How to Take Photos for an Online Consultation

Why photos for online consultation matter

When you live far from Seoul, photos for online consultation are the surgeon's first view of your anatomy. They allow a preliminary opinion on what might be possible, which procedures may suit you, and what questions need answering in person. The better the photos, the more useful that opinion can be.

It is important to understand the limits, though. Even excellent photos cannot show skin thickness, the firmness of a scar, how much fat lies beneath the skin or how strong your eye-opening muscle is. A final surgical plan is always confirmed through examination in person. The virtual consultation page explains how the process works at Will Be.

Setting up: light, background and camera

• Light. Stand facing a window during the day, with soft, indirect daylight on your face. Avoid direct sunlight, overhead ceiling lights that create shadows under the eyes and brows, and mixed warm and cool lighting.
• Background. A plain, light-colored wall works well. Busy backgrounds distract and can affect the camera's exposure.
• Camera. A modern phone's rear camera usually gives better quality than the front camera. Ask someone to help, or use a tripod and timer.
• Distance and height. Hold the camera at eye level, about an arm's length or a little more away. Avoid wide-angle or ultra-wide lenses and selfie distance, which distort proportions, particularly of the nose.
• No filters. Turn off beauty modes, portrait effects, skin smoothing and automatic enhancement. Do not edit the images.

Preparing yourself

• Remove all makeup, including mascara and eyeliner, and take out colored or clear contact lenses.
• Remove false lashes, lash extensions and eyelid tape or glue if you use them. If you usually use tape to create a crease, take photos without it, and add a separate photo with it if you like.
• Pull hair back fully so the forehead, brows, ears and jawline are visible.
• Remove glasses and earrings.
• Keep a neutral, relaxed expression unless a specific expression is requested.

Standard face views

Most facial consultations benefit from five views:

1. Front: looking straight at the camera, head level, chin neither raised nor tucked.
2. Right oblique: turn your head about 45 degrees to the left so the right side of your face is toward the camera.
3. Left oblique: the same, turned the other way.
4. Right profile: turn 90 degrees so only your right side is visible.
5. Left profile: the same on the other side.

Keep the same distance and lighting for every view so the images can be compared accurately.

Eyelid close-ups

For eyelid consultations, including revision, add close-ups framed from brow to cheekbone, both eyes in the frame:

• Eyes open, looking straight ahead, relaxed, without raising your eyebrows.
• Eyes looking up without tilting the head. This shows crease behavior and eye-opening strength.
• Eyes looking down.
• Eyes gently closed. Shows scars, skin excess and lid contour.
• Brows relaxed. Many people unconsciously lift their brows to open heavy eyes; try to relax them fully. It can help to close your eyes, relax your forehead, then open slowly.

If you are seeking revision, include photos from before your previous surgery if you have them, and a note of when and what surgery was done. The guide on whether you are a candidate for revision explains why these details matter.

Views for other areas

• Nose: add a base view (tip your head back so the nostrils are visible) and a slight upward-looking view. See nose surgery.
• Lower face and neck: include front and profile views with the chin level, and one looking slightly down. This helps assess jowls and the neck.
• Forehead and brows: include a view with the forehead relaxed and one with brows raised.
• Smiling: one natural smile from the front helps assess movement.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Raised eyebrows. This hides heaviness and makes the eyelids look lighter than they are.
• Head tilted up or down. Even a small tilt changes how the nose, chin and eyelids appear.
• Different lighting for each view. Comparison between angles becomes unreliable.
• Photos taken at night under warm indoor bulbs, which hide color and texture.
• Zoomed-in digital crops instead of moving the camera closer, which reduces sharpness.
• Old photos only. Current images are essential, even if you also include older ones.

If you are unsure whether a photo is usable, send it anyway along with a note. The clinic can request a retake if needed, and will explain exactly which angle or expression to repeat.

Checking and sending your photos

Before sending, check each image: is it in focus, evenly lit and free of filters? Are both eyes fully visible? Is your hair off your face? Send original files if possible, since some messaging apps compress images and reduce the fine detail a surgeon needs. Label the photos clearly or send them in the order above.

Your images are personal health information. Send them only through the clinic's official channels, such as the contact form, KakaoTalk account or email listed on the contact page. The clinic's handling of your data is described in the privacy policy. You may crop out tattoos or identifying backgrounds, and you may ask how long your images will be kept.

What happens next

Dr. Kim Jun-young, representative surgeon, reviews consultation photos personally. Because Will Be is a one-surgeon clinic, the doctor who looks at your photos is the same doctor you will meet in Seoul, and the same doctor who would perform any surgery. You will receive a preliminary opinion on your concerns and the approaches that may suit you, along with any questions or additional photos needed. Any recommendation is provisional until an in-person examination in Seoul confirms the plan.