Want to capture beautiful flatlay photos for your website, social media, or product shots — without a studio setup? Good news: you can totally DIY it with a few simple flatlay photography tips!
Flatlays are perfect for storytelling, showing off a product, or just giving your usual photo feed a little visual breathing room.
Here are five of my favorite flatlay photography tips to help you style and shoot like a pro (even if you’re working from your kitchen floor).
1. Know the Purpose of Your Flatlay
Before you start styling, ask yourself:
What is this flatlay for?
Are you creating a banner image for your site? A promotional shot for a product? A behind-the-scenes scene from your day?
Once you know the purpose, choose a main subject and orient your layout accordingly — portrait or landscape, text space or no text space, etc.
Pro tip:
Make sure the subject is in sharp focus. On a phone, tap the screen where you want the focus. On a DSLR or mirrorless camera, manually focus or choose your closest autofocus point.
2. Make Your Own Backgrounds
Not blessed with marble counters or rustic wood floors? No worries — you can create your own stylish surfaces on a budget.
Try these DIY flatlay background ideas:
- Adhesive contact paper on foam board
- Colored cardstock or posterboard
- A piece of linen or canvas fabric stretched across a board
- A tile sample from your local home improvement store
Example: I used a 12×12″ marble tile from Lowe’s for under $3!
Want more background ideas? Try contact paper designs like:
- White marble
- Weathered barnwood
- Geometric patterns
- Grasscloth or textured neutrals
3. Find the Light
Light is everything in photography — and flatlays are no exception!
Set up near a large window with indirect natural light. Harsh light? Soften it with a white sheet or curtain to create beautiful, diffused shadows.
Pro tip:
Place taller objects further from the light so they don’t cast distracting shadows over the rest of the scene.
4. Use Reflectors for Softer Light
If you have extra foam boards lying around, use them as reflectors! Just place a white board opposite your light source to bounce light back into your scene and reduce harsh shadows.
It’s an easy way to get brighter, more balanced lighting without fancy gear.
5. Layer and Crop Creatively
A flatlay can look stiff and fake when everything is spaced out evenly.
Instead:
- Let objects overlap
- Use a mix of textures and heights
- Allow some items to fall off the edge of the frame
- Leave some negative space if you’ll add text later
By building a layered scene, you’ll create more visual interest and have the flexibility to capture multiple angles from one setup.
Shooting Flatlays on Your Phone?
Check out these resources:
👉 The best tips for better phone photos NOW
✨ The FREE Pretty Phone Photos Guide
Want if you want better photos but short on time? Try searching “flatlay stock images” — many free photo sites offer high-quality options (just make sure to credit the artist if required).
More Photography Help for Moms
Want even more beginner-friendly photography advice?
- 📩 Sign up for my free email list — I share realistic, mom-friendly tips
- 📷 Explore my online photography resources — built just for moms
- 🎁 Grab the free Pretty Phone Photos Guide — perfect for snapping beautiful shots with just your phone