STUDIO BEAUTY

Everything You Need To Know To Become A Beauty Photographer

MY Photography & Retouching Tools

Camera, Lenses & Lighting

My Camera

I have been shooting with a Canon 5Ds for a while, and I am extremely happy I purchased it for many reasons besides loving to shoot Macro Beauty with it. There have been instances where the large file size saved some key shots of a commercial project and also gave me an added advantage when my clients wanted to print something way larger than they initially planned – I was able to make it happen for them. My Canon 5D mark II is my backup camera, and I also shoot simple head and shoulder images with it when collaborating or testing (non-commercial, non-portfolio stuff).

For BTS videos, I use my Canon 7D and for high-quality product or beauty video, I use my new Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro.

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My Lens

99% of my studio work is photographed with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. I bought it a few years ago, initially choosing this option because its L-series sibling was double the price. Last year, however, I got a chance to compare the two and wrote about it here. I am convinced that the non-L-series lens is great for studio beauty photography, and you don’t need to pay the extra dollars for the L-series if that’s what you need this Macro lens for.

I also own a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens. I had rented it a few times for specific shoots and eventually decided that I wanted to own a brand-new one. The reason why I went for it is that I had a few large production shoots for cosmetics brands where the photography stills were secondary and I often did not have a chance to take the models and makeup artists out of the video set to grab my shots. I had to shoot from where the video cameras were positioned and couldn’t get any closer. My 100mm would not allow me to get the necessary frames and 70-200mm gave me all the flexibility and zoom that I needed.

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My Retouching Tools

Beauty Retouch Panel

My Retouching Academy team and I created this panel based on my custom actions in 2014 – and updated it multiple times since.

We have over 18,500+ photographers, retouchers, and other creators using it around the world today. It’ll turbocharge your retouching workflow!

Beauty Retouch Panel

MUA Retouch Panel

This panel is a Photoshop plugin designed for delicate, intuitive, campaign-level retouching. Ideal for a creator without an extensive knowledge of Photoshop. It will help you improve your photography, attract higher-paying clients while minimizing your post-production time and effort.

MUA Retouch Panel

Beauty Retouch Mini

This panel is a mini version of our Beauty Retouch panel, it will provide you with all the essential scripts for beauty retouching at a more affordable price tag.

Our detailed Beauty Retouch Panel Training will guide you through each step of the retouching workflow to the proper finish and export of your edited photos.

Beauty Retouch Mini

JULIA KUZMENKO MCKIM,
juliakuzmenko.com
Commercial Beauty Photographer & Retoucher,
Los Angeles + Dallas
Retouching Academy Founder
Retouching Panels Co-Creator
Avenue Retouching Founder & Lead Retoucher

Hello and welcome!

I am a commercial beauty and product photographer and retouching artist living and working between Los Angeles and Dallas. Formally trained in Commercial Photography (Melbourne, Australia), I believe in the power of a strong team within every creative project.

As a photographer, I strive for a visually balanced capture that requires minimal post-production, and as a retoucher, I aim to leave no trace of my presence, while elevating a perfectly captured image.

I am a photographer first and foremost, but with my extensive experience with and deep understanding of makeup, lighting, and retouching, I also lead Avenue Retouching Agency, a post-production and consulting agency in the beauty ecosystem designed to assist cosmetics brands in creating visuals that capture the consumer’s eye.

SEE MY WORK

My Clients:

Urban Decay Cosmetics (L’Oreal)
Lululemon (Selfcare)
Hourglass Cosmetics (Unilever)
Pat McGrath Labs
NEUTROGENA
Morphe (All Forma Brands)
Sunday Riley
GlamGlow (Estée Lauder)
Real Techniques
TATCHA
Melt Cosmetics
Dose of Colors
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Dr. Brandt Skincare and many more.

WAYS TO LEARN WITH ME

Coaching in Studio

Shoot for your portfolio in my studio, with my team. From planning and preparing for a shoot with a creative team to setting up the lights and shooting, to selecting the hero images and retouching.

Currently unavailable

Online Coaching

If traveling to Los Angeles or Dallas is not an option, one-on-one online coaching is a great option. We’ll review your current work together, craft out a roadmap, and get after your goals!

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My Video Courses

You may miss out on the ability to ask questions and receive my feedback, but rest assured I pour a lot of time, energy and love into each educational product that my team and I create.

My Courses