Did you know that how you crop a photo can make you look shorter, aggressive, untrustworthy, or even creepy?
The same photo cropped different ways will score differently on Photofeeler. In fact, itâs common to see a picture score badly just because of how itâs cropped.
Hereâs some examples of photo cropping mistakes that we frequently see on our site.
1. Space above the head makes you look shorter
Showing space above the head gives the illusion of shortness. Thatâs because it creates a vantage point as if the viewer is standing across from you and looking at the space above your head.
My recommendation is to crop just above the head. Donât cut off part of the head (as many people find this annoying), just crop directly above it.
2. Space on the sides diminishes your importance
Having a lot of empty background in a photo â either to your left or right or both â makes you seem less important than when you take up the majority of the frame.
Empty space diminishes you by making you appear physically smaller and backhandedly suggesting that youâre not deserving of the whole frame on your own.
3. Too close up on the face feels overly intimate
Close up photos (those that show the face/head but do not expand to the shoulder) give a feeling of closeness and intimacy, in that the viewer feels like they are right up close to you.
Theoretically, this shouldnât be a problem. However, people who donât already know you who are viewing your photo on LinkedIn or a dating site may subconsciously experience âstranger danger.â The sensation of being up close and personal with someone is great so as long as they are familiar. That same experience with a stranger feels off-putting, creepy, or even threatening.
To avoid coming off this way, show a mimimum of head and shoulders to create the feeling of a safe distance.
4. Cropping out part of the face makes you seem sneaky
When a person decides to crop off half their face, chances are theyâre just being arty, not trying to hide a swastika tattoo on their right cheek. Still, thereâs something about that crop that subconsciously prompts viewersâ suspicions.
We recommend not taking the artistic route for professional or dating profile photos. For networks like Facebook, however â where most of your friends are people whoâve seen your right cheek before â then youâre probably safe.
Know for certain how youâre coming across in pictures with Photofeeler. Itâs free to use here. đ