So you met a guy on a dating app, or your best friend introduced you. You had fun on your first date, and when you got home, a smile wouldn’t leave your face. You knew you were developing a crush from day one.
Then you started texting, he asked you for a pic, and his compliments on the selfie you sent him made you giggle and blush. Now you’re debating whether or not to send him that picture your friend took earlier where you look amazing.
It’s natural to be cautious when you really like a guy. You don’t want to push him away by doing too much, too soon.
When it comes to pictures, if you’re worried that a guy might think you’re trying too hard by sending too many or too soon, most of the time, there’s nothing to worry about.
Do guys like when you send them pictures of yourself, or should you only send one when he asks for it? Here’s what to do.
Do Guys Like When You Send Them Pictures Of Yourself?
There’s a definite answer to the question, “Do guys like when you send them pictures of yourself?” Out of a hundred guys, 99 would say, “Yes, please!” That one guy who’d say no is a downer who shouldn’t be counted, or he’s the type to prefer memes over cute girls.
Guys are visual creatures who enjoy looking at stuff. This isn’t to say that girls don’t, but for guys, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. In fact, if you haven’t sent a guy you’ve been talking to pics, he’s going to ask you for one or many.
(With some guys, it’s just a matter of time before they ask you to send nudes.)
Why Does A Guy Like To See Pictures Of You?
So, yes, every guy wants a girl he likes to send him pictures. Snapchat, WhatsApp, text messages, he uses them all in the hopes you’ll respond with a picture. Here’s why.
1. He thinks you’re attractive.
Obviously, one of the main reasons a guy would like to see your picture is because he thinks you’re attractive.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re already in a relationship and if he sees you often, or if you’ve only just started talking and getting to know each other, he likes the way you look and wants to see more of it.
Physical attraction is a key part of a relationship, as long as that’s not all there is. And even then, it’s not a bad thing if you’re interested in him for the same reason – because you find him attractive – and not because you’re looking for something deeper.
2. He likes you.
When a guy likes you and has a romantic interest in you, he loves seeing you looking and feeling good. If you send him pictures where you look happy, he’ll cherish them, and they’ll also make him smile.
A guy who likes you will show you his feelings in more ways than one. His messages will focus on your personality more than your looks, but he’ll enjoy it when you send him a picture.
3. He’s flirting.
You’ll know when he starts to flirt with you over text. Cheesy pick-up lines, good morning and good night messages, emojis, and private messages to comment on your social media posts.
He’ll find any excuse to let you know he’s thinking about you and thinks you’re stunning, beautiful, flawless, etc.
A guy who’s flirting with you won’t respond calmly to a picture you send him of yourself. He’ll praise it to high heavens and generally act as if it’s the first picture he’s seen in his life, just so he makes sure you know that he’s into you.
4. He likes seeing you.
In a relationship where you get to see each other regularly, he wants to see more of you.
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, your pictures and videos are all he has when he wants to see you when you’re too busy to video chat. It’s the same for you as well, so you can understand his feelings.
Being apart from your significant other is hard, and seeing your pictures brings him comfort and makes him miss you more at the same time.
5. It cheers him up.
Seeing a picture of you cheers him up and makes him smile. When he’s had a stressful day, a notification saying that you’ve shared an image with him can make him feel better. Getting a selfie with a good morning message from you can give him energy for the whole day.
This is because he likes you, and seeing your face is a source of comfort for him. After all, when people like someone, they become even more beautiful in our eyes, and looking at them soothes us and brings us happiness.
6. He’s curious what you’re up to.
When a guy has an interest in your life, he likes it when you keep him up to date with what you’ve been up to.
If you send him pics taken somewhere you’ve visited or captured something you’ve been doing, he’ll want more, especially if you don’t see each other a lot.
He’s probably interested and into you, but keep in mind that he might also be nosy or jealous. You can figure out which one it is from what he says about the pictures you’ve sent and the questions he asks.
7. It makes him feel special.
Guys especially like it when you send them pictures that you haven’t already uploaded on social media and don’t plan to. When it’s only for him, for his eyes, it makes him feel like you have a special place for him that other people aren’t privy to.
It makes him happy to know that you share things with him. For example, he’ll love it when you share pics of ordinary things.
A picture of you living your life is a way of including him in it. If he’s interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you, that’s what he’s after.
