---
title: "Prompting for Visual AI"
description: "How to write prompts that get the images you actually want. Structure, keywords, and techniques for each platform."
pillar: "Visual AI"
level: "intermediate"
date: "2026-01-20"
url: "https://theglitch.ai/academy/visual-ai/visual-ai-prompting"
---

# Prompting for Visual AI

How to write prompts that get the images you actually want. Structure, keywords, and techniques for each platform.


# Prompting for Visual AI

> **The Glitch's Take:** "Visual prompts are different from text prompts. Learn the vocabulary of image generation."

**Part of:** [Visual AI in 2026](/articles/visual-ai/visual-ai-complete-guide)
**Level:** Intermediate
**Reading Time:** 11 minutes

---

## The Point

Image generation prompts have their own grammar. Learning it is the difference between "close enough" and "exactly what I wanted."

---

## TL;DR

- **Structure:** Subject + Style + Lighting + Composition + Quality
- **Be specific:** "Golden hour lighting" not "good lighting"
- **Use references:** Art styles, photographers, specific aesthetics
- **Platform matters:** Each tool has different prompt conventions
- **Iterate:** First generation is starting point, not endpoint

---

## Prompt Anatomy

### The Formula

```
[Subject] + [Style] + [Lighting] + [Composition] + [Quality Modifiers]
```

### Example Breakdown

**Prompt:** "Professional headshot of a confident businesswoman, corporate photography style, soft natural lighting from window, shallow depth of field, high resolution, sharp focus"

| Element | Value |
|---------|-------|
| Subject | confident businesswoman |
| Style | corporate photography |
| Lighting | soft natural lighting from window |
| Composition | shallow depth of field |
| Quality | high resolution, sharp focus |

---

## Subject Description

### Be Specific

| Vague | Specific |
|-------|----------|
| "a person" | "a 30-year-old woman with short black hair" |
| "a building" | "a modernist glass skyscraper" |
| "food" | "a gourmet burger with melted cheese, crispy bacon" |

### Include Details

- **Age and appearance** (for people)
- **Materials and textures** (for objects)
- **Setting and environment**
- **Emotion or action** (if relevant)

---

## Style Keywords

### Photography Styles

| Style | Effect |
|-------|--------|
| "professional photography" | Clean, commercial look |
| "street photography" | Candid, documentary |
| "fashion photography" | Stylized, editorial |
| "product photography" | Clean, commercial |
| "portrait photography" | Focus on subject |
| "cinematic" | Movie-like, dramatic |

### Art Styles

| Style | Effect |
|-------|--------|
| "oil painting" | Traditional, textured |
| "watercolor" | Soft, flowing |
| "digital art" | Modern, clean |
| "concept art" | Imaginative, detailed |
| "minimalist" | Simple, clean lines |
| "surrealist" | Dreamlike, unexpected |

### Aesthetic Keywords

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "moody" | Dark, atmospheric |
| "vibrant" | Bright colors |
| "muted" | Soft, desaturated |
| "clean" | Minimal, organized |
| "gritty" | Textured, raw |
| "ethereal" | Light, dreamy |

---

## Lighting Keywords

### Natural Light

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "golden hour" | Warm, soft sunset light |
| "blue hour" | Cool, twilight light |
| "overcast" | Soft, even light |
| "harsh sunlight" | Strong shadows |
| "backlit" | Subject silhouetted |
| "dappled light" | Light through leaves |

### Studio Light

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "studio lighting" | Professional, controlled |
| "softbox lighting" | Soft, even illumination |
| "rim lighting" | Glowing edges |
| "dramatic lighting" | High contrast |
| "flat lighting" | Even, no shadows |
| "split lighting" | Half face lit |

### Mood Lighting

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "neon lighting" | Colorful, urban |
| "candlelight" | Warm, intimate |
| "moonlight" | Cool, mysterious |
| "volumetric lighting" | Visible light rays |

---

## Composition Keywords

### Camera Angle

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "eye level" | Standard view |
| "low angle" | Looking up, powerful |
| "high angle" | Looking down |
| "bird's eye view" | Directly above |
| "dutch angle" | Tilted, dynamic |

### Framing

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "close-up" | Face/detail focus |
| "medium shot" | Waist up |
| "full body" | Entire figure |
| "wide shot" | Environment included |
| "extreme close-up" | Tiny detail |

### Focus

| Keyword | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| "shallow depth of field" | Blurred background |
| "deep focus" | Everything sharp |
| "bokeh" | Blurred light circles |
| "tilt-shift" | Miniature effect |

---

## Quality Modifiers

### Resolution

| Keyword | Use |
|---------|-----|
| "high resolution" | General quality boost |
| "8K" | Maximum detail |
| "detailed" | More fine details |
| "sharp" | Crisp edges |

### Style Boost

| Keyword | Use |
|---------|-----|
| "professional" | Commercial quality |
| "award-winning" | High quality suggestion |
| "masterpiece" | Best quality |

### Negative Prompts

What to exclude (where supported):

```
Negative: blurry, low quality, distorted, deformed hands,
extra fingers, watermark, text, logo
```

---

## Platform-Specific Tips

### Nano Banana Pro

**Works well:**
- Detailed technical descriptions
- Photography terminology
- Specific lighting setups
- Material descriptions

**Example:**
```
Product photography of premium wireless earbuds in charging case,
white background, soft studio lighting, slight reflection on surface,
commercial advertising style, 8K resolution, sharp focus
```

### Midjourney

**Works well:**
- Artistic references
- Mood descriptions
- Aspect ratio flags
- Version and style flags

**Example:**
```
portrait of a cyberpunk hacker in neon-lit alley,
rain-soaked streets, dramatic cinematic lighting,
blade runner aesthetic, moody atmosphere
--ar 16:9 --v 6 --style raw
```

**Midjourney Flags:**
- `--ar 16:9` — Aspect ratio
- `--v 6` — Version 6
- `--style raw` — Less stylized
- `--chaos 50` — More variation

### DALL-E 3

**Works well:**
- Natural language descriptions
- Conversational style
- Text in images
- Simple, clear requests

**Example:**
```
A modern home office with a standing desk, large monitor,
plant in the corner, and natural light coming through
a window. Clean, minimalist style with warm wood tones.
```

---

## Iteration Techniques

### Refinement Prompts

After first generation:

- "Same but with [change]"
- "More [quality]"
- "Less [quality]"
- "Keep [element], change [element]"

### Variation Strategies

1. **Style variations:** Same subject, different styles
2. **Lighting variations:** Same scene, different lighting
3. **Angle variations:** Same subject, different perspectives
4. **Color variations:** Same image, different color palettes

---

## Quick Reference

### Prompt Template

```
[Subject description], [style keywords], [lighting],
[composition/camera], [quality modifiers]
```

### Essential Keywords

| Category | Top Keywords |
|----------|--------------|
| Quality | high resolution, detailed, sharp, professional |
| Lighting | golden hour, studio lighting, dramatic, soft |
| Style | cinematic, minimalist, photorealistic, artistic |
| Composition | shallow depth of field, close-up, wide angle |

### Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Too vague | Add specific details |
| Too long | Focus on key elements |
| Conflicting styles | Choose one direction |
| Missing lighting | Always specify lighting |

---

## Next Steps

- [Image Generation Comparison](/articles/visual-ai/image-generation-comparison)
- [Visual AI Complete Guide](/articles/visual-ai/visual-ai-complete-guide)

---

*Last verified: 2026-01-20.*