was a statement of independence and equality; and with more women working, they could afford to help foot the dating bill. Today, most dating singles work, and dating couples tend to share the bill or take turns so that neither party is saddled with too great a financial burden.

Sometimes, though, the whole even-Steven thing can backfire. When one party plans a more elaborate (and pricier) date than usual, the other person can feel resentful that he or she wasn’t consulted about how he’s being told to spend his time and money. It’s important when committing your partner to a lengthy or expensive date to make sure he’s on board first. What you’re going to do and how you’re going to split the cost should be decided before the date begins so there are no embarrassing misunderstandings. To avoid problems, you might want to consider using the Miss Manners approach: The person who extends the invitation pays for the date.

When deciding who picks up the check, another sore point can develop when one party makes significantly more money than the other party but expects to split each check right down the middle. The longer you date, the more grating this issue can become as the person with the more anemic paycheck begins to resent the person with the more robust paycheck.For more information please visit: Dating Photos

First impressions are always lasting and this is very true for your dating profile photo. Use these tips to make sure that you leave the best first impression possible and increase your hits with viewers.Your dating profile photo says more about you than you might think. So when it comes to deciding what to include in your photo, remember that more is actually better in this case. Instead of choosing a photo showing the fun you are having with all your friends or one where you smile into the camera, choose one that shows a little skin. Since the best bodies will naturally get the most attention don’t hesitate to show off that well toned six-pack. You will quickly notice the increase in hits amongst viewers.

Research revealed that there is no real benefit in showing your face in your profile photo as opposed to hiding it, so this option is entirely up to you. If you do want to show your face and you are considering which facial expression to use, try looking away from the camera instead of smiling directly into it. This technique shows a little mystery; something most girls love. And if increased hits are what you are after, this will definitely do the trick.

As for the quality of your photo, try using a digital camera rather than your webcam or cellphone camera. People prefer a high quality photo much more than a low quality one and if needed, ask one of your friends to take it for you. There are just something odd about a self-shot photo so a webcam or cellphone is not the way to go when you want to gain popularity. Most people will agree that they will react to higher quality photos first as that draws more attention and speaks somewhat about the person himself.Remember to keep these factors in mind when you take your next profile picture. You will increase your popularity and number of hits easily; and this is exactly what you want when looking to promote your dating profile online. When it comes to dating your first impression is very important and this is usually in the form of a profile photo. Make sure you leave the right impression the first time around with these tips for men.

Many people wonder what they should reveal in their profile photo. You need to decide between a shot showing your face only, one that includes your friends when having a good time or even showing a little skin. In some cases more is sometimes better and this is very true for dating photos. Studies have shown that revealing your well toned six-pack in your photo will definitely count in your favor as the best bodies will naturally attract the most attention. And if it is attention you want, definitely consider this when you are choosing your next shot.

You need professional dating photos for the perfect online dating profile! DatingHeadshots.com works with thousands of professional photographers across the United States and Canada. For more information please visit: http://www.datingheadshots.com/

Right now, you may be busy with filling in details about yourself in your online dating profile. You may also be busy choosing and uploading your dating photos that will be seen in your profile. Writing information about yourself is a very important step in completing your online dating profile. Below are helpful advices on what you should not write or include in your online dating profile.

As a rule of thumb, you should only put in real things about yourself and not lie in your dating profile. Changing things about the way you look, where you grew up, and other important information is totally unadvisable. When you find someone you become interested in, imagine how disappointed that person will be when he or she finds out that you were lying all the time.Writing about your ex is also something you should not do in your online dating profile. Who would want to know someone who does nothing but rant and rave about his or her e? This will only give others the impression that you have not gotten over your ex yet.

Being sexually explicit in your online dating profile is something you should avoid and not write about, unless you are looking for someone to have fun with and perhaps a one night stand. Chances are, you will end up with plenty of messages from horny people who want nothing else but sex as well – so unless that’s the person you want to attract, don’t do it.Your online dating profile is who you are in the virtual world of online dating, so you should be very critical about the information that you’ll write in it. Keeping things that you write real and not writing about anything that reveals your true identity are great ways to go.

Another thing you should not write in your online dating profile are things about your ex, and you should also not include him or her in your dating photos as well. Would you be interested in someone who talks a lot about their ex? Doing so will give others the impression you have not let go and you are probably still into your ex.Sexual discussions are also something that you should not write in your dating profile, unless you are looking for one night stands and the like. You might just end up being bombarded and constantly bugged by people who seem like maniacs, so be prepared.