8. He wants to get to know you better.
When you’re just getting to know someone, especially if your relationship is mainly through text, sharing pictures can help bring you closer.
Putting a face to the words you’re exchanging with someone helps you deepen the relationship and make it feel more real.
The things you talk about and share with each other make you connect with each other, but without pictures, it can seem a little abstract.
When he looks at your pictures later, he’ll think about you and the things you talked about, and the intimacy between you will deepen.
9. It shows him you’re thinking about him.
What better way to let him know he’s on your mind than to send him a picture of yourself doing something fun? If you take the time away from something you’re enjoying to take a pic to send it to him, he’ll feel happy and loved.
Everyone gets a little insecure, so confirmation that he’s important to you might be exactly what he needs. Besides, it’s great to remind the people you care for that they’re on your mind.
10. He wants to make sure you are who you say you are.
A guy might be asking you for pictures to make sure he’s not being catfished. If you’ve met online and haven’t seen each other in person, he might be a little suspicious, especially if he asked to meet and you wouldn’t.
To confirm that you are who you say you are, he might ask you for pictures in specific situations to ensure that you’re not using someone else’s.
If you’re reluctant to meet him for some reason, and it’s not just circumstance, be careful before you share too much.
What Kind Of Pics To Send To A Guy, And What To Avoid
When you send pics to a guy, you should be careful when picking the types of pictures you share. They send a message, and you present yourself and what you want from the relationship with the pictures you choose to send.
Here are the dos and don’ts of sharing pictures with guys.
DOs
• A picture of your face.
Nothing really compares to a picture of the face of someone you like. Looking into their eyes, noticing all the little details that make up their features means comfort and closeness.
• Pics of your real smile.
Whatever mood you’re in is worth capturing in a picture, but there’s nothing quite like a genuine smile to make him happy. He’ll treasure such a picture for a long time.
• A picture that’s only for him.
He’ll be thrilled if you take a picture just for him. Share something that’s only between you and him, and don’t post it on social media later, no matter how cute the picture turns out.
• A picture you just took.
Send him a picture of the moment and yourself in it. Don’t send him something from your gallery that’s been on Instagram for two weeks that everyone has already seen. Instead, share a present moment with him.
Keep him up to date with what’s going on with you. Snap a pic of the line you’re waiting in or the delicious coffee you’re drinking.
• Pics to make him get to know you.
Send him pictures of something uniquely you that will make him get to know who you are and start a conversation. Your favorite flower, your cat, or a project you’re working on will do the trick.
• Something you talked about.
If you talked about something interesting that came up later, snap a pic and send it to him. If you’ve visited a place he recommended or if you’re listening to a song he loves, let him know.
• OOTD.
Take a picture of your outfit and ask him what he thinks. Most guys like anything you’re wearing if it suits you, but it’s a way to let him know he’s on your mind.
• A picture of yourself with friends.
When you’re spending time with good friends, share a pic with him of you all together. If any guy friends are in the picture, he’ll know you’re just friends before he starts wondering.
DON’Ts
• Don’t send too many pics.
If you’re still in the flirting and getting-to-know-you stage, don’t send him pictures of yourself on a daily basis. If you do it too often, he’ll get used to it, and you want to keep it special.
Besides, he’ll want a thousand when he falls in love with you.
• No poses, filters, funny faces, or fake feelings.
Pictures where you’re making kissy faces and Instagram poses should be kept for social media if you’re hoping to develop a relationship with a guy.
Instead of posed smiles, send him pictures where he can see your genuine expressions. Be cute and flirty in a natural way.
• Don’t send pics you’re uncomfortable with.
If he asks you for a certain picture you don’t feel comfortable taking or sharing with him, you don’t have to. Maybe you’re not sure about his intentions, maybe he’s sending you mixed signals, and you don’t feel secure, and maybe you simply don’t want to.
Either way, he’s not entitled to anything you don’t want to do.
• No NSFW unless he asks for them.
Don’t send him unsolicited nudes. That kind of thing isn’t okay if a man does it, and it’s not okay if a woman does it either. Only share explicit pictures if he tells you he wants them.
Think about it this way: how would you feel if he sent you a dirty picture of himself without asking you if you wanted it? Ewww, am I right?
• Don’t send nudes too soon or if you’re not sure.
When you decide that you’re going to send him nudes, make sure you trust him before doing it. Think about what will happen to the picture when it’s in his hands.
