Los Angeles Beauty Photoshoot: What Brands Should Know Before Booking a Photographer

4 days ago

4 min read

Los Angeles is basically a giant playground for beauty brands.

Models? Everywhere.

Studios? Everywhere.

Hair and makeup talent? Everywhere.

Creatives? Definitely everywhere.

That sounds like planning a beauty photoshoot in LA should be easy.

And it can be.

But having a million options also means a campaign can become unnecessarily complicated very quickly.

I am a commercial beauty and fashion photographer who works between Dallas and Los Angeles, and I have photographed everything from small beauty productions to sets with 20+ people.

If your company is planning a Los Angeles beauty photoshoot, here are the things worth figuring out before everyone shows up at the studio.

Start With the Campaign, Not the Studio

One of the easiest ways to waste money is booking a beautiful studio before determining what the campaign actually requires.

That huge daylight loft might look amazing online.

But what if we are shooting controlled studio beauty imagery on seamless paper all day?

Maybe we do not need 4,000 square feet and twelve windows.

On the other hand, if we are creating beauty, lifestyle and video content with multiple sets, dressing areas and a large crew, suddenly space matters a LOT.

Figure out your creative needs first.

Then choose the location.

Know How Many People Are Coming

Commercial sets grow quickly.

A seemingly simple beauty shoot can include:

Photographer.

Photo assistant.

Digital tech.

Producer.

Creative director.

Art director.

Brand team.

Makeup artist.

Hairstylist.

Wardrobe stylist.

Models.

Videographer.

Video assistant.

That studio that looked huge during the location scout starts feeling very different once 15 people, equipment carts, wardrobe racks and lunch arrive.

Crew size affects studio size, parking, power needs, equipment, timing and budget.

Los Angeles Gives You Access to Incredible Talent

One of the biggest advantages of shooting a beauty campaign in Los Angeles is the creative talent pool.

There are experienced beauty models, makeup artists, hairstylists, stylists, producers and crew members who understand commercial production.

For brands, that means we can build the team around the specific campaign rather than trying to make one team fit everything.

A hair campaign might require a very different crew than a cosmetics campaign.

A skincare launch may have different casting needs than a lifestyle campaign.

Build around the work.

Your Shot List Determines Your Schedule

"We only need ten photos."

Famous last words.

Ten final images can require significantly more than ten setups.

Maybe one product needs three lighting variations.

Maybe each model needs individual portraits plus group shots.

Maybe we need horizontal and vertical versions.

Maybe there is video.

Maybe one hero image requires a full lighting reset.

The number of final delivered images does not always tell me how complicated the shoot will be.

The actual shot list does.

Decide Early If You Need Photo AND Video

Please do not wait until shoot morning to mention that you would love "a few quick video clips too."

😂

Video may require:

Different lights.

Different camera settings.

Different support equipment.

Different movement.

More media storage.

Additional crew.

More shoot time.

It does not always require a massive production, but it does need to be planned.

I now create both photography and motion content for beauty and commercial clients, and the smoothest productions are the ones where we know from the beginning which deliverables are stills and which are motion.

Allow Time for Hair and Makeup

Beauty photography is unforgiving in the best possible way.

We are close.

Sometimes VERY close.

Every detail is visible.

If your schedule gives hair and makeup an unrealistic amount of time, the entire day starts behind.

Build the call sheet around actual preparation time instead of hoping everyone will magically work twice as fast.

Think About Where the Images Will Live

The photographer should know whether the campaign is being created for:

Social media.

Paid advertising.

Web.

Retail.

E-commerce.

Packaging.

Print.

Outdoor advertising.

Press.

You may need different crops and compositions depending on usage.

For example, if text needs to sit beside the model on a website hero banner, I may purposely compose the image with negative space.

That is much easier to create intentionally than trying to manufacture it after the shoot.

Bigger Production Does Not Always Mean Better Production

I love a big commercial set.

I also love an efficient one.

A campaign should have the people it actually needs.

Adding more bodies does not automatically make the photographs better.

Sometimes a small, experienced team can move incredibly quickly.

Other shoots legitimately need 20 people.

The creative, deliverables and logistics should determine the crew.

Not ego.

Work With a Photographer Who Understands Beauty

Beauty photography has its own visual language.

Lighting skin is different from photographing clothing.

Photographing reflective cosmetic packaging is different from photographing a portrait.

Macro beauty is different from lifestyle.

Your photographer should understand skin texture, makeup, product color, reflections, retouching and how beauty images eventually get used commercially.

A pretty portfolio is important.

Relevant experience matters too.