What is Flatlay and why the hype?
Flatlay is a term referred to when taking photos of items lying flat. The photo is taken from above and because of the versatility of the types of items that can be photographed; it’s a...
How to take a great flatlay & make your photos stand out
- Have the right equipment to stage your shots
Whether you’re using your smartphone or a camera, make sure you’re comfortable using it. Also, make sure you’ve chosen your preferred flatlay styling board to help communicate your narrative, and one that matches your brand.
- Have a clear idea of what you want to focus on
Choose one item or product or product range to focus on, and build your image’s narrative around that.
“Every great design begins with an even better story”
Don’t lose sight on what you’re trying to communicate to your audience!
- Props!
Have some quality props nearby that will visually help support your main product, to guide your storytelling, and to arrange on the styling board.
Some popular examples of easy-to-find props are fresh flowers, herbs, succulents, ribbon, pretty stationery, fresh fruit, coffee beans, pretty ceramics or glassware and so forth.
However, we do advise that you keep things simple and be sure not to overcrowd your board.
- Inspiration
Browse our IG feed, or follow #flatlaygoals for daily inspo and for interesting ideas to keep your flatlays fresh and relevant.
- Time & Patience!
Take your time rearranging the props on your styling board, play with the composition and if in doubt, keep it simple!
Linear lines work wonderfully, and the organised chaos/ scattered approach is also a winner.
- Lighting & Editing
Choose a well-lit environment or use a white board to block out any unwanted shadows. Make sure to edit your photos, to lighten and crop your image or to resize it for social media posts.
Good luck! Be sure to tag @FlatlayStudioSA in your posts – we’d love to cheer you on and help celebrate your gorgeous flatlay photography!
