The secret to thriving in the online clothing business community is using images to make customers feel the clothes on their hands without touching them. The go-to photography style for capturing such shots is flat lay clothing photography.
This photography style is trending these days for its ability to highlight every detail of your clothing—from prints and patterns to intricate designs, buttons, zippers, and stitches.. But how to take flat lay photos of clothes that look professional?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about flat lay clothing photography, starting from the equipment you will need to the tips to take the best shots.
Let’s learn how to master flat Lay clothing photography right away!
What is Flat-Lay Photography?
Flat-lay photography is a style of photography where products are arranged on a flat surface and photographed from directly above. This photography technique is also referred to as bird’s eye view and top-down shots. In this method, the camera is set parallel to and above the product at a 90-degree angle.
The specialty of flat-lay photos is the photography angle. Unlike other techniques, you must follow this exact camera angle. The straight-down shot, without showing angles, gives an undistorted view of your arranged subjects. This photography style is popular for showcasing eCommerce products, food, clothing, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, skincare, tech gadgets, and many more.
How Does it Differ From Other Types of Photography?
Flat-lay photography has several unique characteristics that set it apart from other photography techniques. Let’s explore some of them.
The first distinctive feature of flat-lay shots is their clean aesthetic. Usually, the items are arranged on a flat surface in a way that is both organized and visually engaging. This uncluttered and visually appealing image attracts customers’ attention directly to the products.
Besides, the simplicity of this style makes the photography process less complicated compared to other photography techniques, such as ghost mannequins. You have to make the mannequins wear the clothes showing front, back and inside and take the shots. Later, the images have to be merged through photo editing and removed from the mannequin to get the perfect ghost effect. So, when it comes to flat lay vs ghost mannequin for the photoshoot process, flat lay will win for its simple shooting process.
Another worth-mentioning characteristic of flat lay photos is their ability to convey stories through their arrangements. You can arrange multiple items together and showcase their relationship with each other. This method of storytelling through arrangement is unique to flat-lay photography. For example, you can arrange a sunglass, beach hat, and sunscreen together to evoke the essence of a sunny beach day. This shows how these items complement each other for a beach vacation experience.
The most unique feature of flat lay images is their unique perspective and 90-degree angle. This photography style provides a comprehensive view of the scene. These compositions won’t have different angles or drama like other photography techniques. The overhead perspective of these shots ensures that all items in the composition are captured with equal clarity and detail. Besides, the straight angle prevents subjects from appearing stretched or distorted.
Importance of Flat Lay Photography in Ecommerce Business
Flat lay clothing photography offers significant advantages to the eCommerce industry. That’s why you can see almost every business use this photography technique to promote their products. This technique doesn’t require a high-end professional photographer to take flat lay shots. Only creativity and minimal technical expertise are enough to capture visually appealing photographs. It saves on the cost of hiring a professional photographer.
Besides, this is one of the best alternatives to ghost mannequin photography. Businesses don’t have to hire a model or use mannequins to take photos of clothing items. Also, there is no need for dedicated studio space for the photoshoot. Flat lay shoots can be conducted at home or in an office. All it needs is a flat surface, a good light source, props and photography equipment like a high-resolution camera, lens, etc. Its minimal setup time and complexity streamline the workflow. This minimizes the cost of hiring models and studio.
Moreover, the neat and organized presentation of the products makes the photographs eye-catching. Apparel placed on a clear background keeps the focus on the products only. Also, the details of the items can be highlighted effectively. The clear and sharp photos create realistic expectations among the customers.
In a nutshell, flat lay clothing photography is a cost-effective solution for eCommerce businesses. Its simplicity, unique visual appeal, and limitless creative possibilities ensure the products stand out in a competitive market.
Equipment and Accessories Needed for Flat-Lay Clothing Photography
You don’t need a professional photography studio for flat lay clothing photography. You can do it in your home or office as well. However, you need a few necessary equipment to facilitate your shooting session and capture high-quality photos.
The following are the important equipment you will need for your flat lay clothing photography setup.
Camera
You need a high-resolution DSLR or mirrorless camera to capture professional-quality photos. These cameras have large sensors, which is necessary to get higher-resolution photos. Besides, their interchangeable lens feature allows you to use multiple lenses based on your photography needs.
You will also be able to adjust the settings manually to achieve the perfect exposure and depth of field. However, you can use a smartphone with a good camera quality as well.
Lenses
You need a high-quality lens as well along with your camera. Your image quality, sharpness, and clarity depend on your selection of the right lens. For overall sharp and high-quality photographs, you can use a 50mm prime lens. The fixed focal length of the prime lens can produce sharp images with better contrast and detail.
