Try to match the backdrop to your style. For instance, if you’re shooting a casual, feminine outfit, you might use a washed-out barn door as your backdrop. Linens and rugs can also make great backgrounds for a flat lay. If you’ll be doing a lot of flat lay photography, it’s a good idea to use the same or similar backdrops in most of your pictures. That way, they’ll be more easily recognizable when your followers come across them.
Avoid setting up directly in the sunlight, since that will create harsh shadows.
If you want to deliberately add shadows to the shot, move the light a little further from your product. If you’re using 2 lights, only move 1 of the lights. Try experimenting with different lighting options, including flash diffusers to soften your flash, reflectors to help redirect light and reduce shadows, and softboxes to create a new light source. [3] X Research source Photography equipment can be expensive, but not all lighting solutions require a large investment. For instance, you can help diffuse shadows in your photo by holding up a large piece of white posterboard to reflect light down into the shot. [4] X Research source
Go through the settings in your camera and adjust the white balance to match the type of lighting you’re using, such as fluorescent, incandescent, tungsten, or natural. Use a standard camera lens for most flat-lay photography. Don’t use a wide-angle lens, as it can distort the image.
If you do have to climb, be careful, especially if you’re carrying heavy camera equipment! It may be a good idea to have someone else nearby to hand you your camera once you get in place.
Once you’re finished, upload your photo to your blog or social media accounts to show it off!
In general, it’s best if the garment is symmetrical in the photo. However, when you’re arranging long sleeves, you might place them at slightly different angles so they look more natural. It’s a good idea to iron the garments before you shoot them, since wrinkles will look unattractive in the picture.
Try cuffing jeans to give them a little more personality! If you’re shooting baby clothes, you may prefer to leave the pants unfolded.
Since the back of a garment is often a little longer than the front, you may need to tuck the back bottom hem under the piece, as well. If you’re styling a woman’s garment, tuck in the sides a little more just beneath the arms to give the clothing a gentle curve. For men’s and children’s clothing, keep the line straight.
For instance, you might put tissue paper inside the body of a T-shirt or in the torso of a dress.
In general, it’s best to try to arrange outfits similar to the way you’d actually wear them. For instance, you might place a dress in the center of the frame, shoes near the bottom, and a hat and sunglasses near the top or off to the side. Similarly, you might put a blouse closer to the top of a shot, with pants either below the top or down and to the side.
For instance, if you’re shooting a swimsuit, you might include accessories like a floppy hat, beach tote, coverup, sandals, and sunglasses. Think about how you’d display these items if you were planning an outfit you wanted to wear. For example, you might drape a necklace across a T-shirt, or you might put a belt around the waist of a dress. Shoes can go near the bottom of the shot or off to the side, depending on what looks best.
In your swimsuit picture, for example, you might also include 1 or 2 items you might bring to the pool, like a book, sunscreen, or cool water bottle. Even a simple tee-and-jeans combo can be dressed up as a perfect vacation outfit by adding interesting details like a pretty tube of lipstick, a flower, a hotel room key, or a plate with a delicious-looking pastry.
