Advice from GQ photographer Eric Ray Davidson and Hollywood stylist Ilaria Urbinati on how not to botch profile shots.

1. No Mirrors Allowed

Davidson: "A selfie with your dog in the park might work—you look like a real person. Otherwise, it's hard to take a self-portrait, especially in the mirror, without looking like a vain asshole."

2. Up Close-ish and Personal

Davidson: "People need to see your face, but shooting up close with a wide-angle lens makes your nose look bigger. Have whoever's shooting step back just enough to get a three-fourths shot of your body."

3. You Want to Go Gray

Urbinati: "White can wash out in photos, so if you're in shape, a simple well-fitting crew tee or Henley in gray is flattering and effortless. To look more put together, try dark jeans, a slim-collar shirt, and a well-tailored suit jacket in gray—it reads more casual than black, less preppy than navy."

4. When All Else Fails, Raid Facebook

Davidson: "If your pals are on Facebook or Instagram, there's probably some photos of you on there that you like, and you won't look as if you're posing or trying too hard."

Just Be Yourself(-ish): The Art of the Profile

Displaying your guts by completing questions like "On a typical Friday night I am..." and "I'm really good at..." will make you feel self-conscious and absurd— and that's normal. Relax, don't overthink it, and remember that what you're putting up is the equivalent of first-date banter. The process is a mild inconvenience, not a confession or a trap, so just chalk it up to the cost of being proactive. Be honest and succinct when describing yourself. This sounds like some type of Yoda koan, but try to talk about what you like, not what you're like. Don't call yourself any of the following: witty, ambitious, down-to-earth, or humble. Mention a few TV shows, movies, bands, and books you enjoy, but take it easy on the esoteric poetry, eight-year-old Bay Area rap lyrics, and the word I. See, your profile isn't meant to make a stranger fall in love with you. Once you're sitting in front of her with the less-than- 15-percent hair loss that she's handicapped your photo for, then you can really get to know each other—as two hormone-leaking, masochistic adults who want so badly to be in love again._—Mary H.K. Choi _

Or Ignore All of That

You want to say you're an oenophile or fluent in Klingon? Go for it. The beauty of online dating is that it's stocked with people on the ends of the bell curve—the kind you'd never find normally. So let your freak/geek/pedantic-wine-lover flag fly.