Module 2 of 5 · Beginner · 8 min read
Image prompting that gives you control
Subject, setting, composition, light, style and text: the levers that make images intentional.
- 1Write natural sentences, not keyword soup.
- 2Lighting and composition do more for mood than adjectives like 'stunning'.
- 3Put exact text in quotes.
01The order that works
Lead with the most important thing. A reliable structure: subject and action, setting, composition and camera, lighting, style and medium, then any text.
02Words that carry weight
Camera and lens terms (wide angle, 85mm, macro, overhead, low angle) control perspective. Lighting terms (golden hour, softbox, rim light, overcast, neon) control mood. Medium terms (oil painting, risograph, 35mm film, 3D render) control texture.
Empty praise words like "masterpiece", "8k" or "award-winning" mattered for 2022 models and do little now.
03Iterate like a photographer
Change one variable at a time: the angle, then the light, then the palette. Keep a seed or reference image fixed where the tool allows, so you are comparing like with like.
Use aspect ratio deliberately: 4:5 for social feeds, 16:9 for slides and video, 2:3 for posters.
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