To compare a before and an after, take them the same way: the same distance from the camera, the same angle, the same light and the same relaxed face. Most comparisons fall apart before the second photo is taken. The light is different, you're standing a little closer, your chin is up a few degrees, and the two photos no longer line up.
Why doesn't my camera roll work for before and afters?
Your phone camera has no memory of how you took the last shot. Each photo is taken a little differently, and finding the right before means scrolling back through months of photos. That's where most comparisons end.
How far should the phone be from my face?
Pick one distance and use it every time, so each photo lines up with the last. A mark on the floor or a phone stand helps. B&A measures the distance for you and only takes the photo when you're back in the same spot.
What angle should I hold the phone at?
Hold it at eye level and straight on, the same as last time. A few degrees higher or lower is enough for two photos not to line up.
What light is best for before and after photos?
Soft daylight in front of you, at the same time of day. Face a window, turn off overhead lights and skip the flash. Overhead light deepens the shadows under the eyes and around the mouth, so a change in light can look like a change in skin.
If your first photo was at 9am by the bathroom window, take the next one there at 9am too.
Should I smile in before and after photos?
Start with a relaxed, neutral face, every time, then the same smile. Compare smile with smile and neutral with neutral. B&A takes a neutral shot, a smile, a frown and a turn to each side, so every shot has a match next time.
Do the full set every time, including the angles you like least. The one you skip is often the one that shows the change.
What else should stay the same?
- Filters and portrait effects: off.
- Hair: pulled back the same way.
- Makeup: none, or the same each time.
- Background: a plain wall, the same one each time.
- Glasses and jewellery: off.
How often should I take them?
Follow your clinic's schedule if they've given you one. When your clinic sets one up in B&A, the app reminds you on the day. Otherwise take a set before you start, then at regular points after.
Camera roll or B&A?
| Camera roll | B&A | |
|---|---|---|
| Guides your position | No | Yes, before every shot |
| Same poses every time | Only if you remember | Five set poses, every session |
| Compares the same pose | Only if you find the right photo | Always |
| Photos organised by treatment or routine | No | Yes, in collections |
| Cost | Free | Free trial, then a monthly or yearly plan |
B&A checks your distance, angle and centring before each shot, saves the set to a collection with the date, and guides you back to the same position next time. Whatever you're following, from a new skincare routine to a course of treatments, the comparison is only as good as the photos.
