Over the years of smartphone photography, the flat lay image has grown into a genre of its own. For those who follow creatives on Instagram or enjoy browsing Etsy, this style will be very familiar. But, for us, the real beauty of the flat lay image is its accessibility for the budding photographer, especially those keen to try out the capabilities of their smartphone camera.
Flat lay photography rides the line of creativity and uniformity, bringing together separate elements to create a theme. While it may look like random items thrown together, it is the careful placing of complementary elements and the overhead angle that creates these joyful scenes.
Autumn is the perfect time to try out flat lay photography. So, get foraging, grab your smartphone camera and take a look at our top tips for a great flat lay image.
Play with colour
Bringing in colour is one of the best ways to enhance your flat lay images. Look for complementary colours on a theme, like autumn. Mixing bold and pastels can look great too, showing off the ‘pop’ of brighter colours in the image.
Lighting
To get a great photo, you need good lighting, but this doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot on studio lights. Taking you flat lay near a window or outside can add in a rich natural tone. You could also position a desk lamp to create bold cross shadows. Using a smartphone lamp clip is also a great way to evenly light your entire image. And for that ‘hygge’ effect, you could add in a few fairy lights or candles.
Autumn textures
Introducing texture into your flat lay can add more interest to your image. Crinkled leaves, pine cones, dried flowers and feathers are all great options. Although a flay lay can appear more 2-dimensional than other photography, by adding in textures you can create a sense of items reaching up to the viewer.
Contrasts
Contrasts of colour and light can be created in a number of ways. How you arrange items together on your flat lay can bring out colour and texture contrasts. One simple way to achieve an eye-catching contrast is in the background. Using a plain or single tone background like a sheet of coloured paper or photography board can bring out contrasts of colour to your autumn finds.
Less is more
A great flat lay shot is not about lots of items appearing together, but rather about the space in between. For this reason, less is more. Items may come into contact or be displayed separately, but it is the carefully ordered space between items that lets the eye move around the image taking in each part.
Editing
Although you will want to set up your flat lay image with good lighting and contrast, it may still be the case that you will want to edit your image. This is especially useful for cropping your flat lay to display exactly what you want to include and adding warmth, shadow or contrast to make your image pop.
Take your time
Flat lay photography is an art form, so take your time. Try out different arrangements and colour combinations to see what works. And once you are happy, get snapping!
Would you like to learn more about smartphone photography?
You can arrange a tailored 1:1 session with us to learn more about any aspect of smartphone photography you are interested in. So, if you are looking to find out how to enhance your product or food photography, or you just love the flat lay form and want to spruce up your social channels, get in touch.