5 Of The Best Tips For Taking The Perfect Flat Lay Photo

Instagram and Pinterest are the very best social media platforms in terms of visualization and that is because you are allowed to tell a story with a picture.

The best part of nowadays technology is that taking a photo has become so easy that you don’t need a professional camera since you can achieve a high-quality photo by snapping a photo with your phone. However, even so, it takes some skills and knowledge in regards to the art of photography in order to be able to do it. I am going to provide some helpful tips and tricks on how to take that perfect flat lay photo because I know the importance of staying inspired all the time.

Of course, we all have our favorite accounts that we follow on Pinterest and Instagram and we screenshot their work and try to replicate.

Now, do you know what a flat lay photo is? Most likely you saw it so many times in different circumstances! It is a photo of objects strategically arranged and shot from above!

The tricky part is figuring out what to shoot and how to shoot it so that the result is good enough to post as content. Whether you’re a beauty blogger, cheese addict (like me) or just want to up your Instagram game, I am sharing five tips and tricks on how to make a great flat lay photo and how to draw inspiration from what you want to shoot.

1. Pick A Color Palette or Theme

Do you have a theme for your photo? How do you want your flay lay to look like? If you are a food blogger, it could be ingredients and products from the kitchen. If you are a travel influencer, you can use the items you take with you on your travels, like your photography gear. If you’re a beauty expert, it can be beauty products and cosmetics. Always bring more props than you need because you’ll likely play around with different items and swap them in and out before you get the perfect placement. Make sure your props are different sizes, textures, and height because that will always make a more visually stimulating photo.

2. Choose Your Lighting Carefully

Lighting is the KEY! I prefer to use natural light, therefore I shoot during the day. If you’re inside, you can test it by opening and closing your curtains/blinds until you get that perfect light. If you’re shooting outside, I’d find a good shady area where the light is even. Avoid the direct rays of the sun as much as you can, and always have a whiteboard on hand, if possible.

3. Pick A Background

Personally, I think simple is better. Pick a background that works well with your color palette and props. You want the background to complement these pieces and not distract your attention from them. You can go simple, with a whiteboard (which I use often), or invest in some fabrics or surfaces. Neutrals are great and I always love a marble background (#basic, but I love it).

4. Tell A Story

Now, for the really fun part, start arranging your objects to tell a story. It doesn’t matter if you organize them super strategically or overlap your items. What matters is the presentation and the highlighting of your hero piece. There’s an art to arranging objects (it may sound silly, but there really is) in such way to actually get an impact. Play around with your objects and see what you’re more drawn to. For example, I’m more of a minimalist, and simplicity is my thing. If you’re styling these with the intent to have text in your image, then make sure you’re leaving space for that text.

5. Taking The Photo

You want to create distance between you and your set-up and because you’ll likely be taking the photo from above, make sure you have a step ladder or something to stand on (just be careful and try not to fall—I’ve done it and it wasn’t pretty). You can try to fit everything in the shot or cut off corners of some of your objects. Test out your shots and see what you like best. You may decide to move your objects around and add in other props. Take more photos than you think you’ll need. If you’re taking your photo on an iPhone, you’ve got plenty of editing apps to choose from. I use a Color Story and Snapseed. If you’re using a DSLR, then you’re probably already versed in the basics of editing. Just make sure to make those colors pop!

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