Last year, over 30% of all minisocial.io micro influencer collaborations were in the beauty or personal care category. These campaigns paired brands like Native, Pure Silk, Vesca, and Hilma with incredibly talented creatives and produced some of our favorite shots of the year. Like all things though, getting started as a photographer, creative, or influencer focusing on beauty products can be daunting to a beginner so we called up @laura.craffey, one of our favorite creators on Instagram who focuses on beauty, fashion, and lifestyle and asked her to share some of her tips to produce world class content featuring your favorite beauty brands.
Tip #1: Maintain Visual Consistency
Keep the quality of light the same, using the same light source so your work looks cohesive as a grid or portfolio. I primarily shoot luxury beauty products, so I prefer to use direct natural light and hard flash work due to the style of the product. This kind of light helps to tell the story of the product by keeping it elevated and chic.
Find your color story and stick to it, whether it be muted, vibrant, cool, or warm.
Select products that pair well together (brands with similar packaging designs, similar price points).
Tip #2: Get Handsy
Adding some human element can take an average product photo and bring it to life. Could be a hand reaching for a product or some simple shadow play. Side note: make sure the hands are moisturized and clean!
Tip #3: Use Props
Simple jewelry works great to make the product and photo look more elegant + classy.
Use of simple plants like pampas grass or bunny tails are great to give the photo a more “natural feel,” especially if you’re shooting clean beauty!
Add a cup of coffee or glass of wine for an early morning/late night feel.
Invest in some backdrops for flatlays. A simple piece of fabric always looks classy, or you could pick up a small piece of marble tile from Home Depot for less than $5.
Tip #4: Experiment with Shooting/Editing Styles
I love to add a little grain for a more vintage-y, film feel. I’ll also bring down the Clarity just a smidge to give the image a more hazy, dreamy look. This ultimately softens the image and makes it easier to look at. I created my own presets (001 + 002 pack on my website (https://lauracraffey.co/presets)) that help speed up the editing process and keep my work cohesive!
Blurring an image on purpose can be a fun experiment to play with, as the result feels almost natural and dreamlike.
Keep it natural - avoid increasing clarity, sharpening, or texture – it can make the image look crunchy, overly filtered, and will emphasize any dust or imperfections.
Make the spot healing tool your best friend. It’s amazing the difference cleaning up little spots of dust + dirt can make!
Connect with @laura.craffey
Want to see more from @laura.craffey? We don’t blame you.
Check out her main Instagram, photography Instagram, YouTube, website, and presets.