How To Style Your Photos | Photography Series 2/3

Hey guys, this is the second post in our photography trilogy. We are going to talk you through how to style your photos, using props, flatlays, composition etc. By no means are we claiming that we are experts on this, we are still learning for sure!

PROPS

Props are an essential part to a blog photo. It can add interest and dimension, using different sizes, colours and textures. Our favourite to use is clothes as they always add an interesting texture or pattern! You can use:

Trinkets
Trays
Makeup
Brushes
Nail polish
Jewellery
Clothes
Prints
Books
Magazines

A great way to use props is to stack them. In the picture you can see we stacked a couple of nail polishes on top of a palette to add dimension.

COLOUR

Something to keep in mind when you are styling your blog/instagram photos is colour coordination. Try and pick items and props that will go with the product you are photographing/focusing on. For example, if you are taking a picture of a red lipstick, try and make the background and props monochrome with odd pops of colour here and there to make the lipstick stand out. Good colour coordination really brings a photo to life!

FLATLAYS

We still haven't mastered the perfect flatlay, we really are still learning. If you don't know what a flatlay is: it is a photo where items are placed flat on a surface and the photo is taken from a birds eyes view.

It is easy to shake whilst taking a flatlay so a tip is to hold your breath (not for too long!) while you take the shot. Also, try and eliminate shadows as much as possible by taking it near a window and in even lighting.

Good surfaces to use for flatlays include A3 pads of paper, marble adhesive, wood samples, countertops, duvet covers etc.

COMPOSITION

Composition is basically how you position your products in the photo. This matters so much because you don't want the picture to look cluttered, or messy! Make sure you try out a variety of angles and arrangements before putting away your setup.

Try to have one main product as the focus of the photo and then arrange your props around it based on colours and size! You can line things up in a row or position products in an 'organised mess' where it looks random.

We hope you enjoyed a few tips on styling your photo, we are enjoying writing this series!

Byeee! X