Advanced Prompt Engineering

Prompt engineering is the art and science of crafting text descriptions that guide AI to generate exactly what you envision. This comprehensive guide will teach you advanced techniques to master Nano Banana.

Understanding How Prompts Work

The Anatomy of a Great Prompt

A well-crafted prompt typically includes:

Subject - What you want to see
Context - Environment or setting
Style - Visual aesthetic or technique
Details - Specific attributes
Technical specs - Quality, lighting, composition

[Subject], [Context], [Style], [Details], [Technical specs]

Example Breakdown

"a golden retriever puppy, playing in a sunlit garden,
professional pet photography, wearing a red collar,
natural lighting, shallow depth of field, 4K quality"

Subject: golden retriever puppy
Context: playing in a sunlit garden
Style: professional pet photography
Details: wearing a red collar
Technical: natural lighting, shallow depth of field, 4K quality

Core Principles

1. Be Specific, Not Generic

❌ Generic:

"a car"

✅ Specific:

"a sleek red Tesla Model S, parked on a coastal highway at sunset,
automotive photography, dramatic side angle, golden hour lighting"

2. Use Descriptive Adjectives

Adjectives add crucial detail:

"a cozy, rustic cabin with weathered wooden siding,
nestled among towering pine trees,
warm amber light glowing from windows,
misty mountain morning, atmospheric perspective"

Key adjectives:

cozy, rustic - Sets the mood
weathered - Adds texture
towering - Creates scale
warm amber - Defines lighting
misty - Establishes atmosphere

3. Specify the Medium or Style

Reference artistic styles, photography types, or specific aesthetics:

Photography Styles:

- "architectural photography"
- "food photography"
- "portrait photography, headshot style"
- "macro photography"
- "aerial drone photography"

Artistic Styles:

- "oil painting in the style of Van Gogh"
- "watercolor illustration"
- "digital art, concept art style"
- "3D render, octane render"
- "minimalist line drawing"

Design Styles:

- "flat design, modern UI"
- "isometric illustration"
- "brutalist architecture"
- "art deco style"
- "cyberpunk aesthetic"

Advanced Techniques

Technique 1: Layered Descriptions

Build complexity by layering details:

Basic:

"a coffee cup"

Layered:

"a handcrafted ceramic coffee cup, speckled brown glaze,
filled with latte art in a heart pattern,
sitting on a marble countertop,
warm morning light streaming through nearby window,
shallow depth of field, professional food photography"

Technique 2: Mood and Atmosphere

Use emotional and atmospheric keywords:

"an abandoned industrial warehouse,
haunting and melancholic atmosphere,
dust particles floating in beams of light,
decay and rust, quiet and still,
cinematic composition, dramatic lighting"

Mood keywords:

Emotions: joyful, melancholic, peaceful, energetic, mysterious
Atmosphere: foggy, crisp, humid, ethereal, oppressive
Time: dawn, dusk, midday, twilight, midnight

Technique 3: Composition Guidance

Direct the composition explicitly:

"centered composition"
"rule of thirds"
"from below looking up"
"bird's eye view"
"Dutch angle"
"symmetrical composition"
"leading lines towards subject"
"foreground, midground, background separation"

Example:

"a lone tree on a hill, rule of thirds composition,
positioned on the right third,
foreground shows wildflowers,
background shows distant mountains,
golden hour lighting, wide angle perspective"

Technique 4: Lighting Specifications

Lighting dramatically affects the result:

Natural Lighting:

- "golden hour lighting"
- "blue hour"
- "harsh midday sun"
- "soft overcast light"
- "backlit / rim lighting"

Studio Lighting:

- "three-point lighting"
- "Rembrandt lighting"
- "butterfly lighting"
- "high key lighting"
- "low key lighting"

Creative Lighting:

- "neon lights"
- "candlelight"
- "bioluminescent glow"
- "dramatic shadows"
- "volumetric lighting / god rays"

Technique 5: Camera and Lens Specs

Mimic specific photographic equipment:

"shot on Canon EOS R5"
"35mm lens"
"85mm portrait lens, f/1.4"
"wide angle 16mm"
"telephoto 200mm"
"macro lens, extreme close-up"
"tilt-shift lens"
"fisheye lens"

