6 Easy Tips For Mastering the Instagram Flatlay

Have you ever seen a beautifully composed flatlay and wondered how do you do that? Have you tried creating your own and felt like something was missing? In today’s blog post, I am sharing my 6 tips to creating a better flatlay. I am not an expert when it comes to photography or composition for that matter, but as a fashion blogger, I have learned a thing or two about how to create a beautiful image through trial and error.

They do say practice makes perfect. I feel like I have the whole flatlay thing down and I know what works for me. As someone who takes photos on a regular basis, I wanted to share my tips to help you create those uber Instagrammable shots.

Read other posts in my blogger tips series. I have everything from how I edit my Instagram photos to what are affiliate links and why they are important to bloggers.

Original Instagrm Post Found Here

TIPS FOR CREATING A BETTER FLATLAY 

1// USE TEXTURED BACKGROUNDS

Texture adds interest and depth to a photo so play with different elements that you have around you from a fuzzy rug to beautiful tiles or a marble table. My personal favorite background is marble because it’s clean, chic, and isn’t obstructive to the photo.

I actually don’t own anything marble in my home so I purchased matte marble affect contact paper on Amazon, and it’s my hidden secret….well, not anymore.

Take advantage of the different textures you have around you when you’re in public like a stone ground or a wooden table. Some of my favorite flatlay photos I have shot were done outside of my home. This makes the composition more natural and is usually different to anything that I own so I love the variety.

Original Instagram Post Found Here

 2// IMPERFECT PERFECT COMPOSITION

What I mean by imperfect perfect composition is finding a balance between cluttered and stylized. You want the flatlay to look visually appealing but also natural as Instagram is having a movement towards instant and I have found this is what my audience responds to the best.

When styling my flatlay I try to think how would my coat look if I actually threw it on the bed or what items would I naturally pair together and then work from there. Once I was trying to style a flatlay but couldn’t get it quite right. It all felt too unnatural. I just casually threw the handbag off to the side to switch things around and it looked much better than when I tried to style it.

Original Instagram Found Here

3// TRIAL AND ERROR

When you take photos for your blog or Instagram you want to have as many different angles and poses to choose from as possible, and you will want the same when taking pictures for a flatlay. After a few photos, I move around the objects or switch up my angles to ensure I have a variety of photos to choose from in the end.

Often what you think will look good in your head may look different when fully composed. Don’t be afraid to add extra objects, remove objects, or even change up the texture to make sure you have that perfect shot.

Original Instagram Post Found Here

4// GOOD LIGHTING

Good lighting is key to any photo, which is one reason why trial and error is so important. You may think the lighting is perfect, but you don’t realize until after that the sun created a weird shadow across your photo.

I am not an expert by any means, but I have found that the best places to shoot are in shaded areas with no direct sunlight or by a window that receives good natural light. I often shoot my flatlay photos in my home by a large window and use a sheer to diffuse the light.

Original Instagram Post Found Here

5// PLAY WITH COLOR

This is where you can get really creative, and have fun with color. When composing your shot think about how each item compliments each other. Do you have two clashing colors next to each other? Does it not look cohesive with all of the different pops of colors? 

To create a cool flatlay you could compose a shot of:

1. different variations of the same hue
2. complimenting colors on the color wheel. Remember that elementary school art class.
3. Neutrals with one pop of color.

Original Instagram Post Found Here

6// EXTRA ELEMENT OF INTEREST

Remember in #3 how I said to not be afraid of adding extra objects to your flatlay. It will often add another element of texture and a new layer to your photo. Feel free to play around with different objects and take some shots without it. Who knows you may prefer your flatlay to be more minimalistic.

When taking photos of your coffee add a pair of sunglasses, your cute cardholder or sweet treat to compliment the look. One of my favorite elements of interest to add to a photo, especially during Spring and Summer, are flowers. I keep them in my home already so why not add them to a flatlay. Let’s call it a business expense, right?

Original Instagram Post Here

Do you have other tips for creating a beautiful flatlay? If so, feel free to leave it the comment section below! You can never stop improving. 

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