Better prompts begin with better questions.

1. Choose a clear reference. Start with one subject and readable light. Avoid a collage for your first attempt.
2. Choose General and Balanced. This gives you an editable natural-language starting point.
3. Generate and read critically. Check the subject, setting, light direction, and visual style against the image.
4. Make one deliberate change. Swap the setting or palette while keeping the composition.
5. Copy and test. Use the prompt in your chosen image generator, then refine what changed.

A useful order is subject → setting → composition → lighting → material → mood. You do not need every field for every image.

Instead of “beautiful cinematic product photo,” try: “A brushed steel desk lamp on an oak surface, close three-quarter view, soft window light from the left, warm neutral background, quiet editorial mood.”

Remove words that do not change the picture. If the subject is drifting, put its defining features first and simplify the surrounding detail.

General reads naturally and is easy to revise in a creative tool. Structured separates the image into labeled components, useful when you want to change only lighting or composition. JSON is useful for a workflow that expects named values.

Keep a stable set of fields when comparing references. Review the content before handing it to another tool; a neatly formatted result can still contain a mistaken visual detail.

Ask four questions: Where is the light? How large is the source? How strong is the contrast? What color is it?

“Soft window light from camera left, gentle shadow falloff, cool ambient fill” is more actionable than “professional lighting.” A small source tends to create harder shadows; a large source tends to soften their edges.

When refining a prompt, change only the light description first. Keeping the subject and framing stable makes the effect easier to judge.

Name the viewpoint: eye-level, low angle, overhead, or close three-quarter view. Then name the framing: close-up, medium shot, or wide scene.

Describe where the subject sits and what surrounds it: “A small figure in the lower-right corner, wide open sky, a distant ridge crossing the lower third.” This gives the scene a structure instead of a list of objects.

If you need room for a headline, specify the side and amount of clean negative space. Add text later in a design tool when exact typography matters.

Use images you are authorized to process. Before uploading, remove confidential text, personal documents, and unnecessary identifying details.

AI analysis is an interpretation. Confirm names, objects, materials, and any text before relying on the result. A generated prompt does not establish copyright ownership or permission to reuse a visual.

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