After this tutorial, you will be able to
- Write a well-structured first prompt
- Control composition and lighting
- Improve results through single-variable iterations
01 · Define what the image needs to do
Do not begin by stacking style keywords. First define the image's purpose, subject, and intended mood. These choices determine the composition and details you need later.
For example, the same coffee cup needs clear materials and negative space in an ecommerce image, while a brand poster depends more on atmosphere and a memorable visual idea.
- Purpose: avatar, cover, poster, or product image
- Subject: the most important person or object in the frame
- Mood: calm, energetic, mysterious, or light
02 · Use a six-part prompt
Describe the subject, environment, composition, lighting, visual style, and key details—in that order. Give each part one job so the model can identify what matters.
a young traveler in a silver raincoat, standing on a futuristic Shanghai street after rain, medium shot from a low angle, purple and blue neon signs creating side and rim light, cinematic photography, wet pavement reflections, light mist, crisp detail
TipKeep the first version concise. Too much information can pull attention away from the subject.
03 · Check only three things in the first result
Do not get stuck on small flaws yet. Use these three questions to decide whether the direction is right. If it is not, revise the prompt; if it is, continue refining.
- Is the subject immediately recognizable and positioned for the intended use?
- Do the light and color communicate the target mood?
- Does the image have enough depth and negative space?
04 · Change one variable at a time
If you change the subject, camera, color, and style at once, you cannot tell what made the image better or worse. Keep what works and replace only one variable in each round.
A useful order is subject and composition first, lighting and color second, then materials, clothing, and environmental details.
- Subject feels weak: remove secondary objects and clarify its position or action
- Image feels flat: specify shot size, camera angle, and foreground–background layers
- Mood feels wrong: define the main color, light direction, and whether the light is soft or hard
05 · Run a final check before export
Choose the result closest to your goal and upscale it. Before commercial use, manually inspect faces, hands, text, brand marks, and the structure of small objects.
- Does the aspect ratio and resolution fit the publishing channel?
- Do subject edges, facial features, and repeated textures look natural?
- Did you save the final prompt and version so the result can be reproduced?
Build a repeatable process before chasing perfection.
Apply the same structure to your own subject, generate once, observe, then change one variable. That is how a personal method begins.
Start creating