menu

Archives



Latest Podcast

Episode 120: Francoise Weeks                                

Tips On Styling A Flatlay

What is a Flatlay?

Before we dive into tips on styling a flatlay, maybe we should answer the question: What is a flatlay?

A flatlay is an image or a style of photograph in which a number of things are arranged on a surface and then photographed from above.

Now, we can jump in!

Styling a Flatlay

Professional photographer Robby Lozano offers his best tips for styling a beautiful flatlay:

  • Consider your aesthetic – go simple for a clean look or add additional elements to make it more fun
  • Gather elements that tell a story and make sense together
  • Choose a color story flatlay using a tight or distinctive color palette
  • Use textures that tie into your flatlay story (ex. concrete, wood, metal, marble, linen, etc)
  • Lighting is key!
  • Indirect bright light is best (ex. next to a window)
  • Avoid direct sunlight and harsh shadows
  • Try to stick to one light color/source (ex. avoid mixing indoor and natural light by turning off all indoor lighting when shooting indoors next to a window)
  • Avoid busy backgrounds that compete with the flatlay story
  • Blank spaces and soft backgrounds work best for a clean minimal social media feed
  • Use acrylic styling blocks to: help prop items that don’t sit up straight, make items appear to float above other items (ex. stationery suites), and level out uneven surfaces
  • Add texture and foliage for dimension and top with blooms
  • Balance blooms in opposite corners of the flatlay (ex. create a balance between the upper right and lower left corners of the frame)

Examples of Beautiful Flatlays

Alabaster Fox

Harry & Frank

Intertwine | Camryn Brooks Events | Clary Pfeiffer Photography | Ciarra Claire Fine Art

Garden of Eden Design | Sage & Scarlett Photography

Maxit Flower Design | Yellow Rose Calligraphy | The Table Workshop | Ellen Ashton Photography | Kate Elizabeth Photography

Kathryn Stice Design (formerly Roots Floral Design) | Kristen Becker | House of Joy | Megan Noll Photography

Stella Wolfe Co | Maricle Kang Photography | Justine Milton Photography | Foxglove Studio | Art + Alexander

The Idea Emporium | Scott & Dana Photographers

Flatlay of peach flowers, brown foliage, and matching wedding invitation

Ashley Fox Designs | Arcola Trail Flower Farm | Shasta Bell Calligraphy | Tate Carlson Photography

Robby Lozano | Cassie Schott (formerly Dreams & Nostalgia) | College Park Flowers 

Cream flowers and bronze foliage decorate a wedding invitation flatlay

Ashley Fox Designs | Bella Figura | Tate Carlson Photographer | Shasta Bell Calligraphy | Nebraska Wedding Day Magazine

Rose and Laurel | Shasta Bell Photographie | Shasta Bell Calligraphy

“Detail shots take vendor coordination. And we believe that you should have magazine-worthy shots in your wedding album. That’s why we gift you (and your wedding photographer) detail flowers to capture all the wedding day details you’ve worked so hard to curate.” – Sarah Bruxfoort | Rose and Laurel

flowers and ribbon complete a pink wedding invitation suite flatlay

Amorology | Prim & Pixie | Brandon Kidd Photographer | Oak & the Owl

Terrain Studio | Veronica Halim | Jada Poon Photography

Lavendar hyacinth and pink dogwood laying on a neutral background as part of a styles flatlay with ceramic plates and a calligraphy note about spring

Myrtle et Olive | Veronica Halim | Joy Proctor Design | Donny Zavala Photography

Handmade paper wedding inviation suite, tiny blooms, and gold handled snips as part of a professional flatlay

Amy Odom Photography

“Styling the details. I love this part of the day. It sets me in the right frame of mind to capture a couple’s wedding. It’s a bit meditative and relaxing before the buzz of the day!” – Amy Odom (Amy Odom Photography)

Flatlay of a wedding invitation, taupe ribbon on a wooden spool, white roses and ranunculus, and a silver plate holding vintage stamps on a lavender background

Maxit Flower Design | Holloway Events | James & Jess Photography

A diamond engagement ring in a burgundy velvet box featured in a styled flatlay of figs and flowers on a linen tablecloth

Stems | Sophie Epton Photography

Joy Proctor Design | Rachel Havel Photography | Veronica Halim | Layout Collection

Flatlay consisting of a wedding invitation suite, an acrylic table number, and blooms in citrus colors

Maxit Flower Design | Model Paper | Courtney Leigh Photography

“Styling with flowers has always been one of my favorite things to do. It forces you to slow down and pay attention to each bloom and texture. Each element plays such a crucial role in making the overall image look just perfect.” – Maria Maxit |  Maxit Flower Design

 


If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy learning How to Make a Floral Fascinator with Francoise Weeks.

FILED IN:

SHARE ON:

Comments:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share your Thoughts:

Thank you for subscribing!

Subscribe and stay connected

This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to provide educational information about all things related to floral design and production. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is available for viewing without profit to those who have an interest in reading or viewing the website information for educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. If your copyrighted material appears on this web site and you disagree with our assessment that it constitutes "fair use," please contact us and we will remove it from our site.

FAIR USE STATEMENT