Have you ever used social media and found some images staring directly at you? Those are flat lay images. Flat Lay photography has rapidly become a definitive element in eCommerce photography that influences sales.
So What is Flatlay Photography?
Flat Lay photography is a unique technique that involves taking pictures with the camera directly parallel to the image. It offers a new perception and savors your product images as simple as it seems.
Looking out to learn more about the rudiments of flat lay photography and how it impacts your business, reading this article to the end is a good call. Then, in the future, you can make your flat lay images.
Flatlay Photography Explained
From the name, you can describe flat lay photography as simply taking photographs on flat surfaces. The camera and the objects to be snapped are usually in a perfect parallel placement to give a “bird-eye” view. All Flat Lay images appear like a bird viewing an object from the sky.
To make good flat lay images, you must understand object organization, layering, texture, color, and lighting well. With these, you can make product images of different feels and depth.
Throughout history, flat lay photography has been influenced by photograms. In making a photogram, objects are laid on photographic paper. Then the light is flashed from an enlarger directly on the photographic paper. As this is carried out, the object prints are left invisible on the photographic paper. But, when developed, the black-on-white image is revealed.
Flat Lay photography is a broad niche. Cutting across so many photography concepts, it is not only limited to products alone. People, food, flowers, events, and houses, among many more, are among the elements that make up gorgeous flat lay images, provided you have the right gadgets to pull it through.
Importance of Flatlay Images
Flatlay images are usually adopted as product images across several business niches. Flat lay images help to put the product in the minds of people. When flat lay images are used on eCommerce websites, they lay a long-lasting impression on the consumer. It invariably helps to influence sales positively.
Most eCommerce store owners use flat lay images on their social media pages. When catchy Flat lay images are used, it helps to drive audience engagement for the brand. It implies that the traffic gained can either improve the visibility and popularity of the brand or indirectly improve sales.
The simplicity of flat-lay images offers dynamic and flexible usability. The fact that flat lay images tell stories buttresses its flexible usability. Flat Lay images have been sighted in many video adverts, documentaries, and news media, both digital and print.
How to make Flatlay Images for your brand
With the information about flat lay images at your disposal, you must grasp how to make flat lay images for your brand. Then, follow the tips below and have quality product images for your brand.
- Pick a design structure.
A key to having one of the best product images is to map out a well-structured design for your flat lay photography. Having a well-designed structure depends on you paying attention to your background, theme creation, product organization, lighting, and layering.
When selecting your background, ensure it is plain if it cannot be white. White background helps you fuse any color on it to aid the aesthetics and ambiance at the final stages. Also, from the name, Flat Lay images, it is pertinent that the surface selected must be flat. Characters such as table tops, chairs, boards, couch cushions, bed tops, and floor are acceptable. To achieve an evenly white background, you can always use white clothes to cover the flat surface.
Theme creation is next in line. It would be best if you explored your color palettes to create a suitable theme for your flat lay image. Colors are known to pass messages across to customers. Therefore, your selected color must sync with the chosen background and flat surface. Do not forget that your colors have to depict messages about your brand.
The ability to organize your products to enhance the design is germane. You need to be creative in doing this. You can decide to put products with contrasting attributes together. Proper product arrangements will catch the attention of the customer. Arranging your product in sizes also allows you to take snapshots of different depths – this is called layering.
In addition, while arranging your products, always create spaces where you can place graphic designs for proper branding and description. Even putting your products in a particular manner may reflect another meaning to the customers. Finally, to further make your plan magnificent, you must always ensure enough light penetration. The shadows from light penetration help create a dimension that does not allow the product to appear flat.
- Tell a simple but captivating story.
The paramount aim of creating flat lay images is to tell a story. The way you set the scene transmits a message to the audience. It would help if you made your story a simple and concise one. The possibility of not relating your intention is inevitable, but with some descriptions, you have nailed it.
The theme selection must be perfect for a good storytelling flat lay image. Then ensure that the information is not defeated when making your structure.
- Use the best photography gadget.
The photography gadget you use determines the kind of output you will get. So, selecting the best for your shoot is germane. Devices ranging through lighting, tripod stand, camera, and lenses
It is possible to hold your camera over your set product and take a shot. But, using a tripod offers a more stable and precise method. Using a tripod allows you to tilt the camera vertically downward to take your flat lay snapshot. With a tripod, you can make use of tethered shooting. In tethered shooting, you can take multiple photos without touching the camera. This kind of flat-lay image helps make motion videos.
Making use of the best camera at your disposal is strongly advised. An intriguing fact about flat lay photography is that there are no strict specifications about a choice of camera. You can use phone cameras of high resolution. All you need to ensure is the sharpness and clear images.
If you must use a lens, ensure you do not select wide-angle lenses because this will disrupt the neatness and clarity of your product images. The best lens for flat lay photography is the long lens. The long lens gives a narrow view of the object without causing any distortion to the image.
In light selection, you must decide the kind of flat lay you want. If you opt for a unique effect kind of flat lay image, you will need to get some other light sources. But if you plan to make it simple, a natural light source is the best option.
- Ensure a proper editing
Editing can either make or mar all your efforts to create a flat lay image for your brand. After taking several shots, you are meant to examine the pictures and select the one that suits the purpose you want. After that, you can edit and improve it using other graphics applications. Also, don’t forget to add your logo and description of your product.
The description you write on the images enhances clarity of purpose.
Conclusion
Flat lay photography is gradually taking over the eCommerce photography world. And it has been proven responsible for a more significant percentage of the product images on websites, eCommerce stores, and social media handles.
It is a moving train that is not planning to stop anytime soon. So, with the knowledge gotten here, try your hands on making a flat lay image for your brand. It may not be as perfect as you wish, but keep practicing; it will always get better.
