How to Write Perfect AI Prompts for Realistic Photos

(A Step-by-Step Guide for Midjourney, ChatGPT, and DALL·E Users)

Creating realistic photos using AI tools like Midjourney, Gemini Nano Banana, ChatGPT (with image plugins), or DALL·E is an art in itself. The key lies in how well you write your prompt — the text instruction that guides AI to generate the image you imagine.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to craft perfect, detailed prompts that consistently produce lifelike, cinematic, and visually stunning AI photos.

🎯 What Is an AI Photo Prompt?

An AI photo prompt is a short descriptive sentence or paragraph that tells the AI what kind of image to create.
For example:

“A cinematic portrait of a young woman standing under soft golden sunset light, wearing a red dress, shot on a DSLR camera — ultra realistic, 4K quality.”

This single prompt gives the AI enough details about subject, lighting, environment, and style to make something photorealistic.

🧩 Step 1: Start with the Subject

Your prompt should clearly define who or what the main subject is.
Think about:

Person, animal, object, or scene?
Close-up, portrait, or wide shot?

Examples:

“A smiling elderly man wearing a wool cap”
“A newborn puppy sleeping in a basket”
“A luxury sports car on a mountain road”

👉 Keep your subject simple but specific.

💡 Step 2: Add Realistic Details

The more sensory detail you include, the more lifelike your result.
Include visual elements like:

Clothing / appearance: red hoodie, curly hair, glasses
Environment: beach, cafe, forest, studio
Lighting: natural sunlight, golden hour, neon glow
Camera style: DSLR, 35mm film, macro lens

Example:

“A young woman in a red hoodie sitting in a cozy cafe near the window, sunlight hitting her face softly — DSLR portrait photography.”

🎥 Step 3: Describe the Mood or Emotion

Real photos carry emotion. Tell the AI what feeling you want to express:

Peaceful, moody, joyful, romantic, mysterious, dramatic, cinematic, etc.

Example:

“A cinematic portrait of a traveler walking through a rainy street — moody and reflective atmosphere.”

📸 Step 4: Add Camera and Lens Settings (Optional but Powerful)

Adding camera terms makes your images more realistic and professional.

Try adding:

Camera Type: DSLR, mirrorless, 4K, film
Lens Type: 50mm, 85mm, macro
Depth of Field: shallow focus, bokeh background
Resolution: 8K, ultra HD

Example:

“A close-up portrait of a girl with freckles — shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, bokeh background, shot on Canon EOS R5.”

🎨 Step 5: Specify Art Style (Optional)

If you want a certain look, you can add art or photography styles:

Cinematic lighting, Vogue editorial, 90s vintage film, natural candid shot, hyperrealism, street photography.

Example:

“A cinematic portrait of a dancer in motion, dramatic lighting, inspired by Vogue editorial photography.”

🧠 Step 6: Refine and Test

AI prompts improve with iteration. Try changing:

The adjectives (e.g., soft → dramatic)
The lighting (e.g., morning → sunset)
The style (e.g., photo → cinematic film still)

Keep testing small variations to find your favorite results.

✍️ Example: Putting It All Together

Here’s a perfect prompt combining all the elements:

“A cinematic portrait of a confident young man walking down a sunlit college corridor, wearing a maroon checkered shirt and carrying a brown leather bag. Golden hour lighting, shallow depth of field, captured on a Canon 85mm lens — ultra realistic, warm tones, editorial style.”

This prompt covers:
✅ Subject
✅ Environment
✅ Mood
✅ Lighting
✅ Camera style

🧾 Bonus Tips for Realism

Use words like “photo-realistic,” “natural lighting,” “DSLR,” “bokeh,” “4K”
Avoid vague words like “beautiful” or “nice”
Reference real photographers or styles: “inspired by Annie Leibovitz,” “Vogue editorial style”
Always add one focal subject — AI struggles with cluttered prompts

📂 Ready-to-Use Realistic Photo Prompts

You can start experimenting with these right away 👇

“A close-up of raindrops on a green leaf, macro lens, natural light, ultra-realistic texture.”
“A moody portrait of a man in a rainy alleyway under neon lights — cinematic film still.”
“A woman smiling while holding a coffee cup near a window, morning sunlight, DSLR portrait.”
“A golden retriever running on the beach at sunset — high-speed capture, warm tones.”

🧭 Conclusion

Writing the perfect AI prompt for realistic photos isn’t about fancy words — it’s about clarity and detail.
The more you think like a photographer, not just a writer, the more lifelike your results will be.

Start with a simple idea, add realism through details, and refine your wording until your AI produces photos that look truly human-made.

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