10 Prompt Tips for Better AI Images
The difference between a mediocre AI image and a stunning one almost always comes down to the prompt. After generating tens of thousands of images across every model in Nexvy, we've distilled the most impactful techniques into these 10 tips — updated for the 2026 generation of models (Nano Banana Pro, GPT-5 Image, FLUX 2 Pro, Midjourney V7, Ideogram 3, Seedream 5).
Every example below is ready to paste into Nexvy. Where it matters, we note which model handles the prompt best.
1. Be Specific About What You Want
The single biggest improvement you can make is adding detail. Vague prompts give vague results.
- Weak: "a house"
- Better: "A Victorian-era townhouse with red brick facade, white trim around tall windows, wrought iron balcony on the second floor, autumn ivy climbing the left wall, overcast sky"
Every detail you add gives the AI more to work with. Think about: subject, setting, time of day, weather, materials, colors, and style. Modern models (Nano Banana Pro, GPT-5 Image) can absorb 3–4 sentences of detail without losing coherence — older models like FLUX Schnell tend to drop tail details, so front-load the important ones.
2. Name a Photography or Art Style
Style references dramatically change the output. Instead of hoping the AI picks a good style, tell it exactly what you want:
- Photography styles: "editorial fashion photography", "National Geographic wildlife shot", "street photography, Leica M11, 35mm"
- Art styles: "oil painting in the style of the Dutch Golden Age", "minimal vector illustration", "Studio Ghibli watercolor"
- Film looks: "shot on Kodak Portra 400", "Fujifilm Classic Chrome", "cinematic Arri Alexa look, Roger Deakins lighting"
Mentioning a specific camera, film stock, or artistic movement gives the AI a concrete reference point. Nano Banana Pro and Midjourney V7 are especially responsive to named photographers and DoPs; FLUX 2 Pro prefers gear-level specifics (sensor, lens, aperture) over named auteurs.
3. Describe the Lighting
Lighting is the single most important element in photography, and it's just as important in AI generation. Specifying lighting reshapes flat images into dramatic ones.
Useful lighting terms:
- Golden hour — warm, directional sunlight
- Blue hour — cool, soft twilight
- Rim lighting — light from behind outlining the subject
- Rembrandt lighting — dramatic portrait lighting with a triangle of light on one cheek
- Soft diffused light — overcast sky, no harsh shadows
- Neon lighting — colorful, urban feel
- Volumetric lighting — visible light rays through fog or dust
Example (works great on FLUX 2 Pro): "Portrait of a jazz musician playing saxophone, dramatic Rembrandt lighting, smoke-filled room, volumetric light rays from a single overhead spotlight, shallow depth of field, shot on Hasselblad H6D, 80mm lens"
4. Use Aspect Ratio Strategically
Your aspect ratio isn't just a technical setting — it's a composition tool.
- 1:1 (square) — Social media posts, product shots, profile images
- 16:9 (landscape) — Wallpapers, presentations, cinematic scenes
- 9:16 (portrait) — Phone wallpapers, Instagram Stories, TikTok thumbnails
- 4:3 — Classic photography feel
- 3:2 — Standard DSLR ratio, natural-looking photos
- 21:9 — Ultra-wide cinematic, panoramic landscapes
Match your aspect ratio to the intended use. A vertical portrait in 9:16 will look completely different from the same prompt in 16:9. ⚠ GPT-5 Image currently ignores aspect ratio and always returns 1024×1024 — for non-square output use Nano Banana Pro, FLUX 2 Pro, or Midjourney V7 instead.
5. Add Depth and Layers
Flat images look AI-generated. Adding depth cues makes images more believable and visually interesting.
Include these in your prompts:
- Foreground elements: "flowers in the foreground, slightly blurred"
- Mid-ground: your main subject
- Background: "distant mountains", "city skyline in the background"
- Depth of field: "shallow depth of field, f/1.4 bokeh", "tilt-shift miniature effect"
- Atmospheric perspective: "misty mountains in the distance", "hazy horizon"
Example: "Coffee cup on a rustic wooden table in sharp focus, blurred cafe interior in the background with warm bokeh lights, a newspaper slightly out of focus in the foreground, shallow depth of field, f/1.8, 50mm"
6. Specify the Mood and Atmosphere
Don't just describe objects — describe how the scene feels.
