Product Photography Flat Lay Tutorial

Composition principles

Flat lay composition follows a few consistent rules:

Common flat lay layouts: - Corner composition: Hero product in centre, props arranged in two opposing corners - Scatter: Natural-looking, slightly random arrangement of elements around a central product - Grid: Perfect rows and columns of products — best for showing range/variety - Negative space: Product on one side, large open area on the other (great for adding text in ads)

Choosing surfaces and backgrounds

Buy a selection of vinyl sheets — they cost $10–20 each and wipe clean easily.

Props and styling

Rules for props: 1. Stick to a colour palette — 2 or 3 colours maximum 2. Scale matters — mix large, medium, and small elements for visual interest 3. Props should suggest context, not distract: fresh herbs for food, botanical leaves for skincare 4. Remove anything that's not intentional — every element must earn its place

Useful universal props: small plants, fabric swatches, pencils, notebooks, fresh flowers, ribbons, wooden spools.

Lighting flat lays

The ideal flat lay light source is directly overhead and diffused: - A skylight or roof window on an overcast day - A large window directly above (rare) — but shooting on the floor of a room with a side window works if the light is bright enough - Two softboxes at equal angles from each side, both pointing down at 45°

Avoid a single side light for flat lays — it creates strong directional shadows that cut across your arrangement.

Editing flat lay photos

1. 1.Correct perspective (Photos taken with a phone at arm's length are often slightly distorted — use Lightroom's Transform tool)
2. 2.Adjust white balance to match your surface colour
3. 3.Increase exposure and add contrast
4. 4.Crop square if shooting for Instagram or Etsy
5. 5.Spot-heal any dust, crumbs, or props that slipped out of place

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