Single people turn to professional photographers for dating profile pictures
MINNEAPOLIS (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Strolling through a park or beach you may have stumbled upon an engagement photo session, but what about a solo shoot?
Online dating profiles are changing the landscape for professional photographers, and consumers are finding a picture that speaks a thousand words is worth the investment.
Alecia Anderson is taking a shot at love.
"I've had quite a few friends find success in dating online, so I decided to recently make that switch," Anderson shared.
At 36, Anderson is seeking genuine connection.
"When I was initially making my profile, I was struggling to find pictures of myself to put of myself. I felt like I had to crop all my friends out and nothing truly captured myself, my personality," Anderson explained.
Not long after, she noticed Shannon O'Malley's online dating photography, Shannon Kathleen Photography, on Instagram.
"It has become the biggest bulk of my business," O'Malley said.
A professional photographer for over 15 years, O'Malley's focus for the last 2.5 years has been helping singles, ranging in age from 25 to 70, create standout images for their dating profiles.
"These are people who are serious about getting out there and wanting to find love," O'Malley expressed.
When asked if there is a stigma about hiring professional photographers to shoot dating profile photos, O'Malley said, "Yeah, so some people may not tell their friends or family that they're doing this, but then a lot of what I hear back is that once they get their photos back, they're proud to show em because they feel good."
A feeling O'Malley says she needed when she stepped into the world of online dating in her 40s. It led her to her husband of four years, and it helped her see her true self again.
"It just gave me this profound empowerment of like oh, there I am...We can lose sight of ourselves easily," O'Malley explained.
An important lesson O'Malley passes on to clients like Anderson in each one her shoots.
"The pictures have definitely worked for me but also like I feel so good about myself," Anderson remarked, adding that it is worth the investment.
O'Malley's online dating photograph packages start at $749.
