Sign up to our newsletter to receive our latest news!
Flat lay product photography has single-handedly changed the world of commercial photography. Since 2021, it has been one of the most popular styles of photography and has been employed by a variety of businesses and eCommerce websites for its minimalist appeal and simple yet unique look!
Given the huge popularity of flat lays, they can be found just about anywhere. The world of product photography will never be the same thanks to flat lay styling and setup.
So, what is flat lay photography used for and why is it so popular?
Let’s find out!
Flat Lay Product Photography – What it Means
Simply put, flat lay is all about taking a picture from right above. The objects are laid out on a flat surface, giving you a bird’s eye perspective of the product placed below.
Photographs clicked from this angle are the core defining characteristic of flat lay photography. Add to this the simplistic theme, along with a minimalist background, and you’ll have a terrific product photo without a lot of fuss.
This doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with the background and the simple theme, so long as the flat lay angle captures your product and its essence in the best light!
From big tech giants to small e-commerce companies, the minimalist staging of flat lay style is perfect for showcasing your products. Flat lay photos work wonders for your web design as well, so there are a multitude of benefits that you stand to gain.
Top 5 Products Suitable for Flat Lay Photography
Given the versatility that flat lay photography offers, you can use an extensive range of products for your business and/or eCommerce website. Food, shoes, clothing items, cosmetics and other beauty products all look great in a flat lay setup.
Irrespective of the industry or niche you belong to, with flat lay styling you can present your product in a new and interesting way.
Here are some popular product choices that work brilliantly in a flat lay style:
1. Mock Outfits and Clothing
The most popular and perhaps the most common of the fashion flat lay styling, mock outfits and clothes are photographed best in this setup. This is one of the easiest ways to show your viewers how they can style their outfits, whilst also showcasing your different products. Here, flat lay photo ideas work like a charm to display various accessories, such as jewellery, handbags, shoes, watches and more!
2. Beauty and Makeup Products
Beauty brands can benefit from flat lay photography ideas, as an assortment of neatly arranged beauty products and cosmetics look stunning in a flat alignment. Depending on your target audience and your brand image, you can choose to present your makeup products in a nice streamlined way or experiment with a more scattered look.
3. Kid’s Products
In a flat lay photography setup, using a bright and vibrant backdrop to position kid's products like toys, clothes and books will give you amazing results. It's all about making the most of organised chaos, with simple yet fun backgrounds.
For professional product photography, click here!
4. Gadgets and Electronics
Electronics and gadgets work well with flat lay styling and setup. Products like laptops and smartphones, which can be laid down flat, make for an easy subject matter.
Some brands have used flat lay photography ideas to present the unboxing of electronic products too.
5. Food and Kitchenware
Food flat lay is also popular, simply because the result looks great. The same goes for kitchenware, as it goes hand in hand with food photography. It's easy for your customers to picture a complete table laid out, when you show your products placed so appealingly to indulge and wow them.

How Flat Lay Product Photography Can Boost Ecommerce Sales
Once you figure out how to style a flat lay and make it work for your eCommerce brand, you’ll see that it brings a lot to the table.
Let’s take a look at the highlights:
- Product staging is super easy, making visualisation and conceptualisation of your product simple, with little to no setup;
- Has a distinctive aesthetic appeal as flat lays look inherently unique and creative;
- It allows eCommerce stores to entice customers without giving away too many details, luring them to visit their website;
- It's a cost-effective way to give your products a high-end, professional look without using expensive camera equipment;
- It's highly versatile as it can be used for page headers on eCommerce sites, creating an appealing and fun digital backdrop and much more.
Contact DW Images to Spice Up Your Ecommerce Product Photography!
For professional product photos that’ll work wonders on your website and social media platforms, you’ll need an experienced photographer to get the job done.
With our vast experience in corporate, event and business photography, at DW Images, we can help you take your commercial advertising to the next level, courtesy of our brilliant visuals!
Give us a call right away to see how we can enhance your product photography game!


WE PROVIDE A RANGE OF PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
DW Images photography, working with clients across Milton Keynes, the rest of the Midlands and London. At our Milton Keynes based photography studio we specialise in product photography for ecommerce retailers. This includes Packshots, 360 Degree, Lifestyle, Ghost Mannequin and Flat Lay Photography. We also offer corporate headshot photography for your company website meet the team page, and your business social media.

Leave A Comment