Flat lay phone photography is one of the most versatile and recognisable styles in business content. Done well, it stops the scroll on Instagram, performs consistently on Pinterest, and gives your brand a polished, intentional look that builds trust with your audience from the very first glance.
The good news is that flat lays are also one of the most beginner-friendly photography styles to learn. You don’t need special equipment, a large space, or advanced editing skills. You need a clean surface, good light, a handful of props, and a few simple principles that make the difference between a flat lay that looks thrown together and one that looks considered.
In this guide we cover the full process from setup to final shot, including how to arrange your scene, which surfaces and props work best, and how to frame your images specifically for Instagram and Pinterest, because the two platforms have different requirements that are worth knowing before you shoot.
Whether you’re photographing products, creating lifestyle content, or building a more consistent visual presence for your brand, this guide will give you a repeatable process you can use every time you pick up your phone.
IN THIS GUIDE
What Makes a Great Flat Lay
A flat lay is simply a photo taken from directly above, with your camera pointing straight down at a scene arranged on a flat surface. The bird’s eye perspective removes depth and background entirely, putting full focus on the arrangement itself.
What separates a great flat lay from an average one comes down to four things:
- Light – soft, even, and coming from the side rather than directly above
- Composition – a deliberate arrangement that guides the eye through the frame
- Props – supportive without competing with your hero subject
- Consistency – a visual style that feels cohesive with the rest of your brand
Get these four working together and your flat lays will stand out in even the most crowded feeds.
Setting Up Your Flat Lay – Step by Step
Step 1: Find Your Light
For flat lay photography, side lighting is everything. Position your shooting surface beside a window so light falls across the scene from one side rather than directly above. This creates gentle shadows that add depth and dimension to your arrangement.
A cloudy day is ideal. Bright direct sunlight creates harsh shadows that cut across your arrangement and are difficult to work around. If you’re shooting on a sunny day, diffuse the light with a thin white fabric or tissue paper over the window.
Beginner Tip – Avoid overhead ceiling lights entirely for flat lays, they flatten the scene and create unflattering reflections on any shiny surfaces.
More on this here: The Best Natural Lighting Tips for Smartphone Business Photography
Step 2: Choose Your Surface
Your surface is your background, so choose it with intention. The most versatile options are:
White or light surfaces
A white table, foam board, or sheet of card. Clean, minimal, and works with almost any color palette. The safest starting point for beginners.
Wooden surfaces
A timber table or wooden board adds warmth and texture. Works particularly well for food, lifestyle, and handmade product flat lays.
Textured surfaces
Marble, linen, concrete, or slate add visual interest without competing with your subject. Great for beauty, jewellery, and premium product photography.
Pick one or two surfaces that suit your brand and use them consistently. Switching surfaces constantly makes your feed look disjointed and undermines the visual consistency you’re building.
Step 3: Select Your Hero Subject and Props
Every flat lay needs one clear hero, the main subject you want your audience to focus on. Everything else in the frame is a supporting prop, and the rule is simple: if it doesn’t add to the story, it doesn’t belong in the shot.
Choosing props
Props should complement your hero subject in color, texture, or theme without competing with it for attention.
A few reliable prop categories for bloggers and small business owners:
- Stationery – notebooks, pens, paper clips, washi tape
- Lifestyle items – a coffee cup, reading glasses, small plants, candles
- Textural elements – linen fabric, dried flowers, ribbon, leaves
- Brand colours – anything in your brand palette that ties the scene together
Keep your prop count low. Three to five items including your hero subject is usually enough. More than that and the arrangement starts to feel chaotic.
Step 4: Arrange Your Scene
This is where the biggest gains are made. A thoughtful arrangement is what separates a flat lay that looks intentional from one that looks accidental.
The S-curve arrangement
For flat lays with multiple objects, an S-curve arrangement works beautifully. Place your hero subject centrally, then arrange supporting props in a gentle S-shape flowing through the frame. This creates natural movement and draws the eye through the scene in a satisfying way.
The cluster arrangement
For simpler flat lays with fewer props, a cluster arrangement works well. Group your items together with your hero subject at the centre and props radiating naturally outward. Leave some empty space around the edges of the frame to let the scene breathe.
Odd numbers work better than even
Arrange props in groups of three or five rather than two or four. Odd numbers create a more natural, visually satisfying balance than even groupings.
Beginner tip
Take a test shot after your first arrangement, then step back and look at the image on your screen with fresh eyes. It’s much easier to spot what isn’t working when you see it as a still image rather than a live scene you’re caught up in arranging.
Step 5: Position Your Phone
Shooting from directly above is essential for flat lay photography. Even a slight angle introduces perspective distortion that makes your arrangement look uneven.
The easiest way to achieve a true overhead shot is to position your phone on a tripod extended above the scene, or to stand directly above your surface and shoot with both arms extended. Turn on your grid lines and use them to check that your frame is level before you shoot.
I talk about this in more detail here: How to Set Up a DIY Phone Photography Studio at Home
Step 6: Shoot and Review
Take multiple shots, adjust props slightly between each one and compare them on screen. Small changes to prop placement, spacing, or the angle of an object can make a significant difference to the final image.
After shooting, check:
- Is your hero subject the most obvious thing in the frame?
- Are the edges of the frame clean and free of distractions?
- Does the arrangement feel balanced without being symmetrical?
- Is the image sharp across the whole scene?
Flat Lays for Instagram vs Pinterest
While the shooting technique is the same for both platforms, there are a few important differences in how you frame and format your flat lays depending on where they’ll be published.
Instagram favors square (1:1) or portrait (4:5) formats in the feed. Shoot slightly wider than you think you need so you have flexibility to crop to either format without losing important elements of your arrangement. Stories and Reels use a 9:16 vertical format. Flat lays work here too, just shoot portrait orientation and arrange your scene accordingly.
Pinterest is a vertical platform. The ideal Pin ratio is 2:3, so a flat lay destined for Pinterest should be shot in portrait orientation with your arrangement centered vertically in the frame. Leave space at the top or bottom of the image for a text overlay if you plan to add a title or description to your Pin graphic.
The practical solution
Shoot every flat lay in portrait orientation with slightly more space around your arrangement than you think you need. This gives you maximum flexibility to crop for Instagram or Pinterest.
Your Flat Lay Checklist
- Light source positioned to the side — soft and even across the scene
- Surface clean and on-brand
- Hero subject identified and placed first
- Props selected — complementary, not competing
- Arrangement reviewed on screen via test shot
- Phone positioned directly overhead — grid lines on and level
- Shot in portrait orientation for Instagram and Pinterest flexibility
- Multiple shots taken with small adjustments between each
Your First Flat Lay Starts Today
Flat lay photography has a short learning curve and a high reward. The core principles are simple: good side lighting, an intentional arrangement, a clear hero subject, and a consistent surface. Get those working together and you’ll find your flat lays improve quickly and start to feel like a natural part of how you create content.
Start simple. One hero subject, two or three props, your best window, and a clean white surface. Once that feels comfortable, layer in more intentional prop selection, S-curve arrangements, and surface variety.
For the full foundation, head back to my beginner’s guide: Phone Photography for Beginners: A Practical Guide for Bloggers & Small Business Owners