Write a prompt the model actually understands
The difference between a flat image and a great one is almost never luck — it's structure. Use the recipes, the four-pillar framework, and the cheat sheets below to get consistently better results on every generation.
Ready-to-use prompt recipes
Six field-tested formulas covering portraits, products, sci-fi, anime, game art, and film looks. Select one to read the full recipe, then load it in Studio or copy it.
Master Studio Character Portrait
A tight portrait built on telephoto compression (85mm) and classic Rembrandt key lighting — the reliable way to avoid that synthetic, airbrushed skin look.
“Editorial portrait of an elderly Swiss watchmaker with weathered hands inspecting a complex brass mechanical movement, shot on 85mm f/1.4 portrait prime lens, Rembrandt 5600K key light with subtle fill, authentic skin pores and fine wrinkles, shallow depth of field, creamy circular bokeh, 8k”
Four pillars of a great prompt
Models weight the opening of your prompt the most. Order your description the same way every time and your results become far more predictable.
- 01
Subject & Action
Lead with who or what is in the frame and what it's doing. Concrete nouns beat vague praise — 'an elderly watchmaker inspecting a brass movement' tells the model far more than 'a beautiful old man'.
“an elderly watchmaker inspecting a brass mechanical movement”
- 02
Lighting & Mood
Name the light source, its direction, and the color temperature. Light decides contrast, depth, and whether the scene feels warm, cold, dramatic, or calm.
“warm 2800K sunlight from a workshop window, soft directional shadows”
- 03
Camera & Lens
Real lens specs — focal length and aperture — teach the model optical behavior: 85mm compresses faces, f/1.4 makes creamy bokeh, macro renders fine detail.
“shot on 85mm f/1.4 prime, razor-sharp eye focus, creamy background bokeh”
- 04
Texture & Finish
Close with the surface details that stop synthetic smoothing: pores, grain, fabric weave, water droplets, or a specific film stock.
“authentic skin pores, subtle film grain, clean natural color grade”
Lens cheat sheet
Models were trained on photos labeled with real EXIF data, so naming an actual focal length changes how they render perspective and depth.
| Lens | What it does | Best for | Quick action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24mm Ultra-Wide | Dramatic scale | Environments, architecture, epic landscapes | |
| 35mm Cinema Prime | Natural storytelling | Film stills, street realism, narrative scenes | |
| 50mm Standard | Human-eye view | Candid lifestyle, authentic portraits | |
| 85mm Portrait | Flattering compression | Character portraits, fashion, beauty | |
| 100mm Macro | Razor-thin detail | Cosmetics, jewelry, textures, droplets |
Five lighting setups that always work
Light is what separates a snapshot from a photograph. These five setups cover most of what you'll ever want to generate.
| Setup | What it does | Quick action |
|---|---|---|
Golden Hour | Low warm sun skimming edges — long soft shadows, warm rim light. | |
Studio Softbox | Wrap-around even light with zero harsh hotspots — the clean commercial look. | |
Rembrandt | 45-degree key light making the signature triangle highlight — dramatic and sculptural. | |
Crepuscular Beams | Visible shafts of light cutting through mist — instant cinematic depth. | |
Neon Split | Opposing cyan and magenta rims reflecting off wet surfaces — the cyberpunk look. |
Common problems & quick fixes
Same symptom, every time? Usually the same cause. Here's what to change in the prompt rather than re-rolling the dice.
| Symptom | Why it happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bad hands or extra fingers | Open, free-floating hands are a weak spot for image models. | Anchor hands to an object: 'gripping a brass steering wheel', 'resting on guitar strings', 'tucked in coat pockets'. |
| Waxy, plastic-looking skin | Praise words like 'beautiful' and 'flawless' push the model toward airbrushing. | Ask for real optical detail: 'natural skin pores, fine peach fuzz, subtle freckles, shot on 85mm f/1.4'. |
| Garbled text on signs | Long strings get fragmented by the model's tokenizer. | Isolate text in quotes with a clean typeface: 'a sign with the text "COFFEE" in clean bold lettering'. |
| Busy background steals focus | Without a depth cue, everything renders at equal sharpness. | Add optical isolation: 'shot at f/1.4, shallow depth of field, creamy bokeh, clean studio backdrop'. |
| Unnatural, oversaturated colors | Generic 'vibrant 4k' tokens push colors past a believable range. | Reference a real film stock: 'Kodak Portra 400 natural skin tones' or 'Cinestill 800T halation'. |
| Stretched anatomy at frame edges | Wide-angle prompts stretch anything near the frame perimeter. | Switch to 50–85mm and keep the subject center-weighted in the composition. |