3 Flat Lay Clothing Photography Ideas and Tips

The “flat lay” technique is used by photographers who put their subjects on a flat surface and take a picture from above. This type of photography is often known as “bird’s eye vision.”

When taking a flat-lay photograph, the lens and the surface are parallel at a fixed distance. So the viewer can not see any right angles in the picture. Instead, it shows a view of a flat surface from a fixed point of view. Though plain surface flat lays are very common, nowadays, photographers are trying to capture flat lays with different creative ideas as well.

Before starting flat lay photography, some things need to be kept in mind. For example, a “flat lay” requires arranging subjects on a flat surface, because the typical style of flat lay can make pictures look boring.

So, in this article, we will discuss some ideas for flat-lay clothing photography with you that will make your flat-lay picture enjoyable.

Ideas for Flat Lay Photography

Idea 1: Focus on a White and Black Background

White and black are two suitable and standard colors for flat-lay photography. Showing cloth details is the motto of the flat lay. So using a random, awkward color background can harm your cloth details.

Idea 2: Utilize props

Props are an essential part of flat-lay photography. Without a prop, the subject will look pale in a flat-lay picture. Make sure the props you choose to go with your clothes and background. Only use random props, or your photos will lose their point.

We all know that flat-lay photography adds a conceptual element to photography. Adding appropriate props to your clothing flat lay can add a lovely touch.

Idea 3: Hanging Clothes Can Be Beneficial

Most people believe that for a flat-lay photograph, the cloth must be lying on a flat floor. But in a more modern way of thinking, a hangar can also be good for flat-lay photography.

The use of hangers in cloth photography, mainly for marketing purposes, can give the cloth a new and exciting aesthetic.

Why is flat-lay becoming more popular?

Clothing businesses can benefit from flat-lay photography because it is simple, easy, aesthetically pleasing, and low-cost. Flat-lay photography is a great choice for fashion brands and retailers because it has so many benefits.

Because there is no doubt that a professional picture grabs customers’ attention quickly. So, let’s talk about some of the best advantages of flat-lay photography for the clothing business:

1. Attractive to See

Flat-lay fashion photography focuses primarily on the subject. Also, using this kind of photography helps show off the best features of the clothes in a natural way. And it’s important because it might help customers have faith in the business.

It takes minimal effort to arrange subjects for flat-lay photography properly. Because flat-lay images require a blank background or flat surface, adding more props can destroy the story behind the picture.

2. It Allows The Photographer To Tell A Story Through Images

Taking a flat-lay picture doesn’t require being a professional photographer; anyone can take a flat-lay with a few strategies. All that is required is an excellent background, good lights, and a clear area to set up shop and sell your clothes.

Additionally, there is no doubt that flat-lay images can assist you in telling a story about your clothing. A dress, sunglasses, pearls, and sandals would all look lovely in a flat-lay photo.

3. Useful For Social Media Marketing

Flat-lay images are perfect for businesses to display on social media. The potential for creativity, innovation, and aesthetic excellence in flat-lay photography is high.

Customers can find out more about the clothes on offer, which may make them want to look around the site more.

In addition, social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become increasingly important for the fashion industry. Many popular clothing brands use flat-lay photographs on their Instagram accounts.

4. Adds Context

Flat-lay cloth photography is perfect for those buyers who care about their looks. because the appearance of cloth is more important to them than its size and color.

They are looking for the whole picture. They want to know about the dress’s closures, pockets, patterns, logos, and colors because those details can affect how it looks on them.

Another perk of flat-lay photography is that if a piece of clothing is only seen from the side, it’s easy to miss crucial details. However, potential buyers can get a better sense of the costume by viewing it from above.

5. Capable Of Serving Several Functions

Because they are unique and simple, flat-lay photography ideas for clothes can be used in many different situations.

Moreover, people can post these images on their blogs, websites, and other online media. They are flexible. Clothing entrepreneurs can use them as social media profile pictures for their businesses.

6. Cost-Effective Photography Setup

Flat-lay clothing photography requires minimal set-up time. You just need a flat surface, appropriate attire, a good source of light, and a good camera.

