How to take a body/face photo
Please make sure to read the recommendations very carefully before asking for advice on any of your beauty types.
Body
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the photo should look exactly the one pictured here
include your entire body head to toe
arms by your sides, but not obscuring your hips
hair behind your shoulders
feet together
take the photo at chest height, not below or above
disclose if you have had any plastic surgery, or body-altering surgery. this won’t affect your type, but it might throw off your analyst. If possible, send some pre-surgery examples in addition to the current photos.
do wear
underwear/bikini or tight fitting sportswear
a skin-tight vest (camisole) with no bra + leggings/bikini-bottoms is the best combination
wear plain garments
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do not exclude any part of your body in your photo including feet or head
do not pose e.g. with your hand on your hip, shift to one leg, move your body at angle
do not take the photo at a downward or upward angle. the camera should be taken at chest height and include your entire body. if your body will not fit, you must stand further back
do not send side portraits or photos of you from behind, these don’t help I would rather you focus on getting the full body photo right
do not send a mirror selfie
do not remove the background of your image, or modify the image
do not wear
loose fitting garments
a vest/top that does not cling to your bust or waist
a top which obscures your shoulders
a-tshirt
loose-fitting trousers
leggings which flare at the ankle
bold prints
swimwear with ruffles or similar detailing that changes the shape
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rather than taking the photo from the floor or an upward cabinet, tables and window ledges tend to be the right height. tripods are best, but stacking books is also effective!
Face (essence)
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try to emulate a passport photo as much as you can
make sure you face the camera straight on
take the photo at arms length+ to avoid distortion
have a blank facial expression
pin back your fringe
send multiple pictures - one without a smile (this is very important) and one with
send an extra photo of your side profile
hold your camera at a straight angle, not downward or upward - even slightly
let me know if you have had any plastic or face-altering surgery. this won’t affect your analysis but it might throw me off if I don’t know about it. if possible, send some pre-surgery examples in addition to the current photos.
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do not wear makeup
do not pose at a more flattering angle i.e. tilted to the side
do not forget to send a picture where you are NOT smiling, this is the most important one
do not wear glasses
do not take the picture in a dark room
do not squint your eyes
do not send a photo with a filter on
do not worry about how you look - its normal for this to feel a bit uncomfortable. I’ve even included a picture of me on a spotty day here because it’s okay if you’re not looking your best!
Face (colour)
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try to emulate a passport photo as much as you can
make sure you face the camera straight on
take the photo in natural light, outside is best. if not by a bright window
face the light source
if outside, submerge your body in the shade and face the sun
take the picture with a blank background, white is best
make sure I can see the colour of your eyes as this is the most likely to be obscured
if you have dyed your hair, eyebrows, lashes or had any other colour enhancements please let me know when you send your photos
wear white or nothing close to your face
make sure the photo looks accurate to YOU before you send it
take 2-5 photos in multiple locations to be sure
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do not wear makeup
do not wear glasses
do not take the picture in a dark room
do not face away from the light (whether outside or inside)
don't take the picture in golden hour, if your photo has a golden glow go into the shade and face the light
do not squint your eyes so I cannot assess the colour
do not send a photo which has a filter on: neither face-enhancing or colour-changing types of filter
do not wear a coloured top close to your face
do not worry about how you look - its normal for this to feel a bit uncomfortable. I’ve even included a picture of me on a spotty day here because it’s okay if you’re not looking your best!
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Is any portion of my face shaded? -> face the light
Is there a glow from a warm light (whether it be the sun or a light source) which is affecting the colours in this photo -> turn off the light / go into the shade and face the light
Can I see my eye colour clearly? -> take a more high quality photo / better face the light or bring the light source closer
Outfits
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send a range of photos
different angles
different locations
different types of clothing: dresses, tops, shorts, trousers, flared, skinny, cropped, long etc - whatever you have but a range
send outfits you feel good in AND outfits you feel bad in
you should be wearing the clothes in the photos
do send entire outfits head to toe
“real” photos of you, unposed for this specific project - just pictures of you out at dinner, with friends etc are fine!
send 5-10 photos
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do not send a picture of you in just a dress or top/jeans - an outfit is the whole picture including bag, shoes, jacket - how you would wear it out
do not worry about the outfits being ‘good’ or ‘stylish’
do not send pictures of just your top half for your outfit pictures, I need to see how clothes fall on your body
do not send mirror selfies
general
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make sure the photo looks accurate to YOU before you send it
take the photos fresh if possible as they are more likely to be accurate (except for outfit photos)
if you are not sure, send multiple - its better to have too many than too few
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do not worry about how you look - everyone finds this process a little strange! I look at photos like this every day, and I do not judge any photo that reaches my desk. It is uncomfortable to see ourselves in our most raw, un-photogenic form, but you are completely normal I promise!