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Smartphone photography 101: Taking flat lays

Keeping it straight and casual for beginners

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If you frequent Pinterest and Instagram, I’m certain you encounter a lot of flat lays. In case you didn’t know, it’s one of the most popular genres of smartphone photography. Despite the popularity and abundance of tutorials, people still struggle with taking flat lays.

As someone who always takes flat lays both for work and personal reasons, I’m going to give a few tips and tricks on how you can maximize your smartphone for your flat lay needs. Take this as a refresher if you’ve forgotten all those flat lay tutorials you’ve studied in the past.

Setting up

Before you start pulling out your smartphones, use them to find inspiration first. Browse and scan excellent flat lays on Instagram, Pinterest, and other inspiration-filled platforms. Soak up all the goodness and the shots you like and let it sink in.

When you’re done, decide on a theme for your shoot. What story do you want to tell? Once you figure this out, you can start assembling your props.

Make sure you follow a color palette,  and pick different shapes and sizes to ensure balance — which is the most important trick in shooting flat lays. Remember, the message is important. Don’t shoot just because you want to shoot.

Shooting

Pick a background and compose your shot

Grab your props and set them up on a table. My ideal time to shoot is always in the morning or late afternoon when the light isn’t harsh. Shooting at noontime will produce strong shadows and contrast, deeply impacting the quality of your flat lays.

Shot on Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (1x Auto) | Cookies by @ovenfulbyian

If your spot is a little bit dark, never use flash. Just move somewhere with ample lighting. For instance, I set up next to a window. Sometimes, I shoot at the shaded area of my porch.

Shot on Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (1x Auto) | Cookies by @leezipotato

When you’ve assembled your props, make sure to leave spaces between objects to make your set breathe. And don’t forget to mix up and play around with the props.

Shoot it straight from the right distance.

Cameras use different focal lengths, which is why sometimes taking flat lays using a smartphone or a certain lens can cause a distorted output. It’s difficult to straighten the photo when your primary camera uses a wide lens.

Shot on Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (1x Auto) | Chocolate crinkles by @ovenfulbyian

Finding the right distance by standing up on a stool, an elevated block, or climbing a ladder is the key to taking proper flat lays. If you think you’re too cool to make an effort by standing up to get the right shot, girl, bye.

Kidding aside, once you find the right distance, you have two options: Shoot at 1x then crop it later or shoot using 3x optical zoom. In my stint with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, I used both 1x and 3x to achieve a straight shot.

Shot on Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (3x Optical Zoom) | Chocolate crinkles by @ovenfulbyian

Although, you need to balance yourself while shooting. Not all smartphone cameras are made equal, some struggle maintaining focus when using optical and digital zoom features.

Consider this before you complain about how you can’t take a proper shot or blame it to your smartphone. You always need to adapt and be smart in the way you handle different situations.

Post-processing

Have fun editing, but don’t go overboard.

Forget those who glorify using and uploading raw photos. Import your photos to an editing app, and make some magic. Turn an ordinary photo into something even more captivating.

Shot on Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (1x Auto), Cropped and increased exposure via Adobe Lightroom Mobile | Cookies by @ovenfulbyian

Just make sure you don’t edit it too much that it’s borderline unrealistic. You can use existing presets, or you can tweak around the settings to learn more about post-processing. The possibilities are endless.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review: Premium phone you can afford


Smartphone Photography 101 series:

Smartphone photography 101: Foreground element

Smartphone photography 101: How to take slice of life photos

Smartphone photography 101: Capturing festivities

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TECNO and Angélica Dass team up for a global portrait project

Dass aims to photograph 100 people across five countries using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra

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TECNO has partnered with Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass in launching 100 Portraits of Becoming.”

It is a two-year global initiative that explores identity, representation, and how AI sees people.

The project officially kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya — where Dass began photographing participants using the latest TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra.

Who’s Angélica Dass?

Angélica Dass is best known for exploring identity and self-expression through portrait photography.

Her award-winning “Humanæ” project challenged conventional ideas of race and skin color by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.

ICYMI, Dass and her project gained much recognition from:

  • TED
  • World Economic Forum
  • UNESCO
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Vogue
  • National Geographic

Portraits beyond appearances

With this portrait project, Dass teams up with TECNO to photograph 100 people across five countries.

Rather than simply documenting faces, 100 Portraits of Becoming aims to tell the stories behind each participant. Every portrait is paired with a personal narrative about growth, identity, and life experiences. Creating what TECNO calls a “Living Archive.”

Participants are photographed in natural light, without filters, and while wearing clothing of their own choice to better reflect their authentic selves.

The collaboration also explores how AI can go beyond simply recognizing faces. Asking instead how technology can better reflect the complexity of human identity and give people more control over how they choose to be seen.

Powered by TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging

All portraits are shot using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which features the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology.

Introduced in 2023, Universal Tone is designed to improve how smartphone cameras capture different skin tones. According to TECNO, the system is built on a database covering hundreds of skin tone samples, allowing photos to produce more natural and accurate results across a wider range of complexions.

The company says the technology aligns with the project’s goal of promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in photography, especially as AI-powered imaging becomes increasingly common nowadays.

From Kenya to the world

As previously mentioned, Kenya serves as the project’s first stop. With TECNO citing the country’s growing technology ecosystem and young population as reasons for beginning there.

Over the next two years, the initiative will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil. The first collection of portraits and stories expected to go live online in August.

