Do not fall in love with beautiful pictures

[Eduard]

Why do sites like Anastasia attract and more importantly get so many men to sign up and spend money with them? I think it's because they really know how to create just the right kind of eye candy for the male beast in us! Funny thing is that many men don't realise (or refuse to realise) that many of those girls don't look nearly as glamorous and pretty in real life. It's amazing what the right make up and hair will do for even an average looking girl. Add to that a professional photostudio environment - lighting, professional photographer who knows how to pose them just the right way, Photoshop treatment of the photos in the post production stage, and you can pretty much make any average looking girl look like a playboy model.
The girl on the photos is not on Anastasia or any MOB agency site, as far as I know, and these photos weren't even done by a professional photographer, but you can see how different she can look with makeup and hair all done compared to her normal non-glammed out appearance.
So before you fall in love with the beautiful pics, think about this one  

[facetrock]

  Ed your right on the mark there. Good post. 

[Daveman]

 

That's just too funny... my favorite photo of that girl is the "librarian look" of the last photo...  heh

But, agree with FR.. right on the mark.

[Chelseaboy]

To be fair to sites like Anastasia,HRB,Dream-marriage,many of the girls on those sites do have videos posted,and some of them appear on live video chat,so their appearance can be checked out.
Of course,this doesn't tell you how sincere the girl is,in her intererest in you,which is the main problem with these sites.You won't know her real motive for communicating with you.

[Gator]

As with Daveman, I also prefer the librarian.  I definitely lean towards women who post simple, natural photos.  I find them more comfortable.

I will admit to a weakness, however.  I still receive spam mail from agencies.   I delete almost all withoutt opening.  However, every time I see an Anastasia web message in my inbox, I open it knowing that it will be a pretty woman.  I click on a couple of photos and quickly get a popup saying I must pay money to view the woman's private photos.

Oddly, a couple of times I have opened my A-web message to see a woman with whom I corresponded in years past at another agency.  Time (or photoshop) has been good to her.  I was amused at how they drew a cleavage line on someone who I knew wore a size A bra. 

   

[kievstar]

To keep ahead of the curve Anastiaweb is also using real models who will meet with you but only for the large fee they charge for premium girls (combination of agency fee, kickback from restaurant, taxi, shopping, etc.).  I guess if your qualified to marry a real model it may work out for you.  Glad I never was a letter writer.

Liza (picture #3) looks like my wife's cousin and she is not named Liza.  18 years old.  Are you sure 100% these pictures are all the same girl? 

[Eduard]

Are you sure 100% these pictures are all the same girl? 

yes. If you focus on her features like nose and mouth even the eyes you can see that it's the same girl. Hair and a lot of eye makeup is what makes the photos look so different, plus the glasses off course.

[Gator]

My God!  Notice the number of views! 

[Eduard]

My God!  Notice the number of views! 

I see 270 - is that too littlle or too many?

[roykirk]

Back when I was using Elena's website (where I met my eventual wife), I automatically excluded the profiles of any woman who had what were clearly professional photos.  Also excluded were women who had photos in their bikinis, lingerie, or mini skirts with knee high leather boots with 4" stilettos.  It was just ridiculous the kinds of photos some people posted.  I figured they were either scammers, trying too hard (i.e. desperate), or had such low opinions of themselves that I'd want nothing to do with them.  The few scammers I did come across indeed all had one or more of such photos on their profiles so that just reinforced by prejudice. 

[Eduard]

Back when I was using Elena's website (where I met my eventual wife), I automatically excluded the profiles of any woman who had what were clearly professional photos.  Also excluded were women who had photos in their bikinis, lingerie, or mini skirts with knee high leather boots with 4" stilettos.  It was just ridiculous the kinds of photos some people posted.  I figured they were either scammers, trying too hard (i.e. desperate), or had such low opinions of themselves that I'd want nothing to do with them.  The few scammers I did come across indeed all had one or more of such photos on their profiles so that just reinforced by prejudice. 

