Writing Descriptive Image Prompts
The prompt formula
Subject + action/pose + setting + lighting + style/medium + mood + camera details. Not every field is required, but layering them gives the model more to work with. Example: "a barista pouring latte art, cozy Cairo café, warm morning light, photorealistic, 50mm lens".
Ordering matters
Put the most important elements first — models weight earlier words more heavily. If the subject matters most, lead with it; if style dominates the look you want, lead with the style descriptor.
Iterating instead of perfecting on the first try
Treat your first prompt as a draft. Look at what came out, identify what's wrong (composition, style, missing detail), and adjust one or two words at a time rather than rewriting from scratch.
Key Takeaways
- A strong prompt layers subject, setting, lighting, style, and mood.
- Word order matters — lead with what's most important.
- Treat generations as iterative drafts, not one-shot final results.
- Adjust incrementally rather than rewriting the whole prompt each time.
Write a layered prompt
Write a full-formula prompt (subject + setting + lighting + style + mood) for a product photo of your choice, generate it, then iterate twice based on the result.