How long have you known him? Is he going to share them with anyone? Do you believe that he’ll respect you and not abuse your trust?
Also, sending nudes doesn’t imply you’ll have sex with him. Make sure he knows that and that it’s a whole nother thing.
What Does It Mean When His Reaction Isn’t Good?
If his reaction to a picture you thought he’d love is kind of disappointing, don’t let it make you feel bad. It’s not a big deal. You shouldn’t feel any insecurity if he repeats what he’s said before or if his reaction seems lackluster.
• HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. There are many ways to give compliments, but it can be hard to quickly think of the perfect response. Some people have trouble expressing themselves, and he might be struggling to come up with something to say.
• HE’S AWKWARD. Was his comment just an emoji or “Cute, tbh,” or “lol” to a picture that isn’t supposed to be funny at all? It’s highly likely that he’s just awkward and doesn’t know what to say even though he likes you.
• HE’S TOXIC. On the other hand, there are toxic guys who put women down because it gives them a feeling of superiority. Don’t fall for it. The problem is that it’s difficult to pay attention to the tone of words online. Some comments can sometimes sound mean when they aren’t, or vice versa.
• HE’S NOT INTERESTED. If he weren’t interested, he’d probably just ignore your picture. In this case, you’d be able to tell because there would be plenty of other signs.
• HE FEELS PRESSURE. If he feels obligated to think of a compliment to text back every time, getting your pics will give him anxiety instead of making him happy. Let him know it’s fine if his comment sounds awkward, and keep in mind that he just might be someone who isn’t good with words.
Why Does A Guy Send You Pictures Of Himself?
Do you like it when a guy sends you a picture of himself? He’s probably wondering how you feel about it, the same way you do when you send one to him.
1. He likes you.
He sends you pictures of himself for the same reason he wants to see yours: he’s interested in you and wants you to be interested in him. He’s hoping you’ll like his pics as much as he likes yours and that something will start developing between you.
2. To show you his good looks.
If he’s handsome, or at least thinks he is, or simply likes the way he looks in the pics he sends, sharing his picture is a way of telling you, “Look how good I look.”
He might be looking for validation, he might be a narcissist, but the most likely explanation is that he’s feeling himself and wants to show off for you.
3. He’s curious about your opinion of him.
If he’s into you, he definitely wants to impress you. What is he doing in the picture? Is he looking good or being good at something? When he’s trying to showcase his looks and skills, he wants to know what you think about him and if you like what you see.
4. He hopes you’ll send pictures of yourself back.
If you haven’t shared pics of yourself with him yet, maybe he can’t think of a way to ask you. He’s counting on the reciprocity – if he sends you a picture, you might send one back. If it doesn’t work the first time, he might try again. Have mercy on him and send him a selfie.
5. It’s his way of saying hi.
If he’s sending you pics of himself doing something, he’s giving you insight into his personal life. In this way, he’s letting you know that he’s thinking about you. He’s checking in and making sure you’ve noticed him. Send a picture of yourself to say hi back.
6. He wants to include you in his life.
If he’s sending you selfies doing his daily routine or pictures of whatever’s in front of him, he’s trying to include you in his life because he wants you to be part of it. He sees you as dating material, and he’s letting you know that there’s a place for you with him.
7. He’s trying to have sex with you.
When he sends a sexy photo, he’s trying to initiate sexting or excite you enough to make plans to meet up. Shirtless pics are obvious thirst traps, but don’t forget that cozy bed selfies or casual bathroom selfies are also invitations.
8. He’s a creep
If he sends you an unwanted naked picture, he’s undeniably a creep. Sending a nude photo or, even worse, a close-up of his penis you didn’t consent to see isn’t even a red flag; it’s instant bye, boy.
Whatever he’s trying to accomplish, don’t let him. Just tell him you’re sending the picture to his mom and his boss.
Pretty As A Picture
Sometimes we look for relationship advice even when the answer should be obvious, such as when you’re wondering, “Do guys like when you send them pictures of yourself?”
You know they do, but there are lots of other things to take into account. When is it too soon? When is it too much? What if he doesn’t like my picture?
The subtleties of communication, especially online, can be hard to figure out. It can be especially delicate if you like a guy and are hoping your relationship will go somewhere.
This article exists just for that purpose: to serve as a guide when you’re unsure whether or not you should tap send and to make it easier for you to get the result you want.