How to Write Better AI Image Prompts

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Build clear, production-ready prompts by defining the subject, context, composition, light, and camera choices that matter.

Part 1: Establish the Foundation

A strong image prompt begins with a precise subject and a believable place for that subject to exist.

Master Subject Description

Identify the person, product, object, or focal element with stable traits that should remain recognizable across variations.

Example

A matte ivory ceramic skincare bottle with a short cylindrical cap, embossed botanical mark, and no readable label text.

Scene and Background

Place the subject in a specific environment and explain the surfaces, depth, atmosphere, and available negative space.

Example

Centered on a warm limestone vanity, soft beige wall behind it, restrained botanical shadows, open space on the right for campaign copy.

Part 2: Use the Prompt Formula

Combine these six ingredients in order, keeping each instruction concrete and visually testable.

Subject

Name the focal element and its defining attributes.

An amber glass fragrance bottle with a brushed brass cap.

Context

Describe the environment, surfaces, and background relationship.

On a dark stone plinth inside a quiet gallery-like studio.

Action or Pose

State the subject's posture, gesture, placement, or interaction.

Bottle upright, slightly off-center, with the cap placed beside it.

Style and Composition

Set the visual language, framing, hierarchy, and negative space.

Premium editorial still life, asymmetrical composition, generous copy space.

Lighting

Define direction, softness, contrast, and shadow behavior.

Large soft key light from the upper left with a subtle rim highlight.

Camera and Lens

Choose viewpoint, focal length, focus, and depth of field.

Eye-level product view, 85mm lens, crisp bottle detail, gentle background falloff.

Complete Example Prompt

Commercial Brief

Create a premium launch image for a botanical skincare serum. The bottle must stay recognizable and the right side needs room for a headline.

Finished Prompt

Premium commercial product image of a matte ivory ceramic serum bottle with a short cylindrical cap and embossed botanical mark, standing on a warm limestone vanity against a soft beige wall, upright and slightly left of center, refined editorial still-life composition with generous negative space on the right, soft morning key light from the upper left with delicate botanical shadows, eye-level 85mm product view, crisp surface detail and gentle background falloff, no readable text, no watermark.

Tips and Best Practices

Protect Consistency

Repeat the same defining subject traits across related prompts instead of replacing them with vague synonyms.

Be Specific

Use concrete materials, colors, spatial relationships, and intended usage rather than broad quality adjectives.

Control Composition

State subject placement, crop, viewpoint, hierarchy, and required negative space before decorative details.

Iterate One Variable

Change one major instruction at a time so you can identify what improved or weakened the result.

Recommended Resources

Prompt Library

Browse image briefs organized by commercial use case.

Text to Image

Put the formula into practice in the prompt-first workspace.

My Creations

Review outputs and compare the prompts behind each image.

Turn the Formula into an Image

Start with the complete example, then replace each detail with your own brief.

Create an Image