Meet Top Seattle Dating App Photographer Andrea Prudente
Feb 04, 2022
Meet Andrea! All portraits in this post are her work.
Based in Seattle & dating online? 📍
You probably already know how important photos are to your dating app profile.
Pro quality photos can make a >10x difference in both the quantity & quality of your matches 🎣
This is true whether you’re using Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, Plenty of Fish, Upward, or another online dating app.
I caught up with top Seattle photographer Andrea Prudente to learn about how to capture a perfect portrait for dating apps & Seattle’s local dating scene.
Check our conversation out below ⬇️
[BLAINE] How has the pandemic impacted your dating app photography business?
[ANDREA] I’ve been shooting dating photos for a few years now and 2020 was by far my busiest.
As one client put it, “online dating is the only dating right now”.
People who never used dating apps before are jumping on because it’s so much harder to meet people organically in-person now.
For so many guys the number one obstacle to getting a solid profile up is not having enough (or any) decent photos of themselves.
What makes for a great dating profile photo?
The best dating photos are ones that give the viewer an authentic glimpse of you in an expressive, guard-down moment.
Like a really warm smile (with crinkles at the edges of your eyes!) or the start of a good belly laugh.
They’re also shot from a perspective that feels familiar and intimate--like sitting across a table from you sharing coffee, or next to you on a bench people-watching.
The best dating photos capture a sense of your energy and make it super easy to imagine being right there with you.
What are some of your favorite places to shoot in Seattle?
I typically like to shoot dating photos in places that are meaningful to the client--places they actually like to spend time, doing stuff they actually like to do.
I shoot a lot of dating photos in Ballard (love the outdoor breweries and gritty urban vibes), Fremont (so much color and fun little nooks and alleys to explore), and Georgetown (super quiet during the week with great restaurants, graffiti, and urban/industrial architecture).
What are mistakes you see people make in their dating photos before hiring you?
I see a lot of photos that are too zoomed out (so you can’t see the person very well), with poor lighting and unflattering camera angles.
The “me crouching down next to a cute animal” is a common one (crouching is not an ideal angle for any body type!)
I see a lot of “say-cheese” awkward, fake smiles, too 😬
What are some of your favorite date spots in Seattle?
Golden Gardens is one of my all-time favorite spots in Seattle and perfect for a sunny-day date. There are trails to explore, a big sandy beach where you can throw a frisbee or have a bonfire, and a bomb Cuban restaurant just down the street.
For a rainy day it’s fun to escape to the Volunteer Park Conservatory where it’s warm and humid and you can walk among tropical plants and cacti in a big gorgeous greenhouse.
And I LOVE to rent a canoe at the UW Waterfront Activities Center and paddle through the arboretum--you can sometimes see otters, heron, and bald eagles. Plus there are several secluded spots to go ashore and have a private picnic.
Thanks Andrea!
PS. Based in Seattle, and want to uplevel your photos for apps like Hinge?
Contact Andrea via email (andrea at iconphoto.co) or click here to visit her website Dating Photo Co and ask about her dating app photoshoot package!
PPS. Ready to uplevel your dating life fast?
I'd love to share my best free guides, so you can start making progress immediately:
- 📲 What I Swipe Right On (how to improve your matches on apps like Hinge fast)
- 💬 Master The Message (how to create more chemistry via text)
- 🏀 How To Bounce Back (dating 101 for newly single guys)
- 😅 You're Nice, But... (dating 101 for "nice" guys)
Just pop in your name and email below, and I'll send over your free guides immediately!
Xo Blaine
Let's get your dating life on track!
I’ll share your guides and a couple tips a week. 100% privacy, no spam or b.s.
