Flaylays are a great way to show personality and have fun on social media. But, without the proper execution, they can appear sloppy. Discover how you can create the perfect flatlay every time with our five simple rules!
1. Simplicity
When taking a flatlay, simple backgrounds are often the best route to take. Unless you are pushing a really specific style and / or texture, white, wooden and solid colors are the best route to take. Patterns could potentially add extra flare, but you want to be careful not to create too busy of a composition. Stay away from large prints that could end up distracting or taking away from the objects themselves.
2. Use Natural Light
The least flattering light we can guarantee will be phone shadows at night. Embrace morning to mid-day natural light! The shadows cast during the day from shooting over the top will be the most flattering and beautiful. I would recommend doing this indoors or with direct overhead shade to avoid a direct sillhouette of your own shadow over the items.
3. Test It
Naturally flat objects will look awesome when photographed from above. Some objects (clothes, shoes, bags, etc.) can look a little bit off if they aren’t carefully placed thoughtfully. Have fun with folding items, pairing / layering / stacking them and setting them up intentionally can add volume and structure to create the right finishing touches to the overall composition, especially when taking clothes and or fabric into consideration.
4. Give Some Space
If objects are touching, the image can end up looking cluttered or rushed. In some cases, you may want for all space between items to be equidistant. This can create a very thoughtful and meticulous aesthetic. Other times, letting the space be natural and less planned out can create a more whimsical, romantic, spontaneous feel, which could be great for an “afternoon out” or casual flatlay.
5. Stick With A Theme
Whether it be a recipe, and outfit, or an object ensemble, trust your gut and go with only one theme per image. If you don’t have a theme in mind, pick something and allow the objects to support it. Think of it as quick story-telling. Better to be minimal with relative objects than lots of objects that look pretty but have nothing in common. Have fun and experiment!
