How to take a standardized before photo
Results are only obvious when your after photos are taken the exact same way as your before. Two minutes now makes your 6-week progress impossible to miss.
Why consistency matters
Drag the handle. When lighting, angle, and framing are locked, real change is unmistakable. Inconsistent photos hide your progress.
Actual DermaReverse study participant — before and after 6 weeks.
Unedited photos of an actual study participant in DermaReverse's medical journal published clinical study. Photos taken in standardized lighting with standardized photographic equipment.
The four rules
Lock these four things and every photo — today and months from now — will line up.
Same light
Soft, even daylight is best. Avoid direct sun, harsh overhead light, or a bright window behind you.
Same height & distance
Hold the camera at eye level, about an arm's length away. Straight on — not tilted up or down.
All three angles
Direct, then left profile, then right profile — the same way each time. Guide below.
Plain background
A blank wall keeps the focus on your skin and keeps lighting consistent shot to shot.
Your three angles
Take the same three shots every time. Tap each one to see how to line it up.
Direct — face the camera
Look straight ahead, chin level. Center your nose on the guide line, with a little space above your head and below your chin. Neutral expression.
Left profile — turn to your right
Turn so the camera sees your left cheek and jawline. Keep your nose on the center line and your chin level — the same turn each time.
Right profile — turn to your left
Now the camera sees your right cheek and jawline. Match the same turn and framing as the left so the two sides are comparable over time.
Do this, not that
Flip the switch to see the difference each factor makes.
Step by step
About two minutes, start to finish.
Pick your spot
Find a blank wall with soft, even daylight. Note where you stand and where the phone sits so you can return to it each time.
Frame the direct shot
Phone at eye level, arm's length, held straight. Center your face and take two or three.
Turn for both profiles
Same distance and height, turn left then right. Match the framing on both sides.
Save the set
Make an album named "Aforé progress" and add all three shots. Repeat on the same day each month.
Quick checklist before you snap
You're all set 🎉
Photos taken? Perfect. Next up: get the most out of every application.
See how to use DermaReverse →