Example:

"professional headshot of a businesswoman,
shot on Sony A7III with 85mm f/1.4 lens,
shallow depth of field, bokeh background,
studio lighting with soft box,
neutral gray backdrop, confident expression"

Category-Specific Prompts

Product Photography

"professional product photo of wireless earbuds,
white background, studio lighting,
floating with subtle shadow,
clean and minimal, commercial photography,
high resolution, e-commerce ready"

Key elements:

Clean background (white, black, or specific color)
Studio lighting
Clear product visibility
Professional/commercial mention

Food Photography

"gourmet burger with sesame seed bun,
juicy beef patty, melted cheese, fresh lettuce,
rustic wooden cutting board,
natural window light from left,
overhead shot, garnished with herbs,
professional food photography, appetizing,
shallow depth of field"

Key elements:

Describe ingredients in detail
Specify plating/presentation
Natural lighting often works best
Angle specification (overhead common)
Use appetizing adjectives

Landscape Photography

"majestic mountain range at sunrise,
snow-capped peaks reflecting pink and orange sky,
alpine lake in foreground with perfect reflection,
few wispy clouds, crisp clear air,
wide angle composition, landscape photography,
vivid colors, HDR style"

Key elements:

Time of day
Weather/atmospheric conditions
Foreground elements
Wide angle perspective common
Vivid or natural color specification

Portrait Photography

"professional portrait of a young woman,
natural smile, making eye contact with camera,
soft window light from left creating gentle shadows,
blurred outdoor background, bokeh,
shot with 85mm lens at f/1.8,
warm color grading, professional headshot style"

Key elements:

Subject demographics
Expression and pose
Lighting direction and quality
Background treatment
Lens and aperture specs

UI/UX Design

"modern mobile app login screen,
clean minimal interface,
gradient background from blue to purple,
rounded input fields with subtle shadows,
floating login button with gradient,
small 'forgot password' link below,
iOS style design, Figma mockup"

Key elements:

Platform specification (mobile/web/tablet)
Design style (minimal, bold, playful)
Color scheme
Specific UI elements
Design tool style

Logo Design

"minimalist logo for a coffee shop,
simple coffee cup icon with steam,
brown and cream color palette,
geometric shapes, clean lines,
modern and approachable,
vector style, suitable for small sizes"

Key elements:

Design style (minimal, vintage, modern)
Icon/symbol description
Color palette
Scalability mention
Brand personality

Power Words and Phrases

Quality Modifiers

- "high resolution"
- "4K quality"
- "ultra detailed"
- "sharp focus"
- "crystal clear"
- "professional"
- "award-winning"
- "masterpiece"

Style Enhancers

- "cinematic"
- "photorealistic"
- "hyper-realistic"
- "stylized"
- "artistic"
- "elegant"
- "dynamic"
- "dramatic"

Composition Terms

- "balanced composition"
- "negative space"
- "depth of field"
- "bokeh background"
- "leading lines"
- "symmetry"
- "asymmetrical balance"
- "frame within a frame"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Being Too Vague

❌ "a nice landscape" ✅ "a serene autumn landscape with colorful foliage, golden hour lighting"

2. Conflicting Instructions

❌ "minimalist design with many ornate details" ✅ "minimalist design with one subtle accent element"

3. Overloading the Prompt

❌ Too many disparate elements

"a cat playing piano in space while it's raining flowers and also
there's a castle and robots dancing and..."

✅ Focus on a coherent scene

"a tabby cat playing a grand piano in an elegant concert hall,
spotl lighting, formal atmosphere, oil painting style"

4. Forgetting Technical Details

❌ "a professional photo" ✅ "professional photography with soft lighting, shallow depth of field"

Prompt Templates

General Purpose Template

"[Main Subject], [Action/Pose],
[Setting/Environment],
[Artistic Style/Medium],
[Lighting Conditions],
[Camera/Composition Details],
[Quality Modifiers]"

Product Shot Template

"professional product photo of [Product],
[Background Type],
[Lighting Setup],
[Angle/Perspective],
[Special Effects],
commercial photography, high resolution"

