Flatlay Photography
Flatlay photoshoots, like a lot of other styled shoots, present many unexpected challenges. From layout and composition to lighting and camera set up - there’s a lot to consider ! That’s one of the reasons I love shooting them however, for me it’s similar to painting or creating an artwork, it’s all about gradually building up the layers.
Simple steps to better styled photography:
Setting up your flatlay
Start with your background - for this shoot I used a large wooden board which I have painted white and keep specifically for photoshoots. I like the subtle wood texture to add a little more depth to my background. Other options include large sheets of paper, coreflute, fabric, marble tiles (or wood covered in a faux marble contact!) or even a desk or table surface. I once used a bridesmaid dress as a backdrop because it was the perfect shade. Generally, simple and understated is best, so you can let your products shine !
Add your key item - what is the main product or object you want to feature? Start with this and build around it. You can also use a placeholder in the middle and work around it if you want to leave space in the middle to add text later.
Consider colours & textures - choose colours that sit kindly next to each other and balance out different colours. In the images below, the white from the bag is also reflected in the petals on the perfume bottle and the small dish. The gold of the necklace is also present in the perfume, flowers and dishes.
Perfume: Daisy by Marc Jacobs | Bag: Country Road | Ceramic Dishes: Louise M Studio | Necklace: Kirstin Ash | Dried foliage: Newcastle Food & Flower Markets
Shooting your flatlay
Natural light is your friend - I always choose to shoot under a window or outside on my verandah. Natural light will always make it easier to capture beautiful colours and tones.
Diffuse + reflect lighting - Direct sunlight will cause strong shadows across your scene, now you can use this to your advantage to add interesting shadows but generally I prefer timeless and clean layouts. I only shoot outside when there is cloud cover to create even lighting or I use white sheets hung over my window to diffuse the light. I then use a large piece of white coreflute opposite my main light source to bounce light back into my frame and reduce any remaining shadows
Keep your ISO low - a higher ISO setting will give you more light BUT it will add noise to your image (like grain on film cameras). To keep your image smooth and creamy keep that ISO low and find other ways to get the light you need
Experiment with Aperture - I like to mix it up, a 1.4 f-stop will help you highlight detail on a specific detail or item, whilst going up to something like f8 and higher will help you get every little detail crisp and sharp. Experiment and shoot with a variety to see what suits your needs.
I’m passionate about helping brands share their vision with beautiful photography - if you’d like to know more about my photography services you can view more here or via the link below.
