There’s a reason beauty photography looks so polished and luxurious — it’s intentional. From model selection to lighting to color grading, every detail matters when you’re building out a brand campaign.

In this post, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I prep, light, and shoot a beauty photoshoot from start to finish. This is the exact process I’ve used for paid brand work and creative campaigns that have helped me build a trusted, sought-after portfolio. If you’re a photographer or videographer looking to level up your beauty work, keep reading — and don’t miss the YouTube video where I walk you through the full BTS on set.

1. Pre-Production: Build the Vision First

Before I touch a camera or book a model, I start with creative direction. Beauty campaigns live and die by visuals, so I’m asking questions like:

• What’s the story or mood?
• Is this for social, packaging, web, or retail?
• What colors and textures support the brand’s identity?

I build a custom moodboard for every shoot that aligns the entire team — makeup, model, wardrobe, and client — around one unified vision. This ensures we’re not just creating pretty photos, but photos that sell a product and build a brand.

2. Casting: The Right Face Makes the Frame

For beauty campaigns, skin is everything. I cast models based on skin texture, bone structure, and expression. It’s less about popularity and more about how well their features fit the brand vibe and lighting setup.

This is especially key when working with high-shine looks or minimal makeup. You want someone who can carry a clean, close-up shot and still look expressive.

3. Lighting: Clean, Crisp, and Intentional

Lighting is everything in beauty photography. It shapes the skin, defines the product, and sets the overall tone of the campaign.

For most of my beauty shoots, I rely on three go-to lighting setups that give me versatility while keeping the skin looking flawless. In the full BTS video, I break down:

• My favorite modifiers
• How I position the key, fill, and background lights
• What I change depending on skin tone or product

Want my exact lighting diagrams, gear list, and go-to camera settings?

Grab the free Beauty Lighting Guide to steal my setups and recreate them in your own studio.

4. Composition: Less Is More

With beauty photography, you don’t need a busy frame. In fact, most beauty campaigns use clean crops, simple poses, and tight framing to keep the focus on the face and product.

I always shoot a mix of horizontal and vertical to give brands variety for web and social. I also capture detail shots because these often become ad assets later on.

5. Retouching: Keep It Real

Retouching in the beauty world isn’t about making the skin look fake. It’s about refining what’s already there — cleaning up distractions while preserving skin texture.

My retouching process usually includes high-frequency separation, dodging and burning, and lots of zooming in. I keep it natural because brands are moving away from overly filtered looks and toward real skin, real light, and real connection.

Want to See the Full Process?

I filmed the entire process so you can watch it in action.

🎥 Watch now: Behind the Scenes — Beauty Photoshoot Lighting & Planning

In the video, I break down:

• My pre-production process
• Creative Direction tips
• Live commentary from shoot day

Whether you’re building your first beauty portfolio or looking to elevate your lighting game, you’ll find tons of insight inside.

Download the Free Beauty Lighting Guide

If you want to skip the trial-and-error phase and light like a pro, download my free Beauty Lighting Guide. It includes:

• 3 go-to lighting diagrams for beauty photography
• Foolproof camera settings for clean, crisp skin tones
• My favorite gear and modifiers
• Tips to execute with confidence — even on a tight timeline

Beauty work is an art and a science. When you combine strong creative direction with intentional lighting and detail-focused execution, you start producing work that brands trust and pay for.

Let this blog and video be your blueprint. Now go build something beautiful.