Character/Portrait Template

"[Subject Description], [Expression/Emotion],
[Clothing/Appearance Details],
[Pose/Action],
[Background/Setting],
[Lighting],
[Camera Specs],
portrait photography"

Architectural Template

"[Building Type], [Architectural Style],
[Notable Features],
[Surroundings/Context],
[Time of Day/Weather],
[Perspective/Angle],
architectural photography"

Testing and Iteration

The Iteration Process

Start Simple: Begin with basic prompt
Generate: See what you get
Analyze: What's working, what's not?
Refine: Add specific details to address issues
Regenerate: Test the improvements
Repeat: Continue until satisfied

Example Iteration

Version 1 (Basic):

"a futuristic car"

Version 2 (Added Style):

"a sleek futuristic car, cyberpunk style"

Version 3 (Added Details):

"a sleek futuristic sports car, cyberpunk aesthetic,
neon blue accents, dark metallic body"

Version 4 (Added Context):

"a sleek futuristic sports car, cyberpunk aesthetic,
neon blue accents, dark metallic body,
rain-slicked city street at night, neon signs reflecting"

Version 5 (Technical Refinement):

"a sleek futuristic sports car, cyberpunk aesthetic,
neon blue underglow and accents, dark metallic body,
rain-slicked city street at night, neon signs reflecting,
cinematic composition, dramatic lighting,
wide angle shot, professional automotive photography"

Cultural and Seasonal Considerations

Seasonal Prompts

Spring:

"cherry blossoms in full bloom, soft pink petals,
fresh green leaves, gentle spring breeze,
soft pastel colors, renewal and growth"

Summer:

"vibrant summer beach scene, crystal blue water,
bright sunshine, warm golden sand,
energetic and lively atmosphere"

Autumn:

"autumn forest path, golden and orange foliage,
fallen leaves carpeting the ground,
warm afternoon light filtering through trees,
nostalgic and peaceful mood"

Winter:

"snow-covered mountain village, cozy wooden cabins,
smoke rising from chimneys, soft snowfall,
warm lights glowing in windows,
serene and tranquil atmosphere"

Brand-Specific Styles

When creating branded content:

"Instagram-style photo" - Square, vibrant, social
"LinkedIn banner" - Professional, horizontal, corporate
"Pinterest aesthetic" - Vertical, aspirational, lifestyle
"YouTube thumbnail" - Bright, high contrast, attention-grabbing

Advanced: Negative Prompts

What to avoid (when supported):

Negative prompts: "blurry, low quality, distorted,
watermark, text, ugly, deformed, noise, grainy"

Prompt Library Examples

Marketing & Advertising

"sleek smartphone advertisement,
floating in air with dynamic angle,
gradient background from purple to blue,
light reflecting off glossy screen,
professional product photography,
commercial ad style, clean and modern"

Social Media Content

"Instagram-worthy brunch spread,
avocado toast, colorful smoothie bowl, coffee latte art,
white marble table, natural morning light,
overhead flat lay photography,
bright and airy aesthetic, food blogger style"

Editorial / Magazine

"fashion editorial photo, model in flowing red dress,
dramatic pose on rocky coastline,
wind catching the fabric,
moody cloudy sky, waves crashing,
high fashion photography,cinematic and dramatic,
Vogue magazine style"

Pro Tips

Save Successful Prompts: Build your own library
Mix and Match: Combine techniques from different categories
Study Real Photos: Learn from professional photography
Use Specific Names: Camera models, lens types, software
Test Variations: Small changes can have big impacts
Consider Output Use: Match prompt to final purpose

Practice Exercises

Try crafting prompts for these scenarios:

A tech startup's hero image for their website
An e-commerce product photo for running shoes
A magazine cover about sustainable living
A social media post for a coffee shop
A book cover for a sci-fi novel

Conclusion

Prompt engineering is a skill that improves with practice. The key is to:

Be descriptive but not overwhelming
Use specific artistic and technical terms
Iterate and refine based on results
Build a library of successful prompts
Stay creative and experiment

Next Steps

Practice with the Playground
Browse the Gallery for inspiration
Check out Community Examples

Resources

Master these techniques and you'll be creating exactly what you envision every time. Happy prompting!