Do I have a witty introduction for Flat lays and Posing? No, no I do not. As a Millenial who's posing mostly revolved around the classic hand on hip with a slight hip pop out to the side up until a few years ago, Posing (and staging of photos) have been the bane of my existence. But since starting Zombie Bunny, I've worked on busting myself out of my posing funk and trying new things!

1. Flat lays 

Honestly, I find flat lays the hardest bit of staging photos, and something I still struggle with to this day. What is a flat lay? Flat lay photos are images shot directly from above! Usually these consist of a neutral background (one to two colors, usually) with small props used to enhance the focal point of your photo - your make! Props can vary from plants, books, or everyday knickknacks you've found around your house - the main thing you want to make sure of is that these props don't take away from your make! 

Things to note:

When in doubt about what kind of background you want, a simple white background will always work the best and won't distract from your photo. Wood or brick are also great background options! Since HQ doesn't have a lot of good natural wood in an area of decent lighting, I have constructed a small, portable poster board with wood-like contact paper over the top to use as a backdrop! 

The use of small wooden cubes - usually found at the Dollar Store or a craft store - works great to elevate props! By elevating different parts of your flay lay will give an added dimension to your photo!

Getting distance between you and the flay lay will help you fit everything into your shot! This also helps ensure that your photo will actually look flat. 

2. Posing/Modeling

Our resident Dress Expert, Jeni, said it best about posing - "It's ok to feel silly!" Posing can feel awkward and weird and downright silly! And that's absolutely normal! Remember, we all are here to have fun with fabric! Modeling and posing with your make is the best way to showcase what you've made!

Things to note: 

Work angles and shadows - you don't have to take all your photos straight on! Taking a photo at an angle - whether that be from above, below, or from the side - will help with taking the awkwardness out of posing! Having a variety of different angle shots will also give you a lot to choose from when selecting your final photos! 

We want to highlight the fabric to show others what the colors, scale, etc, so when posing with your make, don't be afraid of close ups! 

A cheap tripod from Amazon and either your phone's timer feature or a bluetooth remote will work wonders when taking photos by yourself! 

Parting Thoughts

Posing can be a difficult thing to master! And it's ok if you haven't gotten there yet - remember we are all here to have fun and to learn! Let's be silly, together!