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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white blocks spells out stay well repeatedly

White Blocks Spells Out Stay Well Repeatedly


wooden blocks lay in colorful dots and spell smile

Wooden Blocks Lay In Colorful Dots And Spell Smile


wooden block spell out smile laying on colorful dots

Wooden Block Spell Out Smile Laying On Colorful Dots


wooden blocks with black letters spell lets dance

Wooden Blocks With Black Letters Spell Lets Dance


yellow card and a red and gold passport flatlay

Yellow Card And A Red And Gold Passport Flatlay


four hearts lay spaced out on a white background

Four Hearts Lay Spaced Out On A White Background


wooden colored pencils scattered on pink and blue balls

Wooden Colored Pencils Scattered On Pink And Blue Balls


jade face roller flatlay surrounded by dried leaves

Jade Face Roller Flatlay Surrounded By Dried Leaves


jade face roller lays on white cloth with pine needles

Jade Face Roller Lays On White Cloth With Pine Needles


colored pencils scattered on pink and blue balls

Colored Pencils Scattered On Pink And Blue Balls


flatlay of a passport vaccine card and facemasks

Flatlay Of A Passport Vaccine Card And Facemasks


flatlay of a passport and three disposable facemasks

Flatlay Of A Passport And Three Disposable Facemasks


flatlay of a yellow vaccination card and facemasks

Flatlay Of A Yellow Vaccination Card And Facemasks


flatlay of travel documents and a facemask

Flatlay Of Travel Documents And A Facemask


black plastic debit card on a white table

Black Plastic Debit Card On A White Table


flatlay of vaccine card and a passport

Flatlay Of Vaccine Card And A Passport


flatlay of a yellow plastic card with a tap chip in it

Flatlay Of A Yellow Plastic Card With A Tap Chip In It


person writing out what they are grateful for in a notebook

Person Writing Out What They Are Grateful For In A Notebook


white tiles spell out self love club

White Tiles Spell Out Self Love Club


colorful beaded bracelets on a beige background

Colorful Beaded Bracelets On A Beige Background


bold black sunglasses lay in a open book

Bold Black Sunglasses Lay In A Open Book


two notebooks lay on a soft pink surface

Two Notebooks Lay On A Soft Pink Surface


hand reaches for a notebook on yellow

Hand Reaches For A Notebook On Yellow


two pieces of biscotti next to a cup of coffee

Two Pieces Of Biscotti Next To A Cup Of Coffee


black bold sunglasses on a large book with photos

Black Bold Sunglasses On A Large Book With Photos


hand reaches for a book next to sunglasses and a bag

Hand Reaches For A Book Next To Sunglasses And A Bag


notebooks lays on a yellow surface with dried flowers surrounding

Notebooks Lays On A Yellow Surface With Dried Flowers Surrounding


flatlay of a cell phone and colourful beaded string

Flatlay Of A Cell Phone And Colourful Beaded String


flatlay of a white plate with fresh biscotti on a table

Flatlay Of A White Plate With Fresh Biscotti On A Table


green jade roller on a white mesh cloth

Green Jade Roller On A White Mesh Cloth


tiles read self love club next to a pink flower

Tiles Read Self Love Club Next To A Pink Flower


tiles lay on a black surface reading mental health matters

Tiles Lay On A Black Surface Reading Mental Health Matters


flatlay of fruit and vegetables on a wooden cutting board

Flatlay Of Fruit And Vegetables On A Wooden Cutting Board


chalkboard with the words healthy in cursive lays on fruit

Chalkboard With The Words Healthy In Cursive Lays On Fruit


flatlay of embroidery coffee and dried flowers

Flatlay Of Embroidery Coffee And Dried Flowers


spoons lined up holding loose leaf tea

Spoons Lined Up Holding Loose Leaf Tea


spoon lays in the middle of oats

Spoon Lays In The Middle Of Oats


gold spoons in a row filled with loose leaf tea

Gold Spoons In A Row Filled With Loose Leaf Tea


hands cup ripe red strawberries on black background

Hands Cup Ripe Red Strawberries On Black Background


strawberries on a wooden plate over black surface

Strawberries On A Wooden Plate Over Black Surface


an assortment of vibrant vegetables

An Assortment Of Vibrant Vegetables


hands filled with ripe strawberries on black background

Hands Filled With Ripe Strawberries On Black Background


hands cup ripe strawberries with other fruit below

Hands Cup Ripe Strawberries With Other Fruit Below


ripe red strawberries fill a frame

Ripe Red Strawberries Fill A Frame


flatlay of a small screen showing graphs and numbers

Flatlay Of A Small Screen Showing Graphs And Numbers


cell phone screen displaying graphs and numbers

Cell Phone Screen Displaying Graphs And Numbers


cell phone screen displaying text and numbers

Cell Phone Screen Displaying Text And Numbers


black background photo of cellphone with graphs

Black Background Photo Of Cellphone With Graphs


cell phone displaying graphs and numbers

Cell Phone Displaying Graphs And Numbers


flatlay of a black phone showing graphs on the screen

Flatlay Of A Black Phone Showing Graphs On The Screen


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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.