Photography 101: Flatlays
Look at you! You’ve made it through the fundamentals of photography by purchasing and setting up your camera - I am so proud! Now we’re going to dive into some set-ups: Flatlays!
Whether you are cultivating editorial/wedding portrait work of people, food, and any other object for that matter, one of the best things to have on hand is a flat surface with a consistent background or print that entices you. “Flatlays” are known as object-portrait work that is laid flat on the ground while using anything from your counter tops, to fabric, to custom-made boards! Objects are normally used for flatlays such as food, wedding invitations, products, and much more. The most exciting part about flatly photography is you can be as creative as you want - there is no limit!
Here is an example of the first flatlay I attempted for a clothing company back in 2016. You can see the first image is captured past the background borders. Before I discovered that you could purchase photography flatlays online, I had to bring out my inner creativity and find any surface that contained a constant color or texture. I COULD have used the carpet, but considering I wanted the products to stand out, I used a stark white presentation board to bring more contrast to the image and its products - you can find this at any local grocery store, of course :)
Before POST-Production
AFTER POST-Production
You can edit your flatlays however you like, the world is your oyster in that area of photography. But one thing to keep in mind is knowing how to crop your images.
Typically, flatlays do not require you to crop that way I have done in the After image above. You can crop to the end of background border (which is normally how it’s done). But I wanted to focus on every piece in the flatlay, or else the shirt would overcome the entire photo. In this case, I referred to the 1/3 method of photography.
In the pictures below, I have utilized a regular whiteboard surface and a styling mat! Links will be provided below for purchase!
Styling Mats for Flatlays Links:
Republic Surfaces: https://www.replicasurfaces.com/
Olive & Oak: https://oliveandoakmat.com/
Style & Co.: https://stileandco.com/
The Flatlay Styler: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Theflatlaysstyler?ref=simple-shop-header name&listing_id=1058939835
TIP: You can always look up “Styling Mats” in Etsy or Google and find any seller with high-quality reviews!
If you want to learn more about new terms, separate lenses, accessories, aesthetics, and more, be sure to follow Mind Body Soul Sisterz blog update! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me directly at arianazahediphotography@gmail.com :)
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Website: https://www.arianazahediphoto.com/
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