Think of it this way – your dating profile is what represents you as a person in the world of online dating. Writing about what’s real and what you want are the best things to write in your profile and will help you in finding the best match possible.

You need professional dating photos for the perfect online dating profile! DatingHeadshots.com works with thousands of professional photographers across the United States and Canada. For more information please visit: http://www.datingheadshots.com/

If you have trouble coming up with good date night ideas or just don’t have time to chase down tickets and book reservations, DateNight might be exactly what you’re looking for. A brand new concierge date-planning service that recently debuted in Washington D.C., DateNight aims to take the stress out of dating so that couples can focus completely on enjoying each other’s company when they’re together.

For a small service fee plus the cost of the date, DateNight members (membership is free) receive a weekly choice of three complete date night packages, each one personalized to reflect the individual member’s particular tastes and preferences. Members choose the date they want to go on and DateNight takes care of everything. The DateNight staff books the dinner reservations, procures the theater tickets, arranges for the cabs, etc. All you have to do is show up with your partner and DateNight will whisk you away for a carefree evening of fun and relaxation.

Currently being marketed to over-scheduled married couples who have fallen into the yawn-inducing dinner-and-a-movie dating rut, DateNight has tremendous potential to also benefit busy dating singles. Working with personal dating profiles provided by members about their individual interests and preferences, the DateNight staff comes up with a selection of interesting and unique date ideas that reflect the tastes and personalities of the member. The dating concierge service could be a god-send for the busy professional who wants to impress his date with a wonderful evening but doesn’t have the time to do the necessary planning. Singles who are new to an area and don’t know the local social scene or who have trouble thinking outside the box could also profit from DateNight’s creative date-planning service. Keep an eye out. Date Night expects to expand into a dozen major cities before the end of the year.For more information please visit: Dating Photos

So much rides on your dating profile. Your dating headshot photo creates that critical first impression that says either “click again” or “contact me.” When something is that important, it deserves your time and attention. You can’t just hold your arm out and take a quick snap of your face with your cell phone (the iconic MySpace shot). Well, actually, you can; but if you do post a cell phone candid, don’t expect a rush of traffic to your inbox. Ditto having your friend snap a quick pix.

More than 2 million Americans met their spouses online. Do you really want to put something that important in the hands of someone you wouldn’t trust to babysit your dog? Be smart; call in the pros and have your dating headshot taken by a professional photographer.

Most people arrive at their dating headshot photo session with their hair, makeup and wardrobe ready to go; but few have thought about poses or facial expressions. A 2010 study of 7,000 dating profile photos conducted by OkCupid.com indicates that your pose and expression play a bigger role in dating decisions than you think. For example, women who looked directly into the camera and smiled in their dating headshots received the most contacts. Men, however, got more attention if they looked away from the camera and did not smile. Ditto with flirty facial expressions. Women scored if they looked into the camera with a pouty smile but men did not.

Your photographer may have some suggestions about poses and facial expressions gained from years of experience. Be receptive to his ideas. Your dating headshot photographer will be taking multiple photos so try out a variety of poses and facial expressions. Often, a pose you never thought would look good turns out to be your “call me” dating headshot.For more information please visit: Dating Photos

Since there are thousands and thousands of online dating profiles out there, making yours stand out among the rest is certainly a challenge. To draw attention to your dating profile, check out the ones that are often viewed and find out what it is that makes their profile stand out.An uncontestable fact is that dating profiles that have great online dating photos are the ones that are often viewed and get the most attention. Uploading a great online dating photo is a sure way to get your dating profile noticed. If you feel that you need to get your photos taken by a professional, do so as this will more than triple your chances in getting noticed and is truly worth the investment if you want to find a real match.

Profiles that offer complete information to viewers are also more likely to get more attention and keep that attention compared to others. Putting in plenty of information about yourself, what you like and what you don’t like, what you are looking for in a relationship, etc. are really great ways to get the attention you want towards your profile. The more information you put in your profile – like if you are looking for someone to have a good time or a lasting relationship with – will help you in finding people who are also looking for the same thing. Of course, don’t get over the top in descriptions and come up with plenty of paragraphs, just keep your descriptions simple.