For close-up shots, you should use a 100 mm macro lens. This lens is specially designed to capture the fine details of products. However, if you don’t have the budget to use multiple lenses, then a zoom lens would be the best option for you.
The adjustable focal length will give you the option to capture both wide and close-up shots.
Backdrop
The thing that will be visible in your photographs other than your clothing items is the background of your subject. You can use fabric, thick paper sheets, or foam boards as your backdrop. Neutral shades like white, beige, gray, and so on are perfect for both eCommerce and social media sites.
Table or surface
You need a flat surface to set your backdrop. You can use any flat surface, be it your floor or table. A backlit table usually helps to make the images look professional. This table has in-built light sources to make the clothes look bright from all sides. However, you don’t have to purchase that expensive table when you can create it by adding LED light strips to a glass table.
Tripod
Since flat lay shots are taken at a 90-degree angle from above, maintaining that angle can be challenging if you operate the camera handheld. Moreover, your photos may appear blurry because of camera shake. That’s why you should use a tripod. A sturdy tripod will help you to maintain constant angles and keep your camera stable throughout your shoot.
It’s best if you use a remote shutter release to operate your camera. This will ensure maximum stability of your camera and give you sharp and clear images.
Lights
Although you can use natural light, for product photoshoots it is best to use artificial light. You can use a strobe, LED bulb, or ring light as your light source. You can use one or multiple light sources and set them up following the techniques we have discussed above.
Diffuser
You need a diffuser to control the intensity of your light sources. It makes the light beams soft and minimizes the casting of harsh shadows. You can use a softbox, white umbrellas, or sheer white fabric as your diffuser.
Reflectors
Whether you use natural or artificial light, shadows will be cast due to a lack of even light in all directions. For this reason, you need reflectors to bounce light back onto your products. It will help you to fill in shadows and make the brightness of the setting balanced.
C-stand
A c-stand is necessary to hold your light source, reflectors, and diffusers. It is strong enough to hold heavy accessories. Besides, you can adjust its height and position easily. This tool will help to maintain constant lighting and achieve clear and sharp photographs.
How to Take the Best Flat Lay Clothing Photography?
You need strategic planning and proper implementation to take the best flat-lay clothing photographs. The whole process consists of conceptualizing the theme, choosing equipment, arranging items, and many more.
Let’s explore how you can create plans and execute them effectively to get the best flat-lay clothing shots.
Plan Your Shoot
The first step to capturing captivating flat lay clothing photographs involves detailed planning through mood boarding and theme development. Proper planning will give you a clear roadmap for executing your photography shoot effectively. You can start your planning by deciding on the style and theme considering the purpose of your photography.
You can use a minimalist theme or a colorful setup to create visually appealing top-down clothing photographs. Moreover, themes based on lines, symmetry, or seasonal elements can add depth and interest to your images.
After deciding on your theme, you can draw your plan on a mood board. It is a great tool for visualizing and organizing your ideas. You can arrange all of the elements of your composition, such as clothing, complementary items, props, and so on. This way, you can virtually see how your plan looks and make adjustments if necessary.
Getting Things Ready
Your preparation for the photography session will determine whether or not you will get the best flat-lay clothing photographs. Your preparation for the shoot begins with choosing the clothing items and your theme. You have to select items that complement each other in color and texture.
Next, you need to decide your position, such as which flat surface you will use—a table, floor, or bed. Besides, you have to choose your position considering your lighting sources. If you use natural light, you have to choose a position beside a large window or area without a shed. However, for artificial lighting, you must use a location where natural light does not interfere.
Your preparation will also include arranging props, tools, clips, pins, invisible thread, and many other necessary elements you will need for the shoot. A proper arrangement of all of these photography essentials will ensure that your photography session runs smoothly and produces the results you desire.
Choose the Right Equipment
Choosing the right equipment can significantly impact the quality of your photographs. You need to use a high-quality camera and lenses to get the best shots. Your camera should have manual setting adjustment options so that you can set the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO as per your needs. Besides, you need a macro lens for capturing textures or small details on clothing items in close-up shots.
You also need to choose your lighting setup and additional equipment that will help enhance your lighting, such as diffusers and reflectors. The most important tool for flat-lay shots is a tripod. Although you can take the shots handheld, there are chances of affecting the image quality. So, to get sharp and clear images, it’s best to use a good-quality tripod.
