What Your Travel Profile Picture Says About You

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a Facebook profile picture is worth even more. Yeah, they're basically Internet currency – they show people how you see yourself and how you'd like to be seen by others. So, of course you're going to comb through selfies to find the one shot that perfectly highlights your face/body/personality/good hair day. And it goes without saying this winning photo will evidence just how worldly, cultured and well-traveled you are. But as you attempt to curate your online presence, remember that what you're putting out into the world might not be what other people are picking up on. Here's what your travel profile picture says about you.

If you're posing with a massive group

You may think your 15-person, Ibiza rooftop candid makes you look both FUN and SOCIAL. But in reality, your group shot looks OVERWHELMING and sets you up to look LESS HOT THAN ALL YOUR FRIENDS. Save your pool party pictures for yourself and instead, choose a nice solo picture of you in front of a waterfall (seriously, who doesn't love a classic waterfall pic?)  

If you're posing with your back to the camera

We're not sure what exactly your back to the camera means, but we're assuming you're either shy, or more likely, are trying real hard to become a travel blogger. But travel profile pictures should be about more than just impressive scenery – we also want to see your lovely face. If you have a great photo of you looking dreamily over the Cliffs of Moher, put it on Insta or use it as a cover photo. For your profile pic, turn around, strike a pose and let your own beauty upstage Mother Nature.

If your whole profile pic is just a selfie

This COULD imply you're a loner but, don't worry, we're not that harsh. Even though getting a good picture can be a struggle when gallivanting solo, resist the urge to selfie. Unless you're blessed with impressively long arms, you won't be able to fit both your face and the beautiful scenery within frame (and if you were about to suggest using a selfie stick, perish the thought.) Instead, ask a nearby traveler to snap a quick pic – you'll get a better photo and you might even make a new friend.

If you're at the top of a mountain

Travel rule number one: if you take the time to climb a mountain, you deserve to take a picture on top of it. No one who has ever scaled a peak will begrudge you this moment. Mountaintop pictures say, "I'm athletic, adventurous and not afraid of heights. Also, I invested in a good pair of hiking shoes." So rock that profile picture atop the Swiss Alps – just make sure not to pose so close to the ledge that your life is endangered.

If you're wearing ethnic clothing

You're in dangerous territory, my friend. There's a fine line between being respectful of a location's culture and cultural appropriation. And to ride that line successfully, you're going to need to educate yourself. It's fine to take a picture wearing a sari or a kimono; it's less fine to take a picture of yourself wearing those pieces while binge-drinking. There's really no other way to say it than this: be respectful, and if you're white, don't come home from Jamaica with beaded cornrows in your hair.

If you're posing with an animal

We get it; you're an animal lover. And if, over the course of your travels, you happen to find a puppy that loves to pose, feel free to snap a couple of pictures. But you know, who doesn't love selfies? Wild animals – especially ones that are being held against their will and repeatedly used as photo props for unsuspecting tourists. Animal cruelty isn't cute, so don't pay money to pose with a monkey in a hat or a sad, drugged tiger in Thailand. Do everyone – especially the animals – a favor and let sleeping dogs (and cats and whales and camels) lie. The same logic applies to your Tinder pics.

If you're posing with food

Now we're talking. Food shots are a great way to show that you're interested in engaging with the culture of the place you're visiting. They're also an easy way to prove your daring – nothing says "badass" quite like a picture of you downing fried grasshoppers. And the best part is, when it comes to food pictures, the options are limitless. Lick an ice cream cone in front of the Louvre. Chow down on some chowder on the beach. The world is your oyster! (Bonus points if you make your travel profile picture a shot of you eating oysters.)

If you're posing somewhere ridiculously beautiful

Understood, your life is great – you get to prance around in a bikini in Bali while the rest of us are stuck freezing at home. Feel free to change your profile picture to one of you smiling cheerily atop Machu Picchu or something like that (#goals), just know that we all hate you and we're very jealous.

If you're flashing a peace sign

Of all the travel picture tropes, the two-fingered V is by far the most common. The popular hand signal has a rich and storied history, but is most frequently associated with Asian tourists and pissing off British citizens. Whether you're throwing up your deuces earnestly or ironically, we have only one suggestion for you: stop it. Your peace sign bit is completely overdone and suggests only that you're not confident enough to stand in front of a beautiful landmark and smile like a normal person. Cut it out.

Source: What Your Travel Profile Picture Says About You