As of writing, TECNO is currently accepting participants from the Philippines where Dass is expected to take part from August 16 until August 22, 2026.

Through 100 Portraits of Becoming, TECNO hopes to spark conversations around identity, diversity, and how technology can better reflect the people it captures—not just visually, but through their stories as well.

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Dyson’s viral portable fan arrives in the Philippines

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Dyson HushJet Mini

If there is one Dyson launch that has generated unusual levels of anticipation this year, it is the Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan.

The compact cooling device quickly gained a following after its international release, reportedly selling out within a day in several markets. Now, just in time for the hottest and most humid months of the year (no thanks to climate change), it is finally arriving in the Philippines.

With temperatures continuing to climb, the timing feels almost inevitable. Lightweight and designed for use on the move, the HushJet™ Mini brings Dyson’s airflow technology into a portable format that fits easily into everyday life—whether commuting through the city, attending outdoor events, traveling, or spending long days under the sun.

Its appeal extends beyond functionality. Finished in Dyson’s Stone/Blush colorway, the device combines cooling performance with a sleek aesthetic that feels at home alongside the accessories people already carry daily.

The new Dyson HushJet Mini is your new companion against heat and humidity.

The launch also marks one of the most accessible entry points into the Dyson ecosystem. Priced at PhP6,499, the HushJet Mini offers consumers a practical way to experience the brand’s engineering and design in a product built for everyday use.

Given the strong demand seen overseas, interest is expected to be high when the fan officially launches in the Philippines.

Where, when, and how to get your own Dyson HushJet

The Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan in Stone/Blush will be available beginning June 25, 2026 at 3 p.m. at participating Dyson stores, including Mall of Asia, Podium, Greenbelt 5, and One Bonifacio High Street.

For those hoping to get their hands on one, it may be worth keeping a close eye on Dyson Philippines’ official social media channels and Dyson.ph. If international demand is any indication, this could be one of the season’s most sought-after releases.

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Dyson is making it very easy to upgrade everything this May

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From a three-day takeover at SM Megamall to an exclusive Super Brand Day on Lazada, the brand is bringing its best deals and newest launches together in one compelling window.
If you’ve been quietly adding Dyson products to your wishlist and waiting for the right moment, May is making a rather strong case for itself.

The brand has two major events lined up in quick succession — a one-day sale on Lazada on May 11, followed by a three-day immersive experience at SM Megamall from May 15 to 17 — and together, they cover just about every reason you’d want to upgrade your home or beauty routine.

First stop: Lazada’s Super Brand Day, May 11

Kicking things off is Dyson’s Super Brand Day on Lazada, a one-day event that brings the brand’s most recognisable products together with vouchers worth up to ₱5,000 off, free shipping, and installment options of up to six months.

The floor care lineup leads with some of the sharpest discounts of the sale. The Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy moves from PhP28,900 to PhP19,230 after discounts, while the Dyson WashG1 sees the biggest drop of the day — from PhP45,900 down to PhP31,130, unlocking PhP14,770 in savings on the wet floor cleaner that makes a compelling case against the mop-and-bucket. For those who want both, the wet-and-dry pairing suddenly becomes a very reasonable investment.
Environmental control gets a moment too. The Dyson Cool AM07 tower fan drops from PhP29,500 toPhP20,240 — a saving of up to PhP9,260, and a timely one given the country’s reliably unrelenting heat.

With Mother’s Day arriving on May 11 itself, the hair care lineup feels particularly well-timed. The Dyson Supersonic HD15 in Nickel Copper lands at PhP19,930 from PhP29,900, while the Dyson Airwrap i.d. in Ceramic Patina drops to PhP27,782 from PhP36,900 — the kind of gift that feels equal parts indulgent and practical. The Dyson Airstrait in Ceramic Pink and the Dyson Corrale round out the lineup at PhP26,120 and PhP25,320 respectively.

The full sale is available via the official Dyson LazMall flagship, where vouchers can be accessed ahead of checkout at Dyson’s online storeDyson’s online store.

Then: the Trade to Upgrade experience at SM Megamall, May 15 to 17

For those who prefer to experience the technology in person — or have an old machine they’ve been meaning to do something about — Dyson is transforming the Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall into a three-day hub of live demonstrations, expert sessions, and exclusive deals.

The centrepiece is the Trade to Upgrade program, which lets guests bring in their old machines — any brand, working or not — and trade them in for exclusive discounts on Dyson products. It’s a rare opportunity to finally make that long-overdue switch without the full sticker shock.

Each day of the event has its own focus. Day 1 opens with the launch of the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai, an intelligent floor care innovation with real-time stain detection and precision cleaning capabilities. Dyson Experts will be on hand for live demos throughout the day.

Day 2 shifts to beauty, with the Dyson Supersonic Travel taking centre stage — a smaller, lighter version of the iconic hair dryer that delivers the same performance in a more portable form. Celebrity hairstylists will be running live styling sessions for those curious about what the machine can do.

Day 3 brings a limited-edition drop: the Ceramic Apricot colorway across Dyson’s styling range, alongside masterclasses and guest appearances from top local stylists. Those ready to invest in a full beauty upgrade will also find the Dyson Airwrap i.d. in Ceramic Patina available at up to 30% off through the Trade to Upgrade program — making it one of the more compelling deals of the entire event.

Catch the full experience at the Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, from May 15 to 17, 2026.

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