Tips for Creating a Flat Lay

• Iron Your Clothes

The motto of flat-lay photography is to show every detail of the cloth. So, do not use any dirty and wrinkled clothes for flat-lay photography. People often need to remember to iron their clothes before taking a flat photo of them.

However, before you begin photography, you should use your steamer or iron to remove the wrinkles.

Even after ironing, your freshly folded clothes may still have a wrinkled appearance. For this reason, a second ironing is required after the arrangement has been set up. Pictures of the garments on a flat surface should simplify the task.

• Don’t Experiment With The Background

A simple background is essential when you are clicking flat lays. If you want to keep the focus on your props, a white location is ideal.

If you want to keep things simple, choose a neutral color or material, such as a wood table or floor. You can create a colorful background with your imagination and some shiny wrapping paper taped to the floor or a counter.

Maybe you are planning to do a lot of flat lays; you could also get a vinyl background to make it easy to get a vintage look. You can also use our automatic background remover tool after the shoot to magically remove the old background and put a new one in its place.

Related post:

7 Ways To Take Pictures With A White Background For Amazon

• Make Sure You And Your Audience Can See The Details

Shoot from a higher viewpoint by using a stair or a step stool. Moving away from the flat lay and out of the frame allows you to fit more into the image. Also, this is one of the few surefire ways to get a perfectly flat picture.

Take some practice photos from above, and feel free to reposition the elements in the set until you get the desired result. Editing begins once you’ve captured the perfect photo.

• Use a High-Quality Camera and Accessories

The benefit of flat-lay photography is that it can be done with any camera. This method can be used with any device, including a mobile phone. Always utilize your best camera for the most outstanding results. In the case of flat-lay photography, an increase in sharpness might be very beneficial. And in the end, a tripod is a must.

The tripod you use will be an essential component for flat lays. You’ll be taking pictures of the subject from high above. If you plan on doing a lot of flat-lay photo shoots, having this option on your tripod is well worth the investment.

If you don’t have access to a tripod, you can always use a stool to gain a better vantage point. Because of this, obtaining a top-down view will be much less of a hassle.

In order to take better pictures with your smartphone, you can use some discretion. Put the phone face down and protrude only the camera. The phone’s weight should be enough to hold it up, but dropping it will crack the screen.

The workflow for tethered shooting can be streamlined with a tripod that has a center column that can be tilted.

If you’re using tethered shooting, you can keep your camera on the tripod the whole time. With this camera, you can fire off a series of shots without touching the device. It is beneficial for those who want to make flat-lay stop-motion videos.

Now come to the lens. When picking a lens, telephoto lenses are preferred over wide-angle ones. By focusing on your subject from a distance, you can capture clean, straight lines in your photographs.

With a wide-angle lens, you can see where these lines converge. Straight lines in an image will bend toward the edges if the camera is set to a combined perspective. Because of this, flat-lay photography won’t look as clean as it usually does.

• Make Sure There’s Enough Lighting

Light is essential for any type of photography, and flat-lay photography is no exception. The rule of thumb is that the less light you use, the better, and a soft light is ideal for this kind of picture. You can use a large window as your primary light source, and if the sunlight coming in is too harsh, you can soften it by hanging sheer curtains or chiffon over the window.

• Use “Post Processing”

You may have just taken a fantastic photograph of your clothes in a flat lay, but now is the time to refine it. If you are busy, contact a post-production house to edit your picture a bit. because photographs without editing are boring. Additionally, cropping, resizing, and background changes are essential aspects of a photograph.

Bottom Line

Flat-lay photography is one of the best ways to take photos of cloth these days. There are no predefined ideas for the flat lay, so everyone can show their creativity. In this article, you should have learned much about the flat lay and how to use it. Try to do what they say; these ideas and suggestions will help you.

FAQ

How do you photograph clothes laying flat?

To start, use a focal length of more than 35 millimeters while shooting flat-lay clothing. By doing this, the image’s proportions will stay the same and the edges won’t get blurry. Next, keep the connection between the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.