Anatomy of a Good Image Prompt
Every effective AI image prompt contains specific building blocks. Master these elements, and you'll consistently get better results.
The Five Core Elements
1. Subject
What is the main focus of your image?
- Weak: "a person"
- Strong: "a elderly Japanese fisherman with weathered hands"
2. Action or State
What is the subject doing?
- Weak: "standing"
- Strong: "mending fishing nets at dawn"
3. Environment
Where is the scene taking place?
- Weak: "outside"
- Strong: "on a wooden dock overlooking a misty harbor"
4. Style
How should the image be rendered?
- Weak: "nice looking"
- Strong: "in the style of Studio Ghibli animation"
5. Technical Specs
What camera/artistic settings should apply?
- Weak: (nothing)
- Strong: "soft lighting, shallow depth of field, 35mm film grain"
Building Your First Prompt
Let's construct a prompt step by step:
The Prompt Formula
Here's a reliable formula that works across all platforms:
[Subject with details] + [action/pose] + [environment/setting] +
[style reference] + [technical specifications]
Try filling in this template:
Example: Putting It Together
Basic idea: "I want a picture of a robot"
Full prompt:
Notice how each element adds clarity:
- Subject: vintage brass robot with glowing blue eyes
- Action: reading a leather-bound book
- Environment: cozy Victorian library
- Style: steampunk aesthetic
- Technical: warm candlelight, highly detailed, cinematic composition
Key Takeaway
Great image prompts are built from five elements: subject, action, environment, style, and technical specs. You don't need all five every time, but including more elements gives the AI better guidance. Start with a strong subject description, then layer on the details.