Most importantly, keeping your descriptions as accurate as possible is the best way to get the attention you want. Phony profiles will not get you anywhere and will prove to be a hindrance in finding a real match. Keeping your descriptions realistic will help you become successful in the world of online dating.

It is but obvious that dating profiles with great online dating photos naturally get the most attention from possible matches. Choosing and uploading a great online dating photo is a great way to attract attention and get noticed by others. Having a professional photographer take your picture to use it as your dating profile is one investment you should not skimp on, as this will more than triple your chances of finding a match.Completing ever field in your dating profile is a great way to attract and keep viewers. If your profile provides readers with plenty of information like basic likes and dislikes, what you are looking for in a relationship, etc., it will be easier for you to find a great potential match.

Profiles that provide viewers an idea of what you expect out of a relationship and what you are looking for in a match are things you should definitely write in your profile. Of course, avoid long narratives and just be simple and straight to the point in your descriptions.

Also, keeping the information on your profile truthful and real is another way to get and keep attention towards your profile. Phony profiles are very easy to identify, and it will instantly turn people off. If you really want to get the right kind of attention towards your profile, you should keep the information in your profile real to attract the right kind of match you are looking for.

You need professional dating photos for the perfect online dating profile! DatingHeadshots.com works with thousands of professional photographers across the United States and Canada. For more information please visit: http://www.datingheadshots.com/

Tips and Tricks from our guest blogger Erin Busbee of BusbeeStyle.com.  Erin answers your most burning questions about preparing for your online dating photos, like: What should I wear to my photo shoot?  Should men wear make-up?  How should I do my hair? and more….

What should I wear to my photo shoot?
When getting ready for your dating headshot session, think of two words:   clean and simple.  By clean, I mean literally clean, make sure your clothes are washed or dry cleaned, but also clean— meaning no frills.  Potential dates should stare at your beautiful eyes or gorgeous smile, not your checked shirt or new glittery necklace.  Basically, YOU should be the main attraction!

Okay, so you’ve got “clean and simple” in your head.  Also try to keep these three easy rules in mind when picking out your clothes:
1)    No patterns
2)    No loud jewelry (usually only pertains to women, but there may be a few guys sporting some bling out there.  You know who you are! ☺)
3)    You can’t go wrong with black, brown, and navy.  These colors are most flattering on men and women. And, again these colors will allow YOU to be the main attraction.  (Hot pink and neon yellow may be in style right now, but they will definitely take the focus off your face.)

Do I get wardrobe changes/How many changes of clothing can I bring?

Here’s the scoop, the shoots are only 30-40 minutes, so you don’t want to waste your time completely changing your look.  But, at the same time, you want a little variety in your photos so you can use more than one picture from the session in your profile.

Here are my suggestions:
Ladies…
You should bring the following:
1)    Tank top that you feel really pretty in (for those who don’t like tank tops, replace with ¾ or long sleeve blouse/knit with scoop or crew neck)
2)    A cardigan sweater
3)    A v-neck knit.
You can get three looks with minimal time out of these three items.  For your first look, start with your v-neck knit.  (V-necks are most flattering and slimming with every face shape.) For your second look, throw on your tank top and cardigan sweater.  Lastly, ditch your cardigan and sex it up (a little) in your tank!

If you are self-conscious about your arms and don’t really feel comfortable in a tank top or sleeveless top, replace this look with a three-quarter or long sleeve blouse or knit.  Just make sure the neckline is different than your v-neck knit.  A scoop, crew or boat neck would work well.

Guys…
Here’s what you should bring to the shoot:
1)    Button-down, well-fitted shirt
2)    Blazer
3)    Crewneck, V-neck or cotton T-shirt.
You can squeak three totally different looks out of these three pieces.  Start with your button-down shirt and blazer combo.  Next, take off the blazer and pose in just your button-down shirt.  For the final look, go with your crewneck, v-neck or T-shirt.  We save this one for last cause this is your stud muffin shot.  You need to warm up a little before you can really get your sexy on! ☺

Additional notes for both men and women:

1)    If you are overweight, do not wear ill-fitting clothes, especially things that are tight.  This will only accentuate your size.

2)    For your lower-half, go with your favorite, most comfortable jeans.

3)    Ask someone you really trust their opinion.  If you live in the south, ask a few people.  (No one is mean enough to give you straight talk below the Mason Dixon line.)

