How to Create Before and After Photos

What makes a good before and after photo

A comparison works when the only thing that changes between the two images is the subject. Same framing, same distance, same light, same crop. When those match, viewers focus on the transformation. When they do not, viewers focus on the photography, and the result feels staged even when it is real.

Step 1: Shoot two matching photos

• Use the same camera and the same spot. Mark the floor if you will come back weeks later.
• Keep the camera at the same height and angle. Chest height, level, is a safe default.
• Match the light. Same time of day, same lamps on or off.
• Keep clothing, props and background consistent.

Step 2: Upload both images

Open the photo maker and drop your before photo into the first box and your after photo into the second. PNG, JPG, WebP and GIF are supported up to 10 MB each. The files are read by your browser and never uploaded to a server.

Step 3: Choose a layout

• Side by side gives both photos equal weight. Best for feeds and desktop pages.
• Interactive slider lets the viewer sweep between states. Best for detail work, and it exports as GIF or video.
• Overlay ghosts the before over the after. Use it to check alignment or show subtle changes.
• Split view shows both halves in one frame with no handle.
• Vertical stack puts before on top and after below. Best for phones and stories.

Step 4: Labels, crop and branding

Rename the labels to tell the story, for example “Day 1” and “Week 12”, or “Original” and “Retouched”. Resize them and round their corners to match your brand. If the two photos were taken from slightly different distances, use the crop controls to zoom and reposition each one until the subject lines up. Add your logo for anything you will publish.

Step 5: Export

• PNG for websites, reports and store pages, up to 2400 pixels wide.
• GIF for chats, email and social feeds that block autoplay video. Use the GIF Maker.
• MP4 or WebM for reels, stories, TikTok and ads. Use the Video Maker.
• Interactive slider on your own site: generate the snippet with the embed tool.

Pro tips

• Never retouch the after photo beyond what you did to the before photo. Trust is the whole point.
• Keep labels short. Two or three words read instantly on a phone.
• For a series, reuse the same layout and label style so posts look like a set.
• Portrait 4:5 is the safest ratio across Instagram, Pinterest, X and LinkedIn. The templates export at that size.