AI Images
How to Write AI Image Prompts That Get the Picture in Your Head
Vague prompts give vague images. This five-part formula turns "a dog" into the exact picture you imagined, with examples you can copy.
By CreatorKitly Team · Updated · 6 min read
TL;DR
- ✓A good prompt answers five questions: what is the subject, where is it, what does the light look like, what style is it, and how is it framed?
- ✓Put the most important thing first. Image models pay the most attention to the start of the prompt.
- ✓Be specific, not long: "a golden retriever puppy" beats "a cute dog", and one clear mood beats five adjectives.
- ✓Pick the size before you generate: 9:16 for Reels and Stories, 16:9 for YouTube thumbnails, 1:1 or 3:4 for feed posts.
- ✓Try the formula with our free AI Image Generator.
AI image generators are very good at drawing exactly what you ask for, and very bad at guessing what you meant. When you type "a coffee shop", the model has to invent everything else: the time of day, the colors, the camera angle, whether it is a photo or a painting. Most disappointing results come from those guesses, not from the model itself.
The fix is a prompt that answers the questions the model would otherwise answer at random. You don't need special keywords or secret tricks. You need to describe the picture the way you would describe it to a photographer or an illustrator you were hiring.
The five-part prompt formula
Use these five parts in roughly this order. You won't always need all five, but checking each one is the fastest way to improve a prompt.
- Subject: who or what is in the image, with one or two specific details. "A golden retriever puppy with a red collar".
- Setting: where it is and what is around it. "On a quiet beach, small waves behind it".
- Light and time: the single biggest factor in how an image feels. "At sunset, warm golden light from the side".
- Style: photo, illustration, 3D, anime, watercolor, and so on. "Realistic photo, shallow depth of field".
- Framing: how close the "camera" is and from which angle. "Close-up, eye level".
Put together: "A golden retriever puppy with a red collar on a quiet beach, small waves behind it, at sunset with warm golden light from the side, realistic photo, shallow depth of field, close-up at eye level." That is one sentence, and it leaves very little to chance.
Most important thing first
If the model gets one thing right, make it the subject. Start the prompt with it and keep extra details for later in the sentence.
Be specific, not long
Longer prompts are not automatically better. A prompt full of "beautiful, stunning, amazing, 8k, masterpiece" mostly adds noise. Specific nouns and one clear mood do far more work than a pile of adjectives.
- Vague: "a nice kitchen". Specific: "a small Scandinavian kitchen with white tiles, wooden shelves and plants on the windowsill".
- Vague: "a cool city". Specific: "a rainy Tokyo side street at night, neon signs reflected in puddles".
- Vague: "happy". Specific: "two friends laughing over coffee at a sunny cafe table".
Light changes everything
If your images look flat or "AI-ish", the light is usually the problem. Naming the light gives the model a clear direction for colors, shadows and mood. A few that work reliably:
- Golden hour: warm, soft and flattering. Great for people, food and travel.
- Soft window light: natural and calm. Great for lifestyle, products and interiors.
- Studio lighting: clean and even. Great for products and portraits on a plain background.
- Neon at night: bold pinks and blues. Great for Reels covers and anything that needs to stand out.
- Overcast daylight: soft and shadowless. Good for honest, realistic scenes.
Already have a photo with the wrong light? You don't need to regenerate it from scratch: our guide on how to relight a photo shows how to change the lighting of an existing picture.
Choose the right size for where you will post
Generate in the shape you need instead of cropping later, so the important part of the image doesn't get cut off.
- Instagram feed: square 1:1 or portrait 3:4. Portrait takes up more of the screen in the feed.
- Reels, TikTok and Stories: vertical 9:16. Keep the subject in the middle, because buttons and captions cover the edges.
- YouTube thumbnails: landscape 16:9. Leave empty space on one side if you plan to add a title.
Copy-ready prompt examples for creators
Instagram posts
- A flat lay of a cozy reading corner: an open book, a cup of tea and a knitted blanket on a wooden floor, soft morning window light, realistic photo, top-down view
- A bright summer picnic in a park, a checkered blanket with fruit and lemonade, golden hour light, realistic photo, wide shot
- A minimalist workspace with a laptop, a small plant and a notebook on a white desk, soft daylight, clean and calm, realistic photo
Reels and Story backgrounds (9:16)
- A rainy city street at night with neon signs reflected in puddles, cinematic, vertical composition with empty space in the middle
- Soft pastel clouds at sunrise, dreamy and calm, simple background with no people
- A cozy cafe interior, blurred in the background, warm evening lights, room for text in the center
YouTube thumbnail backgrounds (16:9)
- A dramatic mountain landscape at sunrise, bold colors, the right half of the image is open sky for a title
- A messy desk with coding books and a glowing monitor at night, cinematic lighting, subject on the left
- A kitchen counter with fresh ingredients for pasta, bright and colorful, realistic photo, space on the right side for text
Getting text inside the image
Many newer image models can draw short text. Put the exact words in quotes and say where they go: a minimalist poster that says "Summer Sale" in bold white letters at the top. Keep it to a few words, check the spelling in the result, and add longer text in an editing app instead.
What to avoid
- Real people and celebrities. Don't create images of real people, and never use AI images to make it look like someone said or did something they didn't.
- Brand logos and copyrighted characters. They can get your post removed and cause legal trouble.
- Contradictions. "A bright, dark, moody, cheerful room" makes the model pick at random.
- Giving up after one try. Change one part of the prompt at a time (the light, the style, the framing) and compare.
Try it now
Pick one of the examples above, swap in your own subject, and run it through our free AI Image Generator. When your image is ready, our Instagram Caption Generator can write the caption for it: just upload the picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI image prompt?
It is the text description you give an AI image generator. The model turns your words into a picture, so the more clearly you describe the subject, setting, light, style and framing, the closer the result is to what you imagined.
How long should an AI image prompt be?
One or two clear sentences is usually enough. Specific details matter more than length, and long lists of adjectives rarely help.
Why do my AI images look fake?
Usually because the prompt doesn't mention the light or the style. Add a light source (golden hour, soft window light) and a style (realistic photo, shallow depth of field) and results look far more natural.
Can I use AI images on Instagram and YouTube?
Yes, as long as the image doesn't copy brands, characters or real people, and you follow each platform's rules. Some platforms ask you to label realistic AI-generated content, so check their current policy.
What size should I use for Reels?
Use vertical 9:16 and keep the subject in the middle, because the app's buttons and captions cover the edges of the screen.