Get Creative with the Background
You need to select your background carefully as it can either make or break the overall visual appeal of your clothing products. You can choose backgrounds that complement your products. For example, dark color clothes will pop up on light colored backgrounds like white, gray, beige, or pastels. On the other hand, brighter colored clothes stand out against darker backgrounds like black, navy, or gray.
You can use the color wheel or experiment with color palettes to find complementary backgrounds. Monochromatic backgrounds like white or gray are ideal for minimalist themes and eCommerce use. However, for social media platforms such as Instagram or Pinterest, you should use various pastel shades.
Create a Good Lighting Setup
You need proper lighting arrangements to ensure that the color of your product looks exactly the same as in real life. For that, you have to place your lighting sources in such a way that your product gets light from all directions. Here’s how you can create a well-lit lighting setup:
Natural Light
A clothing product photoshoot with natural light is challenging. The intensity of the daylight keeps changing with time and other factors like weather, clouds, and so on. However, you can get great shots if you arrange the setups properly.
You can position your flat lay setup beside a broad window or in a place that gets enough sunlight. Direct sunlight can cast harsh shadows. That’s why you should use diffuser to make the light rays soft. Don’t you have a diffuser? No problem. You can use a sheer white curtain as a diffuser. Moreover, to spread the lights evenly, you should place a reflector in the opposite direction of your light source.
Artificial Light
Shooting with artificial light sources will give you full control over your photoshoot setup. You can adjust the intensity, color temperature, and direction of the light as per your needs and preferences.
For the perfect flat lay clothing photography lighting, you can use the following setups:
One light
You can use a strobe or a continuous light source. Strobes are high-intensity light sources with a quick flash. It will make your clothing items look bright and clear. In contrast, continuous light sources like LEDs are less intense.
You must use a diffuser to make the light beams soft and less intense. As your light will fall in only one direction, you will have to use a reflector to spread the light evenly. The reflector will work as your fill light.
Two Lights
You can set up two light sources on both sides of your product at a 45-degree angle. In this case, one will be your key light source, and the other one will be the fill light. This will make your setting bright and minimize the shadows. However, you will still need to use a reflector to prevent any shadows and diffusers to control the intensity of the lights.
Three Lights
You can use more than two lights as well. Three light sources can be placed in three different directions to form a triangle shape. Alternatively, you can set two lights opposite each other to balance the sides and an overhead light source for the third light. This lighting setup will give you even coverage across the entire scene.
Arrange the Items
Your clothing arrangement is the most important step in your flat-lay clothing photography. You can play with the placement to create a visually compelling story. You have to consider color harmony, shapes, and space around your product to create a visually compelling story.
Here is how you can experiment with different styles to arrange your items:
- Formal Style: Make the collars appear structured by using pins. You have to close the buttons and zippers as well to make the clothes look formal.
- Casual Style: You can set the clothing by showing its flow, folding the sleeves, or opening up buttons to make the items appear relaxed.
- Grid Style: You can use this style to showcase your range of items available in different colors or designs. You can also use it to create a theme. You can fold your items and place them side by side, keeping a bit of distance between them.
For a single product, you should keep negative space around it. This will make the arrangement look clean. You can place the items in lines to make the composition look balanced and symmetrical. It’s worth mentioning that customers love to see unique features in clothes. So, make sure your arrangement shows the neckline, sleeve design, and other important features.
Add Depth & Dimension
Flat lay images cannot show the natural flow or fit of the clothing items, just like they can be seen in invisible ghost mannequin photography or lifestyle fashion photography. You can use layers to give the clothes depth and dimension. This will prevent the photos from appearing flat and boring. You can layer items to add depth and make the arrangement appear more natural.
For example, you can drape a jacket over a shirt. Shoes, sunglasses, headphones, and other accessories can be used to add dimension. You can experiment with colors, patterns, and textures as well. You can use color theory to match your items with complementary colors.
Placing clothes of different textures side by side will also add dimension to your composition. You can arrange denim, cotton, silk, or woolen products together to highlight their textures. It will make the photos more engaging and eye-catching for your potential customers.
Closeups for Details
Details on clothes, such as stitching, fabric texture, patterns, and embellishments, are often not captured clearly in wider shots. These fine details give an idea of the quality of the materials. You should take closeup shots to capture these intricate details. Clothing images from a closeup perspective also attract customers faster and increase their trust in the product.
Take Test Shots
The trick to getting the best shot is to capture multiple photographs. You can experiment with a variety of compositions, angles, and arrangements. You can
Make changes in your styling approach. For example, you can take shots of a shirt in both formal and casual styles.
