When you've chosen the online dating website that's right for you and written that oh-so-fascinating profile, the last step will be posting a personals photo to catch the eye of other interested members. This is usually the step sure to make or break the deal. There are several classic personals photo mistakes that are made by an astonishing number of otherwise intelligent people. Read on so that you avoid these classic online personals photo blunders.

• Don't post a nearly naked personals photo

  (Unless you're on a specifically adults-only site where this is expected, in which case anything goes). In general, a personals photo of a man bare-chested is interpreted as "egomaniac in love with his own body." A woman posing in lingerie or a bikini screams "I'm looking for a one-night stand. Please take advantage of me."
  
  

• No personals photos with your drunken friends.

  This says, "I'm still in college frat mode."
  
  

• No personals photos where you've had to cut out a date.

  This says, "I can't be bothered to get a new personals photo taken, and I've so recently been dumped that these photos from last week are the best I can do."
  
  

• Personals photos of you in a tux (men) or a gown (women) should be avoided.

  If the only decent personals photo you have is from last year's friend's wedding, people will be left to wonder a) why you have no other social life and b) what you look like in real clothing.
  
  

• No personals photos in sunglasses and a hat.

  If you're trying to hide that much of yourself, why bother posting the personals photo at all?
  
  

• No personals photographs with your car, please!

  Really, if we're that shallow, we'll just check out your income and be done with it.
  
  

• No personals pictures that don’t accurately represent the toll the aging process has taken.

  Your personals photo may be a picture of you, but if it doesn’t show what you look like now, people will get annoyed.
  
  

• Your personals pictures should not be a self-portrait.

  Any personals photo taken at arm's length with your webcam or digital camera late at night looks lazy. Do you have no friends? Was your personals photo something done in a moment of madness at 2:00 am?
  
  

• Ladies, no personals photos with your large family of cats.

  Trust us, men will turn away in droves from the thought of a small apartment with a family of cats inhabiting every nook and cranny.
  
  

• Don’t include your parents in your personals photo.

  A close family may be appealing, but apron strings so tight they are attached to your Nikon are frightening.
  
  

• No personals photos that feature you as merely a speck in front of majestic scenery.

  While it's interesting that you climbed Mt. Fuji, we want to see you, not the mountain.

So, what should you do? Simple: post a personals photo that honestly and accurately shows off what you look like. Recent, in focus, and up close. While a personals photo that hides a perceived imperfection in your appearance might get you a date, chances are you will have completely eliminated your chance at a second date if someone feels you were not being honest with him or her.

Plus, wouldn’t you rather have people contact you because they are interested in the real you? After all, that is what online dating is all about.