If you’re looking to elevate your ‘gram status from an under 11 like a tragedy, to Insta elitism in just a few simple steps, you’ve come to the right place.
As a social media agency in Sydney, we specialize in generating viral-worthy content. You know, the kind that makes your life seem inadequate and uninteresting in comparison (sorry, not sorry).
Lucky for you, we’ve put together a 5 step guide to flat lay superiority, so that if you’re keen to step it up a notch, gain a few extra likes and ultimately climb the ladder to social stardom (aren’t we all?), you can start delighting your followers with envy-worthy posts in a matter of steps.
ONE: LIGHTING LIGHTING LIGHTING
A flat lay without the perfect lighting is like a cake without icing. It’s ok, you’ll eat it (and another three pieces) but it just not the foodgasmic dessert you’ve always dreamed of.
Natural light always works best, so get yourself a white sheet of cardboard and prop it up as close as you can to your favourite window (hint: it’s probably around the same area as your selfie spot).
It’s ok to test a few different spots until you find ‘the one’ (all good things take time), but try to avoid direct sunlight where dark shadows will be cast onto your perfectly aligned masterpiece!
TWO: COMPOSE YOURSELF
Arguably the most crucial step toward becoming a flat lay boss, your framing and composition will make or break your post (and your likes to minute ratio). It’s important to ensure the components of your image are evenly spaced and if need be, feature one item as the hero piece of the frame.
Start with the most crucial element of your flat lay, and add the supporting elements in around it. You can either do this in a way that fills the space completely (in an organised and strategic way) or in a way that utilises the excess white space, but choose wisely, cause you can’t have your space and eat it too.
THREE: PICK A THEME (AND STICK TO IT)
What is the story your flat lay is trying to tell, what is it’s purpose, it’s meaning? These are the hard hitting questions you need to ask yourself before you commit to your flat lay mission. Every component of your frame should add to the story of your hero piece and make sense in the overall aesthetic of the image. Don’t try and mix things that don’t make sense together, and choose a colour palette you can keep consistent.
FOUR: PUT THE FLAT IN FLAT LAY
To the untrained eye, this one is worth mentioning (don’t worry, you’ll get there soon). It seems obvious, but ensuring your camera / phone lens is perfectly positioned both squarely above your flat lay and completely angle-free (flat), will ensure your image looks totally legit, so you can be like, hello insta-fame in no time!
FIVE: KEEP IT SIMPLE
You know what they say, ‘less is more’, so take whatever intricate, over-the-top ideas you had and boil them down into one clean, clutter-free masterpiece. If you haven’t heard, minimal is the new black, so your flat lay essentials will be limited to a crisp (usually) white board, your product features and some transferrable props such as a magazine, textured rug and assorted supporting products (depending on your industry).