4)    If you don’t have black, brown or navy already in your wardrobe choose a solid color that you wear often and/or have received complements while wearing.

5)    Bring one extra shirt.  This is your emergency shirt just in case you spill something or excessively perspire in your session.

6)    Lastly, don’t forget your first set of rules, “clean and simple.” This means, no message T-shirts or tank tops, no embroidery, no sequins, etc.

How should I do my hair?
Like your clothes, you should keep your hair clean and simple. Seriously, wash it. (Sorry, some of you may need a reminder ☺).

Guys, you need to go easy on the hair gel…unless you’re aiming to attract J-Woww types (See “Jersey Shore TV series” on Wikipedia).

Ladies, you should follow the same mantra, easy on the gel, mousse, spray, etc.  Keep it fresh and touchable.  It should look like hair that a man has to run his hands through because it’s soft and free.  Also, keep it down.  Men love long hair.  But, don’t style it so it’s hanging in your face.  Remember, you are the main attraction.  Not hair, clothes, accessories.   (Same rules apply to short hair.  Keep it off your face.  Minimize styling products.  It should look fresh, fun and touchable!)

The best overall hair DO— Style it however you feel most confident.  The more confident you feel, the better the photos! ☺

How should women do their make-up for the DatingHeadshots photo session?
This is tricky for women because it’s really a delicate balance between looking natural, but also pumping up the coverage so you’re not shiny… And, the color so your features are better defined for the photos.

Here’s what I would suggest doing:

PREP
1)    First, wash and gently exfoliate your face.
2)    Moisturize REALLY well (including under your eyes)
3)    I would use a foundation primer if you have one

FOUNDATION
1)    Dab concealer under your eyes, around your nose, chin, wherever you have redness on your face.  Also apply concealer on any blemishes.
2)    Blend concealer well (Note: you may have to touch up your concealer a little after applying eye shadow)
3)    With a large foundation brush, apply foundation (matching shade or one shade darker).  I’m in love with “Make Up Forever Professional” HD Foundation.  It really covers and evens out your skin tone.  It’s also perfect for pictures because it’s very natural coverage.  However, it’s expensive.  A tube of Revlon Colorstay will also do the trick.

EYES
1)    Apply a creamy colored shadow all over your lids.  (In a minute you can use the same shade under your eyes (as additional under-eye coverage)
2)    Use a darker shade in your eye lid crease to really make your eyes pop.
3)    Apply a highlighter shadow directly under your brow.  Use the same white or pearl color in the corner of your eyes (opens up the eye).
4)    Line eyes with brown pencil (this color will work with every eye color) Brown is softer than black.  You can either line just the top of your eye or the whole eye.  Whichever you prefer.
5)    Plump up your lashes with some mascara.  Maybelline Great Lash is just fine and inexpensive!
Note:  If a little shadow gets under your eyes, take a Q-Tip and a dab of moisturizer.  The moisturizer will pick up the excess shadow and still keep your eyes looking fresh (not red). Don’t rub or scrub!

CHEEKS
1)    Apply a highlighter/bronzer to the cheekbones (not on apples of cheeks), this will give you that dewy, glow.
2)    Use your favorite blush on the apples of your cheeks.  I really like Orgasm by Nars. (With a name like that…☺)

CONTOURING – (only attempt this section if you are comfortable applying make-up.)
1)    Take a large brush and apply bronzer under your chin and down along the middle of your neck.
2)    Use a medium brush and apply the same bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks (go LIGHT on this)
3)    Take a eye shadow brush and very lightly apply some bronzer along the sides of your nose.  The lines should follow the same line that a pencil would make if you held it up against the side of your nose.

POWDER
This step is essential to reduce shine and just give your face a finished look.
1)    Take the same large brush you used for your foundation and apply a little powder to your forehead, cheeks, chin, nose, neck and chest.
2)    With a separate brush, apply the same powder under your eyes to really eliminate any evidence that you didn’t sleep last night! You can also use your base eye shadow color (cream colored)

Et Voila! Your face is finished. Now, knock em’ dead, sister!

Should men wear make-up??

Male models, actors and news people all wear make-up to even out their skin color and reduce shine.  You can and should do the same for your photos.  Go to your local drug store and find a compact powder that’s a shade darker than your natural skin tone.  Try the tester on the back of your hand or wrist to see if the shade blends in with your skin color.  When in doubt ask someone who works at the store to help you pick a shade.  If you have blotchy or redness in your skin, this powder can really make a difference.  It will also diminish shininess, which often occurs in the “T-Zone,” or forehead and nose areas.  For serious blemishes (i.e. giant pimples) pick out a liquid concealer and dab just a little on your blemish.