Moreover, wide-angle shots will show the overall appearance of the item, and macro shots will make small design elements visible. It takes both of these types of images to influence the purchasing decisions of the customers.
You should take several test shots to see if the photographs match your expectations. You can adjust the arrangements to see which placement appears better. You should also capture the test images from multiple angles and perspectives. Each product has unique characteristics that look the best from specific angles. Test photos will help you identify them and get jaw-dropping shots.
Shoot Multiple Photos
The trick to getting the best shot is to capture multiple photographs. You can experiment with a variety of compositions, angles, and arrangements. You can
Make changes in your styling approach. For example, you can take shots of a shirt in both formal and casual styles.
Moreover, wide-angle shots will show the overall appearance of the item, and macro shots will make small design elements visible. It takes both of these types of images to influence the purchasing decisions of the customers.
Editing Flat-Lay Clothing Images For Best Results
Image quality is one of the most important factors that attract your potential customers to your products. Since online shoppers rely solely on visuals, they prefer to see high-quality images that showcase every intricate detail of the clothing items clearly. However, your clothing products may not look exactly the same as in real life because of camera settings, lighting, camera angles, and other factors.
You need post-production to fix the flaws and give your photographs a natural appearance. Businesses of all sizes, whether small or large, usually prefer to outsource image retouching services. This investment is considered worthy as professional post-production companies deliver polished images that help to make customers check out the products and boost sales.
You can use eCommerce photo editing services to create clipping paths, adjust the color of your clothes, remove unwanted shadows, or replace backgrounds. Most importantly, when customers see that the dresses match the images, it builds trust in your brand. This trust not only increases customer satisfaction but also lowers return rates because they are more confident about their purchases.
Flat Lay Clothing Photography Tips
Here are a few tips that will help you achieve professional-quality images and highlight the details of your products.
Iron Clothes Before Shoot
Wrinkles on clothes make the items look unattractive and messy. Iron them properly before your shoot to make sure the clothing items don’t have creases and wrinkles.
Pay Attention to Details
Fine details such as spots, loose threads, and labels can lower the quality standards of the clothes. You should cut off loose threads. Also, use a lint roller and fabric shaver to remove pet hair, lint, or dirt.
Use Double Sided Tape
Wind or unwanted movement can create folds or disrupt your perfect arrangement. You can use double-sided tape to keep the items fixed in their positions. This is a handy tool to keep your arrangement neat and perfect.
Don’t Overcrowd Your Frame
You should be careful when using props. Props are necessary to enhance the visual appeal of your flat lays. However, overuse of props can make the composition look cluttered. Also, it can take away the focus from your main subject. That’s why you should try to use props that will complement your product rather than affect the balance of the frame.
Edit Images Thoughtfully
You must make sure your photographs look natural after post-production. You can fix color or remove imperfections. But don’t overdo it. Otherwise, it will create an impact on the image quality and make the photos look artificial.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flat lay Clothing Photography
Can I shoot flat-lay clothing photos with my Phone?
Yes. You can use your smartphone for flat lay clothing photography. These days almost every mid-range to high-range smartphone comes with high-resolution cameras. They have manual setting adjustment features like a DSLR or mirrorless cameras. You can use the same techniques to take the shots. However, the quality will not be the same as you will get with a professional-quality camera and lenses.
What is the best background for flat lay clothes?
The best background for flat lay clothes is solid-colored backgrounds, especially for eCommerce platforms. You can use seamless paper rolls or fabric backdrops in white, black, gray, or other pastel colors. For an artistic vibe, you can use tables made of wood, bamboo, or marble. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best background choice depends on the style and colors of the clothing items.
What are the benefits of flat lay photography?
Flat lay photography is one of the best and trending techniques for presenting products clearly and without distractions. It allows you to highlight textures, patterns, and other intricate design elements effectively. Moreover, this style of photography is versatile. It is suitable for showcasing both single products and entire product lines.
Do I need a studio setup for capturing flat lay clothing items?
No. You can capture flat lay shots without a studio setup. However, you need a clear space with good lighting and a flat surface. You can create a studio light setup if you have the proper equipment, such as light source, camera, tripod, backdrop, reflectors, diffusers and other necessary tools.
Conclusion
Flat lay photography is one of the most effective photography styles to attract customers on social media platforms. However, it is also valued on eCommerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Alibaba and so on for its neat and sharp presentation. Although it may seem quite easy to shoot, you need creativity and the proper execution of your imagination to master this photography technique.
You can look for inspiration on social sites to plan your arrangement. Besides, use the insights you have gained from this article to take your photography skills to the next level.
