How-to

How To Edit Flat Lay Photos on iPhone and Android for Free

Apr 30, 2022 · 3 minutes read

Best Free Flatlay Editing App: How To Edit Flat Lay Photos on iPhone or Android

If you’ve been around social media at all lately, then you’ve likely seen these beautifully curated photos that content creators call flat lay photos or flat lays. So what is this trend that we’re seeing all over our Instagram feeds? Simply put, flat lay photography is a photo of objects arranged on a flat surface, photographed from directly above. It’s a very popular style of photography as it allows to creatively showcase various items (could be anything!) and it lets photographers explore their imagination. Some of the more common flat lays are of wedding stationery, clothing, food and beverages, books, or beauty products. In this article, we’ll explore how you can master the art of flat lay photography with the best free app, YouCam Perfect.

How to Edit Flat Lay Photography

So you know you want to take and create a flat lay photo for Instagram — now what?! Follow our steps to easily get a perfect flat lay photo:

Step 1: Download YouCam Perfect
Step 2: Improve Composition
Step 3: Use Preset White Filter
Step 4: Add a Frame

1. Download the Perfect Flat Lay Editing App

As previously mentioned, downloading YouCam Perfect is the first step. The app is available for both iOS and Android, so users of any device can utilize it.

2. Improve Composition

A big part of a beautiful flat lay revolves around its composition. The ideal crop for a flat lay is a grid. You’ll want to use the Crop & Perspective tools to alter the orientation and align the photo properly. Usually, a flat lay is a square, which favors social media sharing like Instagram, but no matter what your crop is, utilize the rule of thirds. In photography, the rule of thirds is a type of composition in which an image is divided evenly into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and the subject of the image is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or along one of the lines itself.

📷 Read: How to Straighten a Photo in Post-production

3. Brighten Your Flatlay

Flat lays usually have a tone that makes them beautiful to look at. Thankfully with YouCam Perfect, you can get that same look with a preset white filter. Tap Edit at the bottom of the app and select Filters in Effects. From there, select a filter like Bright, which sees your snaps through a pure and simple lens.

4. Frame Flat Lay Photo

A photo frame is a great way to silo the eye right to the subject of your flat lay. YouCam Perfect offers many to choose from, which can be found under the Edit. We suggest using a frame that is simple, letting the attention and focus go to the items as opposed to the frame itself.

4 Tips to Master Flat Lay Photos on Phone

Finding the right angle is essential to a great flat lay. Your camera should be directly above the items you’re taking the photo of.
Arranging your objects is where many content creators get tied up. Rather than placing all of your objects in the center, try arranging your objects so that they overflow out of the frame and only parts of some objects are in the frame.
Finding a good source of light is crucial for all photography, but especially for flat lay photography. Get close to a natural light source whenever possible.
Lastly, use the right camera app! There are a lot of ways to take a photo, but using the right app from the onset will be a great start.

Best Free App for Flat Lay Photography: YouCam Perfect

YouCam Perfect is the best free photo editing app for all the selfie and photo editing and beautifying tools you might need, including face shaping, teeth whitening, photo collages, filters, frames, effects, templates, stickers, and of course, Instagram flat lay editing. The app is the best photo editor app not only for flat lay style photos but for any of your photo needs because it also supports many advanced editing tools.

Download YouCam Perfect: Best Photo Editor for Flat Lay Photography

Now you know all the steps to create flat lay style photos for social media like Instagram, and how easy it is to do with the YouCam Perfect app! Download the app now for iOS or Android to get started!

Flatlay Photo Editing FAQs

What is flat lay photography?

A flat lay is a photo of objects arranged on a flat surface, photographed from directly above. Some of the more common flat lays are of wedding stationery, clothing, food and beverages, books, or beauty products.

What makes a good flat lay photo?

Follow these four tips to get a good flat lay photo:

Finding the right angle
Arranging your objects
Finding a good source of light
Use the right camera app

The aspects of a good flat play are simple — you’ll want to find the right angle, arrange your objects, find a good source of light, and use the right camera app. Once you have those essentials squared away, you’re well on your way to creating a beautiful photo!

How do I edit a flat lay picture?

Editing a flat lay is no different than editing any other photo — keep the essentials like lighting, cropping, filters, and effects in mind! Download the YouCam Perfect app for either iOS or Android today to get started on your flat lay photography.