If you are vehemently against wearing make-up (and I suspect a number of you are), then at least pick up some blotting papers.  I recommend Boscia or Clean and Clear blotting papers.  You can find these at the drug store also.  Blot these along your T-Zone before your shoot and as needed during the shoot to reduce shine.

Are there any tricks, tips to looking best in your photos?

Look, no one expects you to be a natural in front of the camera your first time out of the gate, BUT I do suggest trying the following:
1)    Practice a little in the mirror.
Try to objectively decide if you have a better side or look best face forward.  Also try to decipher if your face looks better with no smile, a half smile or a full smile.
2)    Think happy thoughts.
When posing for your pics, try to think of something that makes you laugh.  This joy will come through in your eyes. KEY! Happy thoughts will also give you a more genuine and inviting smile.
3)    LISTEN to your photographer.
Some of you may have learned about “Smizing” and “Finding the light” from “America’s Next Top Model,” but that doesn’t mean you know it all.  The photographer is the pro and he/she is going to make or break your photos.  Pay attention to their direction!

The love of your life may be just a few, great photos away… Good luck!

For more information please visit: Dating Photos

If you spent another New Year’s Eve on the sofa with your cat and a quart of Haagen Dazs (or chomping pizza and watching kung-fu classics), it’s time to shake off your dating malaise. 2011 is a brand new year filled with potential. Put last year’s failures behind you and vow to start the New Year with a New You and can get back out there!

Many people have trouble getting in step with today’s dating scene.  It’s common today for people to push off looking for a partner to focus on building a career. As you start cruising into your mid-30s, you may suddenly notice that many of your friends seem to be pairing off and starting families. If you find yourself the lone singleton in a crowd of marrieds, the tick of your own biological clock can sound pretty loud: Why them, not me?

Allowing yourself to wallow in the unproductive misery of what isn’t will keep you mired in dating limbo. If you want to turn your dating life around, you need to take a hard look at yourself, your dating behavior and your dating goals:

• Dating goals. Start with your dating goals. Honestly answer the questions, “Why am I dating? What am I looking for?” Are you looking for fun with no strings attached? Or are you actively seeking a partner to share a committed relationship, maybe even marriage?

• Dating behavior. Analyze your dating behavior. Who, where and how you date should lead toward your goals. You may need to change online dating profile, dating venues or activities to increase opportunities to meet people who share your interests and goals.

• You. Look in the mirror. Give yourself every opportunity to succeed. If necessary, update your appearance and clothing. Polish your manners. Make sure you’re always well-groomed. If potential dates don’t like what they see, they won’t bother to get to know the person inside.

For more information please visit: Dating Photos

You may not be able to judge a book by its cover; but if the cover isn’t attractive, you won’t open the book! That’s the consensus of study after study. Research shows that people are drawn to attractive people. The attraction appears to be instinctive, rather than learned. When babies were shown pictures of attractive women and plain women, the photos of attractive women elicited a more animated response. The perception that attractive people are more socially popular, get more dates, move up the corporate ladder more quickly, and generally have an easier time in life is more fact than fiction.

While that’s great news if you are fortunate enough to have been blessed with the “beauty gene,” it’s a little disappointing for the rest of us who are saddled with “average” looks. In the online dating world where you’re primarily judged by your photo, average looks can be a downright handicap. Be honest with yourself; when you’re browsing through dating headshots on an online dating site, how many times have you opened the dating profile of someone with an unattractive profile photo? It’s the men and women with attractive, professional online dating photos who get the most hits.

Attractive people benefit from what statisticians call the “halo effect.” Research has shown that people have a tendency to attribute positive traits and behaviors to someone who has made a positive first impression, even if subsequent events prove their judgment wrong. When people view an attractive photo on an online dating site, it predisposes them to assume other nice things about that person. That’s the power of a great dating headshot; it creates a positive first impression that makes you seem imminently more datable.

Now here’s the good news. With the help of a professional photographer experienced in creating flattering dating headshots, you can join the attractive crowd and improve your online dating opportunities. So, what are you waiting for?For more information please visit:  Dating Photos