Prompt Engineering Secrets for Photorealistic Images

The Art of the Prompt

Getting a generic image is easy; getting a photorealistic masterpiece requires skill. Prompt engineering is the art of communicating with the AI effectively. Here are the secrets to achieving hyper-realism.

1. Lighting is Everything

Just like in photography, lighting defines the mood and realism. Don't just say "lighting." Use specific terms: "cinematic lighting," "volumetric fog," "golden hour," "studio lighting," "softbox," "rim lighting." These keywords trigger specific training data associated with high-quality photography.

2. Camera Gear and Settings

Tell the AI what camera took the photo. Adding "shot on Sony A7R IV," "85mm lens," "f/1.8 aperture," "bokeh," or "depth of field" forces the model to mimic the optical characteristics of real lenses, adding authentic blur and focus falloff that screams "real photo."

3. Texture and Detail Keywords

For skin, use terms like "detailed skin texture," "pores," "subsurface scattering," and "imperfect skin." AI often tends to smooth things out (the "plastic" look). Explicitly asking for imperfections makes portraits look human. For environments, use "unreal engine 5 render" (ironically helps realism), "8k," "ultra-detailed," and "intricate."

4. Negative Prompts

Equally important is telling the AI what not to do. Standard negative prompts for realism include: "cartoon, illustration, 3d render, drawing, painting, disfigured, bad anatomy, blur, watermark." This filters out non-photorealistic styles from the generation pool.

5. Structuring Your Prompt

Order matters. Put the most important subject first, followed by the medium (photograph), style/lighting, and finally technical details.
Example: "Portrait of an elderly fisherman, weathered face, intense eyes, rain storm background, cinematic lighting, shot on 35mm film, grainy, high contrast, 8k."