Six Years of Flatlays + Advice for Flatlay-Styling Beginners
To celebrate the launch of our first educational bundle "How to Style Flatlays: E-Book + Video Workshop” - coming to the Chez Núñez Shop this Wednesday, August 19 - I put together this post in hopes that you’ll find it both encouraging and humorous.
Below, I’ve laid out a 6 YEAR chronological overview of Chez Núñez flatlays from when I very first started styling them in 2014, all the way up until now.
As you can see through the images, it was only with time and consistent effort that my work in this area of photography developed and strengthened. This collection of examples is a reminder to me that my photography is continually progressing to this day, and will likely look much different in another 6 years from now.
The same logic applies to your work, my friend!
Because social media is a highlight reel of present day work, I found it valuable to rewind the tape with this visual reminder that we ALL start somewhere when it comes to any sort of creative endeavor. It’s through time and practice that we grow and improve.
You’ll find my advice for flatlay photography beginners at the bottom of this post as well!
Enjoy!
2014 - 2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Crazy, right? I hope you feel inspired by the deep potential within you to evolve creatively.
In case you’re looking to get started on your own flatlay photography journey, or you need an extra dose of insight on how to get the ball rolling, I put together some advice based on my experiences in the last 6 years. May these tips help simplify things and free you up to start exploring how flatlays can add value to your portfolio, social media, or brand materials.
Advice for Flatlay Styling Beginners:
Practice photographing every-day scenes before diving to really elaborate shoots. Before I started crafting elaborate flatlay scenes, I started simple by shooting moments around my house: overhead shots of my breakfast, desk, bedding, or perhaps something I arranged on my floor.
Pro tip: if you don’t have a surface or tabletop that inspires you, try going to the craft store and picking up some colored poster boards or faux-texture boards to play around with as your background.Focus on photographing goods or materials that interest you the most or bring you the most joy. This one’s straightforward. You’ll be more excited to shoot styled images that are relevant to your interests or personal brand - so pick props or settings that you enjoy!
Don’t feel like you have to share everything you create on social media. If that motivates you, then feel free! Keeping record of my progress on social has always been a fun benchmark exercise for me, but if you find that you’d rather refine your skills some more before sharing your images, then give yourself the permission and space to shoot for the fun of it without putting pressure on yourself to share everything online.
Make the most of the photography gear you have and don’t buy into the misconception that you need expensive camera gear or lighting equipment in order to shoot compelling images. My phone and some natural light is all I really need. As I’ve improved fundamental photography skills over time, I eased into new gear that inspired me. Just be wary of new gear as a point of resistance, and don’t let your set-up become a barrier to keep you from making beautiful images!
Go on a scavenger hunt around your house for props! I’ve found that I don’t need a giant closet full of props to shoot impactful content. So much of what I style to this day consists of odds and ends from around my home. I’ve incorporated my glasses, a mug of coffee, books, pencils, scarves, etc. into past shoots. I know based on these experiences that you probably have more flatlay magic lying around than you think you do!
Thank you so much for reading.
- Anna