Mood keywords:
- Warm: cozy, inviting, nostalgic, intimate
- Cool: professional, clean, modern, serene
- Dramatic: intense, powerful, moody, cinematic
- Ethereal: dreamy, soft, magical, otherworldly
- Gritty: raw, urban, textured, documentary-style
Example (Midjourney V7 loves this kind of prompt): "Abandoned greenhouse overgrown with wild flowers, shafts of dusty sunlight streaming through broken glass roof, nostalgic and melancholic atmosphere, film photography aesthetic, slight grain, faded colors"
7. Use Negative Context (What NOT to Show)
While Nexvy doesn't have a dedicated negative prompt field for most models, you can guide the AI away from unwanted elements directly in the prompt:
- "Clean background, no clutter"
- "Natural pose, not stiff or artificial"
- "Realistic proportions, no distortion"
- "Without text or watermarks"
- "Simple composition, no busy patterns"
This works especially well on Nano Banana Pro and GPT-5 Image, which handle natural-language constraints. FLUX 2 Pro is more literal — it sometimes treats "no X" as "draw X anyway", so prefer positive phrasing ("clean background" instead of "no clutter").
8. Think About Color Palette
Specifying colors creates cohesive, intentional-looking images.
Approaches:
- Named palettes: "earth tones", "pastel colors", "monochromatic blue"
- Specific colors: "deep teal and warm copper accents"
- Color theory: "complementary orange and blue color scheme"
- Reference-based: "muted Wes Anderson color palette", "cyberpunk neon palette", "Pantone 2026 Mocha Mousse and ivory"
Example: "Interior design concept for a modern living room, muted sage green and warm sand color palette, natural wood accents, soft linen textures, minimal decor, soft afternoon light through sheer curtains"
9. Iterate, Don't Perfectize
The most effective workflow isn't writing one perfect prompt — it's iterating quickly.
- Start with a basic prompt and a fast model (Nano Banana, FLUX Schnell)
- Generate 2–3 variations
- Identify what you like and what's missing
- Add or modify details in the prompt
- Generate again
- Once the prompt is dialed in, switch to a premium model (Nano Banana Pro, FLUX 2 Pro, Midjourney V7) for the final render
This approach is dramatically faster and cheaper than trying to nail the perfect prompt on the first try with an expensive model. Use the "Use prompt" button on any generation to copy and tweak.
10. Study What Works
The Nexvy gallery is full of community creations. When you see an image you like:
- Click it to see the full prompt
- Note the prompt structure and keywords used
- Use "Use prompt" to start from that base
- Modify it for your own needs
Patterns you'll notice in great prompts:
- They front-load the most important elements
- They specify style AND technical details
- They include lighting and atmosphere
- They're detailed but not overwhelming (2–4 sentences is the sweet spot for most modern models; Nano Banana Pro and GPT-5 Image can comfortably absorb more)
Bonus: Model-Specific Tips (2026 edition)
Different models respond best to different prompt styles. Quick cheatsheet:
- Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro) — Handles long, conversational, multi-clause prompts. Great for scenes with multiple subjects and explicit spatial relationships ("on the left… in the background… holding…"). Best general-purpose model in Nexvy.
- GPT-5 Image — Excels at prompts that include text to render (signs, posters, packaging) and at literal instruction-following. Always 1:1 output. Use for design mock-ups and anything where readable text matters.
- FLUX 2 Pro — Prefers clean, descriptive prompts loaded with gear-level photographic detail (lens, sensor, lighting). Very literal — say what you want, don't hint. Best for hyper-realistic photo work.
- Midjourney V7 — Responds beautifully to artistic and emotional language, references to photographers/directors/painters, and adjective-heavy descriptions. Less literal, more interpretive — your prompt is a vibe brief.
- Ideogram 3 — The model to reach for whenever text on the image matters (logos, posters, ads, packaging). Describe the text content explicitly in quotes and specify font feel ("bold serif", "hand-lettered").
- Seedream 5 — Strong on stylized illustration, anime, and bold graphic looks. Reward it with style-anchor words ("anime", "vector", "comic ink", "ukiyo-e").
- FLUX Schnell — Your iteration workhorse. Cheap, fast, good enough for prompt scouting before you commit to a premium render.
Now open Nexvy and start experimenting. The best prompt engineer is the one who generates the most images — not the one who plans the longest.
