Yeah, always be real. The goal here is NOT to create a virtual world of online personalities, a mask, if you will. I really think the goal is to be more real, and get what you want. When I see someone with fake picture, (like a celebrity or sth), it makes me think this person has low self confidence. On all my networks I use my own photo... the color is just.. ah, I think it looks nice... Having said that, on Facebook I sometimes use funny pictures, since all my frends are on there, they know me in real life, .. I try to post pictures that I think are funny, make them laugh..

I prefer real photos on italki because I want to know who I'm talking to. If your picture is a of a cat, the sky, a pretty landscape, a dolphin, or even a celebrity, then I am going to be unlikely to want to chat to you. After all, we don't walk around in the street or go to social events in disguise, do we? So why do it on here?

oh, to be honest , it's really hard to give a specific answer,because many persons think it's honest if you use the real picture,but actually some one don't like to show the private stuff in public, and i respect all these,open our mind ,ok

I think it's fine if you want to put a picture of a cat, but don't put a picture of a person who isn't you, it's kind of like tricking other people. Anyway if someone wouldn't talk to you if they knew how you look, you probably shouldn't be talking to them...