When people think about creating their adoption profile, the first thing they think of is what pictures to use. I personally think creating your text first is the right way to go, but if you’re just too anxious and excited about the pictures, here are some you’ll definitely want to include…

1. Your cover photo should be your absolute favorite picture of yourself.  It should be close up with a smile, looking at the camera where we can see your eyes. It should be warm and inviting. The one you feel the prettiest in. Think about it as a smiling handshake. If you are married, obviously include your husband in the picture. If you have kids…well, the verdict is still out on that one. I think you can go either way – a family picture or one without the kids.

2. Speaking of kids, you’ll want to include them in your book…duh! Show me their personality through pictures.

3. Pictures of you participating in your favorite activities. Perhaps you are in tree pose, riding a bike or running a marathon. Perhaps you are eating (because that’s MY favorite activity), playing guitar or at a baseball game. Whatever you like to do, show it.

4. Pictures of you holding a baby and interacting with children. Let the expectant mom visualize how you will be with her child.

5. Don’t be afraid to show your goofy side. We all have one – c’mon, see if you can make her laugh. She will remember that.

6. Do you have a pet? Get a couple great pictures of your pet and try to include one of your pet with a child and/or cuddling with you. You want to show that your pet is child-friendly and gentle.

7. If you are married, take the expectant mother on a journey of your love story.

8. Show me where your child (really “her” child at this point) is going to live – a picture of the outside of your house as well as inside your house or perhaps the yard if you love it! Think about your favorite places in your house. Do you have a favorite chair that you like to read the morning newspaper in? A book collection you are proud of? Pictures are always better with people in them, but on these pages, it’s ok to have a couple without if need be.

9. Your community. What’s so special about it? Do you have a Fourth of July parade in your neighborhood or block party? Share that Picture.

10. Show the important people in your family and the essence of their personalities through pictures. Don’t forget grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins – whoever you are particularly close to.

11. Friends– who are they and what types of activities do you do with them? Who will they be to your child?

12. Do you have an interesting job that can be relayed through pictures? Or perhaps you volunteer?

Here are some general tips about the photos in your profile…

• Make sure you have some pictures of you alone as well as with others.
• If you are open to diversity, show diversity.
• Action pictures are the best. You will always have plenty of posey pictures, but if that’s all you have, your book will be really boring.
• Unless you are really great selfie taker, try to avoid them.
• Avoid sunglasses as much as possible.
• Make sure your pictures are high-quality, not pixelated or fuzzy.
• Pictures should be large enough to see everybody in them.
• As a rule of thumb, use 3-4 pictures per page.

Your pictures should be the focus of your profile pages. This is essentially a marketing piece about you. Keep your audience in mind (the expectant mom). It’s not about the prettiest profile with the coolest layout (save that for your personal family photo books), it’s about the most effective profile. You want to connect with her. That connection will ultimately lead to the right match.

Remember, you are painting a story through photos, of what an expectant mother’s child will look like in your life. Show her the essence of who you are, what you do, the activities you love and who the important people are in your lives.

If you don’t already have the pictures you need, start clicking!

You know the saying, a picture is worth 1,000 words. So, make them interesting!

Cheese!!