Some of my favorite vintage-inspired travel flat lays taken for The Blonde Abroad.

When planning out these shots, I created a moodboard of inspiration, took into account The Blonde Abroad’s audience and items one would associate with travel and archeology.

Some of the photos are for an upcoming Masterclass Blogging Course, and needed to incorporate electronics like laptop and phone.

We see so many pretty images all the time—from Instagram to Pinterest to curated fashion brands—that it’s almost become second nature to us. We know when we like an image…but if we were to go and recreate something similar, it might not be as easy. Have you ever experienced that?

A lot of thought goes into those expertly designed photos!

Wondering how to shoot a flat lay or how to style a cute flat lay for Instagram?

I wrote a post all about how to style stunning travel flat lays for The Blonde Abroad, and laying down some of my basic guidelines.

How to Style a Flat Lay

Here’s a quick guide into some of the things I take into account when styling a flat lay:

• Composition & Negative Space
• Target Audience
• Lighting
• Color Palette
• Props and Little Details
• The Overall Feeling & Vibe
• Backdrop
• Size and Frame

These are the main things I take into consideration when styling a flat lay!

What to Include in a Flat Lay

This is a multi-faceted question as it comes down to several factors listed above. What is the focal point or purpose of your flat lay?

Are you promoting a product? Are you trying to a capture a feeling or vibe? Is it a pretty photo to complement your brand? Is it something with food? Is it travel related? What sort of feeling are you trying to exude?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions! Every brand, business, and person is different — so their imagery should be too (and all the background details about the photos, to boot!).

For travel flat lays, I like to take into consideration what place I’m trying to channel or capture the essence of. Is it luxury travel, budget travel, or somewhere in between? Is it someone who loves archeology and history books, or is the target audience someone who would love silk pillows and champagne bottles?

For a styled food flat lay, is the photo trying to capture the feeling of cooking with the product, or conversely, is it the answer to someone’s quest for good food…and a restaurant or bakery showing off their offerings.