A perfectly swiped arm swatch, a monochrome flat lay or a macro lens shot of a bold lip. We have all scrolled past mesmerizing beauty imagery on Instagram, but what exactly did it take to get the shot? We have compiled a list of essential beauty photography tools that every photographer uses at our beauty marketing agency, so your next image is sure to captivate your audience on all social media platforms.

A Beauty Photographer’s Starter Pack

Camera

The Canon 5D Mark IV is used for all in-house shoots at the Taylor & Pond studio! It’s an absolute workhorse with amazing features such as a full frame sensor, 3.2 inch touch screen and autofocus. All of which are crucial features to capturing your next beauty photo!

Lenses

• Canon 50mm f/1.4 is a very versatile lens. The 50mm provides a clean, wide angle when shooting product imagery. I normally use this lens when shooting flat lay images because it ensures I will get all of the products in frame.
• Tamron 90mm f/2.8 is used for all macro photography product shots. Macro lenses are used when you want to get as close as you can to a product without losing any detail. This lens is my go-to for lip or swatch images because it captures the true tone and color of the cosmetics.

Backdrops

Here at Taylor & Pond, we have a plethora of backdrops. Acrylic backdrops are a favorite among the photographers, as they are a reflective material which creates strong dimension in photographs.

Lighting

It’s important to understand lighting when it comes to beauty product photography so you can achieve the desired effect in your photo. First, you have to decide between natural vs. artificial lighting. If you’re decide to use artificial light, you have to set up additional lighting. In our photo studio, we have four lights that are connected to a power box in order to create a strong flash. In addition to the lights, we have umbrellas that are used to diffuse the harshness of the light. Umbrellas are also used to fill the light if it happens to be uneven.

Get Your Beauty Photography Tools Ready!

Glue Dots

These little guys are a lifesaver when it comes to keeping beauty products in place while shooting. When using glue dots, small lipsticks or objects won’t move around so you’re consistently capturing a brand’s logo and important product features.

Gloves

Gloves are essential when it comes to handling products. Most beauty packaging involve some sort of reflective surface, so less fingerprints equals less editing in post production!

White Boards

White boards allow us to control the reflection of light when it comes to reflective packaging. If you’re shooting a product that has a shadow or a reflective logo that you need it to light up, you can play with the white board’s positioning until you find the sweet spot where the light will bounce off the board and onto the product.

Palette Knives

Palette knives are used for all things makeup swatching! I use a palette knife to extract products like eyeshadow, blush or lipstick from its packaging to begin swatching. The knife’s flat edge makes is seamless for beauty imagery because there’s no inconsistencies and you can get the most opaque color payoff.

Interested in learning more photo tips? Check out our Photography category to read more!