A good flat lay is pleasing to the eyes. It brings order to what you see. How does one choose what elements to put in their flat lay photography? What kind of story is it trying to weave? Will you be telling a story about your travels? Will you be telling one of your marriage?
A good flat lay conveys the idea in your head. A bad one produces a mess that leaves your viewers in a state of panic wondering what you are trying to convey.
Allow us to give you some pointers for when you are laying out your flat lay!
It’s natural that our eyes are attracted to the part of an image that draws more attention. So keep this in mind before setting up the scene: is the item or what are the items that will draw the most attention? This item will be what stands out from the rest of your flat lay, so do ensure that it does not blend into the surroundings.
To take it one step further, try to weave a story around your flat lay photography. Include elements that depict the theme you have! If it’s a marriage, have flowers in your flat lay. If it is about a camping trip, you could include a sleeping bag. All of these elements are part of a bigger whole, and they have a purpose in the story you want to tell.
When laying out your items, make sure they are not all clustered in the middle. You have a larger working space than that! Play with your space and find a balance: shall the eyes be drawn to the top where the main item is? Or to the middle while the other items fill the sides of the space? These decisions will help you layout your flat lay. You can also play with negative space to give your flat lay a more airy feel. It does not have to be completely cluttered with items.
Photo by Hipster Mum on Unsplash
You could try adding a human touch to your flat lay photography, for example, putting your hand into the composition.
What is the hand doing?
It could be holding the flowers or flipping open a book. By adding the human element, you bring your story to life. Make it clear that the flat lay is telling the story of a moment in someone’s life. Alternatively, showcase what the product does and how it interacts with people.
Photo by Brenda Godinez on Unsplash
Last, make sure you allow your creativity to take control! Experiment with different layouts, angles of the products, the combinations of which elements to use, which to put side by side with. By constantly improving and experimenting, not only you become better at your flat lay photography, but it also keeps your flat lays unique and interesting.
You never know what you might create, so just keep experimenting! Search for new stories to tell and for new ways to make your flat lays better.
If you are interested in flat lay photography for your brand or your products, we can help! At Klaud9, we work with a network of product photographers specialized in flat lay photography. Contact us if you need the services of a professional photographer or simply click below to book 👇