As technology improves and evolves, we get more and more things we find we can never live without. Bathrooms. Motor carriages. Computers.

And though we are in the nascent period of our dependency on it, it’s still nonetheless easy to add one more thing to our list: online dating.

But like all those other wondrous advancements, along with it comes its own set of pitfalls, born of its unique place and purpose.

One such problem? The unfortunate fact that most photos are two-dimensional and some people – well, some people just look better staying that way. This leads to some optical illusions, so to speak, ones that may mislead your pants.

Here’s how it works: you write a bit about yourself; answer a couple questions to feed into the site’s matching algorithm (love that word!); and upload some pictures of yourself.

The fact of the matter is that only that last part really matters, regardless of what anyone tells you. To paraphrase a famous saying, there are two kinds of people in this world: the superficial and liars.

Attraction nearly always has to start on the physical level, then you want to find out more about the person. What you discover may make you want to get to know them more or not at all. But looks are the hook.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, I agree, but a cover can make you want to open one.

So my process starts with scanning a given person’s pictures then reading their profile. And that’s it.

ONE: Is she pretty? If yes–

TWO: Does her profile make it seem like I could carry an engaging conversation with her? If yes–

MESSAGE! Simple enough.

Profiles are easier to sniff out for faking. For example, anyone can claim to be nerdy by naming some obvious geek-loved show but not everyone can make some obscure reference to a brief moment in that show and create what is, in effect, a secret handshake for anyone else in the know.

Someone can lay claim to a variety of things but only someone sincere (or, inversely, a really great liar) can conceive a profile that as a whole lends these claims some trace of genuineness.

But photos – wow, those are a bitch to determine if they’re telling the ‘truth.’

You might be skimming some profiles and come across someone who looks absolutely stunning. You might strike up a conversation and end up meeting with them. And then when you actually meet them, they look nothing like their pictures!

How did this happen you ask? Simply put, you encountered someone who knows their best angle, their best lighting, and/or a hell of a lot of Photoshop.

It’s like the ol’ Bait and Switch except with a human being.

Sometimes, I feel like it would only be fair that they make everyone joining the site upload one of those fancy interactive photos that let you see their face from all angles – you know, show you what you’re getting yourself into or what you’re letting into you.

But then I realize that if that were to happen, I’d be getting a lot less dates – KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON, FOLKS!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to take some photos with dim lighting; my head tilted down and to the side; and a hell of a lot of Photoshop.