Picking photos for your dating profile can be tricky and intimidating. It’s your first impression to the rest of the Ark community so you want it to be good - but does that mean more fishing photos or more pictures with your dog? The right side of your face or the left?

We manually review every profile through our verification process so we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly (Kidding! You’re all beautiful 😘) Sometimes photos will get flagged for going against our photo guidelines, which can slow down the verification process. In order to help make sure you move through the process and start swiping as quickly as possible, here are some tips to consider when choosing photos for your profile.

Be Yourself

People want to get to know YOU, so make sure your photos represent the real you! Whether you’re adventurous and outgoing or indoorsy and shy, there will be someone out there who loves you exactly as you are. Conveying what is interesting about you in your photos gives people a peek into your life and helps get conversations flowing.

Face The Camera

Say cheese! At least in your first photo, show that smiling face! Nobody wants to date the back of someone’s head. Profiles that don’t have any front-facing photos are less likely to get matches and most likely will not be approved.

Avoid Group Photos

Especially in your first photo, make it all about you! You don’t want to leave people guessing which person they’re swiping up on. In the majority of your photos, you should be the star.

Mix It Up

Instead of posting all selfies, choose a variety of photos that show you in different situations and angles. Remember, you want people to get a glimpse at who you are, not just your favorite Snapchat filter.

Let there be light

Good lighting can make the difference between a good photo and a great photo! Avoid pictures that are overly dark or super washed out. Photos that clearly show your face are best.

What should I wear?

Once again, be authentic to yourself! Choose pictures with clothing that shows your personality and style. We understand that style and humor vary from person to person, but there are some things that absolutely will not be tolerated:

Anything overtly sexual
Anything intentionally hateful or ill-willed
Vulgarity
Racism
Inappropriate gestures
Gore and blood

We don’t allow pics in swimwear or shirtless gym selfies. We have nothing against bikinis, gyms, or being proud of your body. (Because honestly, you rock that bikini and look SO good in your gym selfie.) But we don't allow it in-app out of respect and safety for everyone. We also use state-of-the-art AI to determine what is suggestive in profile images objectively. So really, it’s not you. It’s just our way of keeping our community as safe as possible.

In the end, it all comes down to being smart and being yourself. Have fun, and as always, reach out to us at support@ark.app if you have any questions!

Ark Photo Guidelines