How to take the best before-and-after photos of your clients

Taking great before-and-after pictures can bring more objectivity to the work you do. It gives you the opportunity to further engage with clients and reassure them that the treatment is working.

Taking photos can add 10 minutes to your treatment session, but will be well worth the effort. It’s best to include the client’s consent to be photographed for personal or commercial reasons in your main consent form. 

To ensure the images look good, find a neutral-coloured, well-lit, wall with at least a yard of unobstructed space on either side of a fixed mechanical stadiometer. A stadiometer is a piece of equipment used for measuring human height. You’ll also need a couple of lightweight chairs, which can be moved, and a smartphone for taking the images.

You’ll need both front and side views taken before, and after, each set of treatments. It’s good to take snaps within the session too. 

Make sure the client’s back is straight for consistent repeat photo angles. If you’re dealing with double chins, for example, it’s best to position the tip of the nose on the edge of the stadiometer while bending the neck mid-way between the best and worst positions.

Make a note of the stadiometer height for repeat sessions and always take the photo in line with the stadiometer bar, with no hair or clothes obstructing the area you’ll be working on. 

Dr Bala Raju has been managing CQC-registered private clinics for 10 years. His main aesthetics clinic is KenKala in Kensington’s Royal Garden Hotel Health Club.