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The SITS Girls

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How to Take a Perfect Flat Lay Photograph

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Curious about how to create that perfectly styled Instagram flat lay photograph? Here are our secrets for photographing a seemingly curated flat lay.

3 tips to help you capture the perfect flat lay photograph.

How to Take a Perfect Flat Lay Photograph

1. Use natural lighting

My number one tip for photographing a flat lay image (and pretty much anything else) is to be mindful of your source of light. Natural light gives images a beautiful, soft look. This means that everything in your photograph is evenly lit, avoiding heavy shadows.

To achieve this look, make sure to set up your flat lays next to a big window in order to have an abundance of natural light available.

2. Use a clean, plain backdrop

Sometimes less is more. Neutral backgrounds work best when photographing flat lays. This ensures your products stand out and do not compete with the background. If you’re ever in a rut, make sure to check out our post about backgrounds under $10.

Some of the most popular backgrounds are: foam board, marble contact paper, and construction paper.

3. Use the rule of odds

Studies have shown that things are more pleasing to the eye when grouped in odd numbers. When styling your flat lay photograph, make sure to have a focal point grouped in 3 (or another odd number). I promise it will make a difference.

As always, practice makes perfect. So make sure to arrange and rearrange your props until you are satisfied with the end result. Always take more shots than you think you’ll need and play around with the distance between your camera and your subject, as well as the distance between the objects you are styling. More often than not, you are going to realize that your props need to be closer together than you initially thought they did.

More Photography Tips

Check out all of our photography tips here and visit our photography Pinterest board.

Follow The SITS Girls’s board Photography Tips & Tutorials on Pinterest.

About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.