Flat lay photographs are classic visual for blogs, sites and social media. Of course they are great to highlight products and clothes, but you can also use them to creating a mood or illustrate a theme or idea. Over the years at BritMums we have featured a wide range of photography and styling experts at our events. Here, we’ve gathered together some of their (and our) best flat lay photography tips. (Be sure to check out our pro photography tips for amateurs.)
10 top flat lay tips that anyone can use
- Tell a story – Your objects should say something. Maybe you’re painting a picture of the perfect summer picnic or the best things to put in your child’s suitcase. Your image can be helpful, explanatory or even whimsical. You can add in a funny prop that brings a smile to your followers’ faces. They should think beyond ‘That’s pretty’ to having a real emotional reaction.
- Gather plenty of props and play around with them – The more props you have ready, the easier it is to swap them in and out for different looks or effects. Also, you can take several ones to use at different times on your site or social media without having to set up again. It’s good to have a couple of ‘star’ items with ‘co-stars’ around them.
- Mix up the background – Interesting textures help set a mood. A colourful striped piece of fabric creates a totally different vibe than the top of a wicker basket than contrasting blocks of coloured paper or a plain white background. Get creative with what you have around the house, and not just with tabletops: The skirt of a dress, a bed of grass or flowers, a scrap of vinyl flooring or a panel of fake tongue-and-groove painted an interesting colour.
- Pay attention to your lighting sources – The classic flat-lay has no shadows. Try to get a true overhead light source or experiment with several lights from different sides, perhaps using a few lamps with their shades off and making use of natural light. You can even bounce light around with a piece of white card or a big white shirt. If you do have shadows, make sure they are a deliberate part of your composition.
- Remember your photography basics – Use the rule of thirds and make sure your image is in focus.
- Check your borders – It’s easy to only ‘see’ the middle of your image when you’re setting it up and not realise there’s something on the edges that doesn’t belong or looks a bit strange. Take a moment before you snap to scan the entire image to make sure you’re happy with everything showing.
- An odd number of objects are better for grouping – Use three instead of four; five instead of six. It adds more visual interest and dynamism.
- Make sure your props of are similar height – If you have some very tall props (say, roses standing up in a vase) next to items lying flat on the surface, your camera can struggle to keep them both in focus.
- Use hands to add interest – This can be especially effective if you’re showing something family related — you can feature adult and children’s hands. Just make sure to pay attention that skin and nails are clean and tidy with no distracting elements, such as chipped nail polish or plasters.
- Get personal – There’s no rule that your flat lays have to look with the typical version. Get funky, show your personality, don’t be afraid to play with the rules to create something unusual that matches the needs of your channels and content!
More image tips
About Jennifer Howze
Jennifer Howze is the Creative Director and co-founder of BritMums. She blogs about family travel at Jenography.net, tweets at @JHowze and Instagrams at @JHowze. Previously, she wrote the Alpha Mummy blog at The Times and as a journalist has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Budget Travel, CNN.com, Allure, SELF and Premiere, among others. She won The Maggie Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for a health article in Seventeen magazine.