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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