Feeling Your Photos

Ever wonder how your profile picture/head shot comes across to other people? If you’ve had a business photo taken by a professional, you have to rely on their expertise. Family and friends will tell you if you look foolish, but they’re also used to your face. So how can you find out the first impression you’re making? There’s a website for that. 

It’s called Photo Feeler. It’s quite simple. You rate other people’s photos to earn credits and then spend your credits on having other people rate your photo. You can ask to be judged from the perspective of business, social or dating. Strangers will look at you and decide whether you seem likable, influential, or competent. That’s for business purposes. For social, the choices are confident, authentic and fun. For dating: smart, trustworthy, attractive.

I call this my author pose. I’ve used it to promote myself with regard to my books. I don’t love it. But I don’t hate it. The photographer took out my frown lines – wish he could do that in real life – but I think I have a bit of an unnatural sheen. And what’s with the widow’s peak? I have never seen that on my head before or since.

It took about five minutes to get 10 random people to vote on the picture and I guess it’s a good one. Here are the results: Likability: 70%. Competence: 75%. Influential: 74%. Maybe shiny is good.

I plan to try a few more photos including one they’re about to use at the radio station that I think makes me look like a shed. Or a linebacker. Regardless, I don’t think it’s flattering but I’ll let the anonymous masses judge it and prove me right or wrong. The site also contains loads of articles about cropping, staging and other aspects of good photo taking. It’s a valuable, free resource that’s yours for the (picture) taking.