Flat Lay Photos: Pictures of Flatlays

Flatlay photography is an easy and creative way to showcase groups of products, give a stunning snapshot of a work space, or just showcase thematic elements in an aesthetically rich way.

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flatlay of a tablet cellphone and laptop keyboard on grey

Flatlay Of A Tablet Cellphone And Laptop Keyboard ON Grey


back to school with pencils

Back To School With Pencils


notebook with hey sunday written

Notebook With Hey Sunday Written


water color supplies on a wooden table

Water Color Supplies On A Wooden Table


christmas gift wrap flatlay

Christmas Gift Wrap Flatlay


money money money

Money Money Money


cake icing decoration

Cake Icing Decoration


happy easter purple and yellow

Happy Easter Purple and Yellow


colorful paint brushes in front of black background

Colorful Paint Brushes In Front Of Black Background


flatlay of varied plated food on white plates

Flatlay Of Varied Plated Food On White Plates


turntable & record

turntable & Record


flatlay of wooden toothbrushes laying bristles up on blue

Flatlay Of Wooden Toothbrushes Laying Bristles Up On Blue


mobile phone and walnut speaker

Mobile Phone And Walnut Speaker


buttons corner frame

Buttons Corner Frame


bars of soap lay on a wooden surface

Bars Of Soap Lay On A Wooden Surface


carrots and friends

Carrots And Friends


three red cards fanned out on a red background

Three Red Cards Fanned Out On A Red Background


variety of colored paint brushes flatlay on black background

Variety Of Colored Paint Brushes Flatlay On Black Background


three red cards lay on a red background

Three Red Cards Lay On A Red Background


ends of colored pencils lines up

Ends Of Colored Pencils Lines Up


handmade natural soap with ingredients

Handmade Natural Soap With Ingredients


artsy layout with a book and coffee

Artsy Layout With A Book And Coffee


wooden toothbrushes lay on a vibrant orange background

Wooden Toothbrushes Lay On A Vibrant Orange Background


fruit and veggies angle view

Fruit And Veggies Angle View


wooden rolling pin lays on top of rolled out dough

Wooden Rolling Pin Lays On Top Of Rolled Out Dough


nail polish

Nail Polish


crafting flatlay on texture

Crafting Flatlay On Texture


two vintage cameras set on a white background

Two Vintage Cameras Set On A White Background


circuits and wires for building technology

Circuits And Wires For Building Technology


camera looks down at a mug with petals scattered around it

Camera Looks Down At A Mug With Petals Scattered Around It


trumpet tamborine and flute instruments

Trumpet Tamborine And Flute Instruments


white pizza slices and cutter

White Pizza Slices And Cutter


flatlay of a valentines day card with foil chocolate hearts

Flatlay Of A Valentines Day Card With Foil Chocolate Hearts


carrot gradient with greens

Carrot Gradient With Greens


flatlay with dumplings and chopsticks against a red background

Flatlay With Dumplings And Chopsticks Against A Red Background


ready, set, picnic

Ready, Set, Picnic


flatlay of boxes on left side of table

Flatlay Of Boxes On Left Side Of Table


flatlay of fruit and vegetables on a wooden cutting board

Flatlay Of Fruit And Vegetables On A Wooden Cutting Board


celebrating silver

Celebrating Silver


sunglasses and nail polish for holidays

Sunglasses And Nail Polish For Holidays


wooden toothbrushes in a row against a green background

Wooden Toothbrushes In A Row Against A Green Background


sliced watermelon and ripe cherries

Sliced Watermelon And Ripe Cherries


laptop and a cell phone showing a graph on orange table

Laptop And A Cell Phone Showing A Graph On Orange Table


solar eclipse notebook

Solar Eclipse Notebook


shipping labels

Shipping Labels


hay bail close up

Hay Bail Close Up


colored pencils scattered shown from above

Colored Pencils Scattered Shown From Above


artist works on a floral mosaic with white glue

Artist Works On A Floral Mosaic With White Glue


small hands cut a block of grey clay on messy table

Small Hands Cut A Block Of Grey Clay On Messy Table


flatlay of tortoise shell sunglasses on white

Flatlay Of Tortoise Shell Sunglasses On White


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Tips for Your own flatlay photography

What makes this type of photography so popular is not just the look of the photography style, but that it’s relatively easy to do. Generally you don’t need to be a professional photographer to take a great flatlay image - an iPhone camera and good lighting will do!

Feel free to browse our database of flatlay images or check our tips below for creating your own beautiful pictures.

Shoot for a single color palette

Generally speaking - it’s best to select a colour pallette of about 2-3 unifying colours and work around those colors with varying patterns and textures. Having a predetermined pallette will help to unify the composition of the image and direct the mood of the piece. For example - object in navy blue and deep red will usually give the image a more somber feel to it whereas bright pinks and purples will make the image a bit more playful.

You’ll also want to make sure you use a neutral background colour as well. Most flatlay pictures use a white background, but feel free to experiment with black, grey or more muted wood tones as well. A neutral background colour will make the foreground items stand-out, complimenting the items and focusing your audience's attention towards your subjects.

Let the composition of your pictures tell a story

It’s important to consider the concept of narrative in composing flat-lay photographs. You may want to think of a “theme” before you begin and then select objects that work around this theme. For example - if your theme is “Cluttered Office” - you might choose to use objects like pens, notebooks and coffee cups. If your theme is “Brunch Time” - you might include items like toasted bagels and sparkling mimosas. Let your image tell a story through objects surrounding a common theme.

Experiment with Space and Lighting

Not all flatlay images are built the same. For some - a cluttered workspace might convey a sense of chaos to the audience while a more sparse use of objects with more negative space might give the viewer a sense of calming isolation.

With regards to lighting - it’s generally best to use calm, overhead lighting. You don’t want your lights to be too bright however, as this can wash-out some of the beauty of your colours and create jarring, odd shadows.

Natural light works best as well - especially in the morning when the sun has risen but is not yet in full force. If you’re looking for a more neutral, balanced lighting design, try going out on a day that’s a little bit cloudy to get a soft-light effect.