I don't think that you get a truly real representation of FSU women on a MOB agency site. I believe that most copy is written by agency translators and not the women themselves. This is why they usually all sound very "nice" and similar to each other.
You would find a lot of different types of profiles on free local dating sites and realise that there is a vast variety of different women in the FSU.
From sweet angels to the nastiest, bitchiest women you'd ever meet in your life. You'll also find that many good, normal, family oriented women do post bikini photos taken when they go on vacation to Turkey and other subtropical destinations. This is absolutely no indication of scam or anything of a sort on local Russian dating sites. Same goes for short skirts and shoes. Women on average do dress sexier in the FSU than here in the US, so IMO if you stay away from those, you'll be scrapping 80% of good, eligible, single women. MOB sites are not a true representation of FSU women IMO, you've got to keep that in mind.

[Shadow]

The question is, how to separate a professional picture aimed at the MOB from a normal one ?
One thing you should know abot professional photographers is that they are obsessed with light. They will try to remove as many shadows as humanly possible, and often use artificial light sources even outside in daylight pictures.
A second thing that gives it away is the pose. While women can be photographed looking sexy for the camera of a (boy) friend, when posing professional they are guided in to a pose that is said to attract men. Slightly bent forward, or holding somehting cure to distract from less desireable features.
If you are good in finding out if a smile is sincere or not, that is a third thing to get. when at a professional photo shoot, most women are nervous and their face will show it. If they smile at all, it will look awkward and unreal.

Remember that regardless of what people say having professional pictures does not mean the woman is not sincere. MrsShadow was advised to have professional pictures made (she tore them up and let a friend make new ones) by her "invisible" agent. And as women usually do not pay for registering, those agencies who wish to earn every buck they can will press them in to paying for a professional shoot.
If you do find a woman with professional pictures you have an interest in, just ask her to send more pictures by e-mail. Study the pictures well.
I "lost" a contact once because I told her the next time she took a casual picture she should remove her sunglasses as the desk of the photographer was areal mes...

[Eduard]

There are 3 photos of the same girl on a local dating site in Russia. There is no way a MOB agency would allow her photo number 3 on their site, yet it demonstrates a whole other side of her personality that you prolly wouldn't even guess from the first 2 photos. Reading her profile (actually written by her and not a MOB agency translator) is also pretty telling...

[Eduard]

Remember that regardless of what people say having professional pictures does not mean the woman is not sincere.

Very true, some women have professional photos done and I have met a few personally. My wife's girlfriend had them done professionally when she decided to put her profile on Mamba. So pro photos isn't neccessarily an indication of scam.

[Daveman]

There are 3 photos of the same girl on a local dating site in Russia. There is no way a MOB agency would allow her photo number 3 on their site, yet it demonstrates a whole other side of her personality that you prolly wouldn't even guess from the first 2 photos. Reading her profile (actually written by her and not a MOB agency translator) is also pretty telling...

LoL, now that's my kinda gal... using the combination Russian "got your nose" salute combined with the western middle finger...   :evil:

Shadow is correct about the photos. Through not a full time professional (but rather a life long hobbyist, there's me with my first camera, whose made some money at it from time to time) I have a photo studio in my home and have done quite a number of people, products/merchandise, pet, landscape (though obviously not in my home) and macro photo shoots.  The degree nervousness of people depends on the rapport with the photographer.  Luckily the class clown in me tends to put most everyone at ease... we do "reduce" shadows to artistic levels, but we don't eliminate them entirely. To do such would create a very dull and ugly (artistically speaking) photo (which is why photogs arrive at a landscape shoot at dawn or near sunset rather than at midday with the sun overhead), the angle of the light/shadows are what change a dull photo into something eye poppingly interesting.  For portraits, the best looking photos are generally (though of course not always) are done with very soft, diffuse Rembrandt lighting.  Harsh lighting tends to emphasize defects (such as facial pores).  Of course the photog's job is to create a (most) beautiful rendition of the subject. 

As stated, there is nothing wrong with professional photos. People generally display the photos which show them in the most favorable light (pun intended of course). And on a profile, let's face it, the better the photos, the more attention generated. So just ask for more photos in common life situations or meet at skype for video chat.

[GoodOlBoy]

deleted.

[Shadow]

There are 3 photos of the same girl on a local dating site in Russia. There is no way a MOB agency would allow her photo number 3 on their site, yet it demonstrates a whole other side of her personality that you prolly wouldn't even guess from the first 2 photos. Reading her profile (actually written by her and not a MOB agency translator) is also pretty telling...

