Photographing your tattoos - How to.
Capture Every Detail: Elevate Your Tattoo Portfolio with Professional Lighting
In tattooing, your portfolio isn’t just a gallery: it's your brand. Whether you’re booking new clients or showcasing healed work, crisp, vibrant images can make all the difference. That’s why having the right lighting and photography tools in your studio setup is essential.
With the right gear from MTS, you can showcase your art in the most authentic, eye-catching way possible.
Why Lighting and Photo Tools Matter in Tattoo Photography
Photographing tattoos isn’t just about pointing and shooting. Harsh lighting, glare, and poor angles can misrepresent your ink — and even cost you clients. The right tools let you control your environment, reduce distortion, and bring out the depth and dimension in your work.
Professional lighting highlights colour saturation and skin texture, while filters help cut down on unwanted shine and enhance the clarity of fine linework or shading.
If you are using a CPL filter on your phone/camera, you need to pair it with a CPL film over your main light source to reap the benefits and reduce the glare.
Position your light source with CPL film as the main/strongest source of light. Find a dull/dark corner or area of the studio so your filtered light is predominant. Then just give your CPL filter on your camera a slow twist until boom! the glare is gone,
Essential Photography Tools from MTS
These top-tier tools from MTS are designed to help tattoo artists take studio-quality photos right from the shop floor:
1. Photography Light and Clip-On Filter Set
Dial in your lighting and filter effects with this versatile combo. This set is perfect for quick setup and clean, professional results straight from your phone or camera.
2. Magnetic 67mm Mobile Lens Filter
Reduce glare and reflections with this mobile lens filter. A must-have for phone photography — it keeps blacks deep, whites crisp, and colour contrast true to life.
Compact, powerful, and portable. Perfect for artists who want precise lighting control in tight spots or for macro-style detail shots.
4. A4 Polarizing / CPL Polarization film filter
Perfect for filtering lights for photographing the completed fresh tattoo. Use in conjunction with a clip on cpl filter on your phone/camera for glare free more accurate photos.
5.18" LED Ring Light Lamp
This large ring light creates an even, flattering glow with minimal shadows — perfect for capturing the true tone and detail in both fresh and healed tattoos.
Tattoo Photography Tips for a Stand-Out Portfolio
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Position lighting at a 45-degree angle to avoid glare while still highlighting texture.
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Use a neutral background so the focus stays on the ink.
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Photograph at different angles to capture depth and wrap-around work.
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Shoot both fresh and healed tattoos to show your technique and pigment retention.
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Keep your setup consistent so your portfolio has a clean, unified look.
Your tattoo work deserves to be seen in its best light; literally. With professional lighting and photography tools from MTS, you're not just snapping photos. You're documenting your craft, showcasing your skill, and building a brand that commands attention online.
