Welcome to the final (6/6) week of my flatlay challenge! Our final assignment is styling a Vertical Vignette - my favorite type of composition and angle! I am simply thrilled to see you contributing and trying new things. In the end “it's not the harvest we reap, but the seeds we plant - Robert Louis Stevenson.”
Thank you for all your lovely submissions for the Diagonal Composition Challenge. There were many beautiful entries. I shared some favorites along with my notes and observations and saved them under the Flatlay Highlight@mangelka and @naughtyeas
In case you missed it, you can watch a Diagonal Composition REEL tutorialhere.
#6 Assignment: Vertical Vignette
By definition, “vignette” is a brief evocative description, account, or episode.
In this assignment you will be creating your own interesting composition (a mini-moment of your daily life) using common objects you have or find nearby and photograph it straight on or at a ¾ angle.
The easiest way to start is by designing a flatlay of your choice, and then building it out in layers of various heights. So far we have examined 5 different compositions:
Circle (use a round platter/tray)
Square (use a square/rectangular tray, book, music sheet)
Triangle (include 3 main elements linked together by story and props)
S-curve (dynamic leading line towards the hero)
Diagonal (leading lines that help keep the eye moving within a frame)
Just like with any great flatlay, some of the most important elements in capturing a memorable Vertical Vignette photo include:
Natural Light (get close to the window, use diffuser and reflector to even out the lighting and fill in the dark shadows) Review Lesson 4
Strong Composition (a hero - main subject, rule to thirds, rule of odds, leading lines (diagonals and S-curve)). Review Composition in Lessons 6&7
Color harmony (choose colors that works well together: complimentary, analogous and triadic) Review color theory in Lesson 8
Distinctive Edit (to polish your photo, develop a personal voice and make it recognizable as yours). See how I edit my photos in Lesson 11
Please make use of some or all of the above to create your own signature vertical vignette and photograph it using side light to give volume and dimension to objects within your scene. Shoot it straight on or at ¾ angle (review shooting angles in Lesson 5).
5 Ways to Make your Subject Stand Out in Photos
When creating a vertical still life arrangement there are many ways one could improve a composition and make the Hero stand out. Try using these 5 tips:
Separate your subject from the background (declutter, simplify, and distance)
Shallow Depth of field to blur out the background, keep hero in sharp focus (try f2.8-f4)
Use leading lines to guide eyes towards your hero (diagonals and curves)
Capture action/movement + add a human touch (pouring tea, dusting cake with sugar powder, icing compares, writing in a notebook)
Use light to highlight important elements and hide the distracting ones
See how to best apply these tips to improve composition and style with impact in my class Lessons 4&5
To add depth and dimension to Vertical Composition, visually divide the space into 3 parts:
1. Foreground (place some small details to add texture and depth, and invite the viewer in, place flat/short props here)
2. Middle (place your hero/main subject here and make sure it's in sharp focus)
3. Background (place your tallest props here, it's ok if they are slightly out of focus)
Review the composition structure inLesson 8,and see how these concepts are applied in a styling demo + Secret Flatlay Formula(that works for vertical vignettes)
How to Level up Your Flatlays
Make your composition more interesting with little details that add texture and life to your composition - see Lesson 7
Try out my secret flatlay formula to create dimension and height - see Lesson 8
Strive for balance with use of handy compositional tools - seeLesson 7
Use these tips to instantly improve your composition - see Lesson 4
Learn Color Theory to enhance your photos - see Lesson 8 here
