Flats on a model's feet, instep left in view.
A flat is cut low and built thin: a shallow upper, a sole of a few layers and a wide opening that leaves the top of the foot bare. Herofab shows the pair on a studio model in a frame that starts at the knee, and is briefed to keep the toe shape, the line of the opening and any bow or strap.
What a pair of flats shows up close.
- 1
Toe shape and vamp depth
Round on a ballet flat, tapered on a pointed one, sometimes squared or capped in a second colour. The toe should keep its outline, and the vamp should end where it does on the pair: a low-cut vamp reveals the base of the toes, a higher one hides it. Hold the product next to the image for both.
- 2
Topline, bow and strap
The topline is the edge of the opening, often bound with a cord that ties in a small bow at the front. A Mary Jane adds a strap over the instep with a button or a buckle. Herofab is briefed to keep these trims; confirm that the bow appears on each shoe and that the strap fastens on the outer side.
- 3
A thin sole and a bare instep
With almost no heel, a flat should sit level on the ground and its sole should read as a thin line from the side. Most of what the image shows above the shoe is skin. Examine the edge where the topline meets the foot, and make sure the sole has not thickened into a platform.
Photographing flats before the try-on.
- Stuff the toes with tissue so the soft upper stands open, and place the pair on a plain surface that contrasts with the colour of the shoes.
- Photograph from the front at a raised three-quarter angle, so the toe shape, the full topline and the bow or strap can all be read in the one frame.
- Fasten Mary Jane straps, tie and centre the bows, and add a close-up of a buckle, a bow knot or a toe cap.
Virtual try-on for flats, answered.
Do ballet flats, pointed flats and Mary Janes share a category?
Flats are one category in the list the seller chooses from at upload. Everything specific to the style comes from the photo: the toe, the strap, the trim. Those three are also the points to compare with the pair once the image is delivered, since they tell a ballet flat from a pointed one and from a Mary Jane.
How is an elastic topline or a foldable flat photographed?
Elastic gathers the opening when the shoe is empty, which makes it look smaller and puckered. Fill the shoe until the topline is stretched to its worn shape, then take the photo. A foldable flat should be shown open and filled, never folded: a part hidden in a fold cannot be added back faithfully.
Will a small bow or buckle be readable in the delivered image?
Images are delivered in 2K, with 4K as an option, in square, portrait or landscape. From the knee down the pair fills much of the frame, so a bow, a buckle or a row of stitching is large enough to compare with the product. Trims this small remain the first thing to read at full size.
How much does it cost?
5 credits per image, plus one credit for 4K. The cost is shown before you generate, and if a job fails the credits are returned. The 20 free credits at sign-up cover 4 images with this tool.
Your next collection, shot this week.
20 credits at sign-up, no card required. Images made with free credits carry a watermark.