Look at photo 1 closely and you will see the same side revealed, which is why I doubt even that one will be accepted  by agencies that are selling fantasies.

[roykirk]

Very true, some women have professional photos done and I have met a few personally. My wife's girlfriend had them done professionally when she decided to put her profile on Mamba. So pro photos isn't neccessarily an indication of scam.

And I guess I should have clarified that the mere presence of a professional photo didn't make me run, it was just when ALL of their photos were professional that I started to get skeptical.  And by the bikini photos I wasn't necessarily talking about the vacation ones on the beach, but more the ones that simply looked too posed or overtly sexual in tone.  Sitting on a stool with the legs spread was a real classy one I saw on more than one profile. 

[Eduard]

And I guess I should have clarified that the mere presence of a professional photo didn't make me run, it was just when ALL of their photos were professional that I started to get skeptical.  And by the bikini photos I wasn't necessarily talking about the vacation ones on the beach, but more the ones that simply looked too posed or overtly sexual in tone.  Sitting on a stool with the legs spread was a real classy one I saw on more than one profile. 

yes, I agree with that

[ECOCKS]

My pet photo peeve is the ones that show the "bit too much" as if it is an accident. There's the two that are on the ad that appears on the sidebar all the time of the girl putting on the shoe and the serious-faced one sitting cross-legged that are examples.

Talk about baiting the hooks.....

I didn't mind a single, simple bikini shot, especially if it was a candid one, from the beach but the lingerie, halter and Daisy Mae shorts were eliminators for me. My wife had three dressy, almost evening gown dresses, pictures which were all taken by a family member with a decent but not exceptional digital camera. One was in the sitting room, one on her balcony and one at the Botanical Garden.

[OlgaH]

Before and after
http://theberry.com/2010/07/26/high-end-fashion-models-with-no-makeup-15-photos/

http://theberry.com/2009/12/16/airbrush-much/

[Jumper]

 

in some countries and cultures,  showing a bit of ankle is over the top...


for guys who havn't had first hand experience on the ground in the FSU ,to see the standard dress styles ,and the general  openess in beach settings,the more obvious
  sexuality in advertising and attitudes in general..
 as well as the pressures many agencies put on women to compete with other women in their photo shoots,,


It would seem  pretty silly to make any big assumptions off style of dress in such agency or personal ad photos..


Any man can set parameters..

for example you could  say you will  eliminate anyone with red shoes.
 
 you can still find success,
 it doesn't actually  mean your parameters helped or hindered you ,you simply would never
actually know.

It's like when you are looking for your misplaced car keys ,they are always in the last place you looked ( no need to look further right?)
 


Seriously i can understand avoiding the over the top ,obvious agency  advert style profiles ,
or photos where a woman shows a personality characteristic that just wouldn't mesh personally with you or your lifestyle.
That is only common sense.

but to ignore that in the FSU, almost any  young RW (which make up the bulk of agency profiles)
would be thrilled or happy with some professional and yes sexy shots..
is just ignoring reality.
It is part and parcel of the culture there.

 If that truly bothers a guy or isn't his  cup of tea, i'd actually recommend  he look elsewhere.
As he would be limiting his contacts astronomically ,and it certainly is likely or possible that a girl he writes that has more *chaste*  photos up at the moment,  might simply not have had the $$ or  opportunity for more professional or flashier shots yet.


if a few glamour shots of some AW on match ,
wouldn't turn a guy off -
then a  professional swimsuit photo in the FSU surely shouldn't

Granted the actual pose itself comes into play a bit..
(some are truly over the top)

 but one thing that seems almost universal is RW do truly like to pose for photos ,and most seem
 to be born with all the sexy model poses as an inherent talent.



Anyway I'd say as a *generality* a single  sexy pose or a glamor shot .. means very  very  little.

if you like her ,write her and actually find out who she is,what she is like,
 and what photos she simply shares..in regular correspondence.


and certainly you shouldn't fall in love with a photo regardless any photoshopping, or not.

 
 

[Eduard]

Excellent post, AJ!

[Eduard]

funny how different a woman can look depending on her make up and hair. All these photos are of the same girl.

[Chicagoguy]

 
I know they are not connected but I had to laugh after seeing all the girly pictures and at the very end it reads: Offering unique, personal services