Facebook Profile Photos – Uncovering the Truth
SharePosted on 08. Feb, 2010 by Gallivanter in Gender
How do you select your profile photos? Do you have a list of prerequisites? Must always look down to cover your double chin, or to shoot from the top to look like a puppy?
For me, it’s my smile, or something wacky, depending on availability. I know that women tend to smile more often as men and also exude flirty looks too, either subconsciously or consciously.
Self Photos
The ones I find annoying are the self-photos taken with your mobile phone or webcam. I wonder if that means they are trying to portray themselves as approachable, or they’re going for that “cute” look. Either way, I find this hilarious and definitely unattractive, but I’m sure some men out there love these types of shot. Anyone care to comment?
Shirtless Shots
What about showing up your body – shirtless pose for the men? Don’t they come off as weirdly desperate? When women criticize these photos, do they secretly admire them?
Studio Shots
Don’t get me started with the studio shots, self-absorbed poses, “syok sendiri”. Why do most women like doing that? I remember one of them told me the reason was to ensure their “beauty” is captured before they turn into old hags. (OK she didn’t say old hags I just added that for spice. Haha!). I have one studio shot of myself, but it wasn’t for any social profiles, more for an application to Amazing Race Asia Season 2.
Gallivanter's Amazing Race 2 Application - Studio Shot
Cleavage Shots
What about the cleavage shot for women? They know for a fact that boobies do get all men’s attention, it’s their reaction that could be different after a few seconds of ogling. But, if shirtless men get the secret attention of women, I think cleavage shots do the same for men. Obviously as you age, cleavage/shirtless shots would come off as looking rather unattractive.
Faceless Shots
OK, some people don’t show their faces to protect their identity. What the. Then why join a social network? What’s the reason behind this? Wanted by the authorities? Trying to be mysterious? Haha, I’m actually guilty of this too, though it was unintentional.
Gallivanter's Faceless "O" Shot
What other shots do you find interesting or annoying?
Here are some of my other profile shots for your viewing pleasure.
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - Cambodia Shot
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - YFitness Launch in Kota Kinabalu
Gallivanter - Company Annual Dinner 2006
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - KL Bird Park
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - Engagement Card
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - Engagement Day
Gallivanter - Thriller Makeup Session
Gallivanter - Thriller Santa
And this is my present Facebook profile photo.
Gallivanter & Kadazanbonita - New Year's Eve 2009
claire bennet
Feb 8th, 2010
wakakaka…to look like a puppy ah! got so many profile pic like that kan..nasib la muka sy ni nda photogenic mo jadi puppy gitu kalau nda sda kana ijik cni…wakakaa but what you post here is so true lah..i find it so…mmm what’s the expression ah? ;-o
but back when i was much younger and vain, i may have select one photo from my mobile that look like paris hilton wannabe. wakakka
btw kan, cantik pula tu pic yg paling last..dia punya background color ngam ni..
Mimi
Feb 8th, 2010
I totally agree with you on that self photos, especially those “cute” ones… It’s annoying!
Women, or at least me.. don’t admire shirtless men… in fact, we’d think that they’re trying too hard and that’s not sexy.
I hate “faceless” too.. some more if they put “glamor names” and then try to add me in their contact.. I mean, you know what I mean..
kuai
Feb 8th, 2010
haha.. funny kan.. but i dun really like those shirtless/cleavage’s pose.. agreed with u.. they look mcm desperate.. but suka hati derang juga, they got nice ‘asset’, rugi nda kasi tayang.. huhu..
bah, i will be ur No.1 fan if u one of the Amazing Race’s participant.. hehe
IRTeA
Feb 8th, 2010
I’m one of the girls who likes to make those ‘cute’ camwhore poses…. lol
But as for profile pic… As long as I saw some nice photos of me either taken by my friends or myself… Then I’ll just choose that photo…
I actually don’t have any problems with any photos people put as their profile pic… No complaints… But if possible I’d prefer they put their real pic rather than pictures of celebrities or animals or artworks… lol
xin
Feb 8th, 2010
hey if i had a cute face i’d do the ‘puppy eye’ photo too. LOL
Amanda
Feb 8th, 2010
i don’t know if you’ve read my blog posts where I burn those cute poses bitches. They’re too freakin’ annoying
Jessica
Feb 8th, 2010
Shirtless men freak me out. It’s like they are sending out “hi, i’m a pervert” signal..hahaha
cicak
Feb 8th, 2010
Oh don’t forget the ‘duck face’. Almost everyone is doing it! Somebody got really annoyed by it and made antiduckface dot com. LOL
I don’t mind looking at pictures of women and their cleavages. But seriously, if a woman has like 30 pictures in their album and all of them are ‘cleavage shots’, now that’s something else.
Gallivanter
Feb 9th, 2010
claire bennet – Puppy effect is just ridiculous bah, maybe they assume that the viewing party is looking for a pet instead of friendship.
Mimi – Agreed on trying too hard, but some really do not use their minds to think, so they are clouded by the will-to-outshine that they resort to dumbness.
kuai – Yeah, if you have asset bagus, the words, if you have it, flaunt it. However, most of the times, you end up looking cheap bah. For Amazing Race, sadly sia tidak dipilih when I applied for Season 2. Sekarang tua sudah, indak ada interest to re-apply.
IRTeA – Well, I think they use other photos because they’re lack confidence. Then again, it depends on the length. I used Bon Jovi’s The Circle album once as my profile photo, and also Michael Jackson collage that I did sometime around his death.
xin – And the objective of such look?
Amanda – Haha! I think I missed that post!
Jessica – Definitely, most of the time, they come off looking like homos though. Haha!
cicak – Oh yes, what the duck is that? The ladies favorite. Just a bunch of duckers I suppose.
Well, one or two cleavage shots are OK, and if their pose do not imply cheapness, it can come off as sexy yet elegant, but that’s a fine line. 
chegu carol
Feb 15th, 2010
profile pic with animals picture, cartoons, cars and yes, faceless are those that annoyed me most. if you dont want people to recognize you, might as well dont start a Facebook account in the first place.
Gallivanter
Feb 15th, 2010
carol – Agreed 100%.