Semi-permanent makeup artist Nez Hasan shares her tips for taking better before-and-after photos of lash services – from lighting and angles, to equipment and editing.
Why are before-and-after photos of lashes important?
In the beauty industry, clients buy with their eyes – so showcasing lash results on your social media with high-quality photos is essential. A good photo instantly shows professionalism and builds trust. If someone stops scrolling because of your image, that’s a sign your photo has just won you a new client.
What is the best lighting for taking lash photos?
Over the years, I’ve found a few key things that make all the difference when capturing before-and-after lash shots. Good lighting on the face is crucial – natural daylight if possible – and always use a clean background.
Keeping your angles consistent is also really important. I like using a slight tilt when taking close-ups of the face and eyes, and for lashes, it’s essential to get shots with the eyes both open and closed.
For lighting, I use a ring light – specifically a dimmable elf ring light. I either position it directly over the client’s face or angle it slightly.
Natural light is great too, but I avoid direct sunlight because it can create harsh highlights and shadows. If you can combine natural light with your ring light, that can work beautifully, but it’s all about testing what suits your space.
What are the best tools for taking photos of lashes?
I actually use my smartphone for all my photos. It’s so much easier to edit quickly, stay organised and post on social media.
I often go back to old images to repost them or use them in my Instagram Stories, especially if I have a special offer to promote – it’s great having everything right there on my phone.
There are also some affordable tools I’d recommend. A phone holder for a ring light is amazing and super affordable; usually between £20 and £40.
It’s compact and easy to travel with. Phone tripods are also great for keeping your hand steady, and if you want really sharp close-ups, clip-on macro lenses make a big difference.
What are the best angles for taking lash photos?
When it comes to angles, my go-to for closed-eye images is the overhead shot. It gives a symmetrical view of the lashes.
But my favourite overall is a 45-degree tilt from the side; it really brings out the cheekbones and temples, and clients love how flattering it is when I post on social.
I get clients to lie flat on the bed with their head centred and tilted slightly downward. I adjust my camera to the right angle rather than moving their face, so I’m not capturing the nose and jaw by accident.
I’ll also use gridlines on my phone to frame the eyes the same way every time, and I keep the lighting setup identical for both before and after shots.
More tips and tricks for taking the best lash photos
Editing is minimal for me; I might brighten a dull image or sharpen it to highlight the lashes, but I never alter the results.
If I’m not happy with a photo, I just don’t use it. I won’t add filters or change skin tone because altering an image makes it look low quality and dishonest.
I always get consent before taking and sharing photos. Every client gets a form before their treatment, and if they don’t want their full face shown online, then I’ll crop the image and let them approve it before I post it.
I also try to make them feel at ease by guiding them gently through the process and showing them how beautiful they look.
And finally, when posting on social media, I try to keep a clean, consistent layout. I tell the story behind the look – what the client asked for and how I achieved it. Sharing both before and after photos is key because clients want to see the transformation, not just the end result.
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Nez Hasan is a renowned semi-permanent makeup artist who has 10 years’ experience in the beauty industry. She has a passion for enhancing natural beauty and offers a range of treatments to an international client base, as well as training courses for professionals.
