🎯 The Perfect Portrait Prompt Formula
After generating thousands of portraits, we've discovered the optimal structure for portrait prompts. Follow this formula for consistently great results:
📝 The Portrait Formula:
[Shot Type] + [Subject Description] + [Expression] + [Pose] + [Clothing/Style] + [Lighting] + [Background] + [Quality Modifiers]
❌ Bad Example:
"A beautiful woman portrait"
Too vague, AI will generate random results
✅ Good Example:
"Close-up portrait of a 25-year-old woman, gentle smile, looking at camera, wearing white silk blouse, soft Rembrandt lighting, neutral gray background, 85mm lens, sharp focus, 8K"
💡 Key Insight: The more specific your description, the more control you have over the output. Vague prompts = random results.
😊 Facial Expressions Guide
Expression is the soul of a portrait. The right expression can make or break your image. Here are expressions that work well in AI:
Positive Expressions
Neutral / Serious Expressions
Dramatic Expressions
📋 Example with Expression:
"Portrait of a young woman with a mysterious expression, slight smirk, knowing eyes, looking slightly off-camera, dramatic lighting, cinematic"
🧍 Poses and Body Language
Even in portraits, body language matters. Here are pose keywords that work well in AI generation:
📷 Head Positions
- • Looking at camera - Direct connection
- • Looking away - Candid, thoughtful
- • Profile view - Elegant, artistic
- • Three-quarter view - Classic portrait
- • Chin up - Confident, proud
- • Chin down - Mysterious, intense
- • Head tilted - Playful, curious
🤲 Hand Positions
- • Hands not visible - Safest option!
- • Hand on chin - Thoughtful
- • Hand in hair - Casual, relaxed
- • Arms crossed - Confident
- • Hands in pockets - Casual
- • Holding object - Adds context
- • Gesturing - Dynamic (risky)
⚠️ Warning about hands: AI often struggles with hands. To avoid issues, either crop hands out of frame, hide them (in pockets, behind back), or use negative prompts like "deformed hands, extra fingers" to improve results.
📋 Example with Pose:
"Portrait of a businessman, three-quarter view, arms crossed confidently, looking at camera with slight smile, professional headshot, studio lighting, gray background"
📷 Shot Types & Framing
The framing of your portrait dramatically affects its impact. Here are the main shot types:
Extreme Close-Up (ECU)
Just the face, often just eyes and nose. Maximum emotional intensity.
Keywords: extreme close-up, macro portrait, eyes only
Close-Up (CU)
Face and neck, classic portrait framing. Most common for headshots.
Keywords: close-up portrait, headshot, face portrait
Medium Close-Up (MCU)
Head and shoulders. Shows some clothing and context.
Keywords: head and shoulders, bust portrait, upper body
Medium Shot (MS)
Waist up. Good for showing outfit and gestures.
Keywords: medium shot, waist up, half body portrait
Full Body
Entire body visible. Good for fashion and action poses.
Keywords: full body portrait, full length, standing portrait
📋 Example with Framing:
"Medium close-up portrait of an elderly man, head and shoulders, wise expression, weathered face, wearing knit sweater, warm natural lighting, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens"
💡 Portrait Lighting Essentials
Lighting makes or breaks a portrait. Here are the best lighting setups for AI portraits:
☀️ Soft Natural Light
Window light, overcast day, open shade. Flattering and natural.
Use: "soft natural lighting", "window light", "diffused daylight"
🌅 Golden Hour
Warm, romantic, incredibly flattering for skin tones.
Use: "golden hour lighting", "warm sunset light", "magic hour"
🎨 Rembrandt
Classic dramatic lighting with triangle on cheek. Timeless.
Use: "Rembrandt lighting", "chiaroscuro", "dramatic side light"
📸 Studio Lighting
Clean, professional, controlled. Perfect for headshots.
Use: "studio lighting", "softbox lighting", "professional lighting"
💫 Rim Light
Separates subject from background. Adds depth and polish.
Use: "rim lighting", "backlit", "edge light", "hair light"
🌈 Colored Lighting
Neon, gels, creative color. Great for stylized portraits.
Use: "neon lighting", "pink and blue lights", "colored gel lighting"
📋 Example with Lighting:
"Close-up portrait of a woman, Rembrandt lighting, dramatic shadows, soft rim light on hair, dark background, moody atmosphere, fine art photography, 8K"
👗 Styling & Aesthetics
The overall aesthetic of your portrait ties everything together. Consider these elements:
👔 Clothing
- • Business suit
- • Casual sweater
- • Elegant dress
- • Leather jacket
- • Traditional attire
- • Fantasy armor
💇 Hair & Makeup
- • Natural makeup
- • Glamorous makeup
- • Flowing hair
- • Slicked back
- • Braided hair
- • Beard, stubble
🎨 Style/Era
- • Modern contemporary
- • 1920s vintage
- • 1980s retro
- • Cyberpunk future
- • Renaissance
- • Fantasy medieval
📋 Styled Portrait Example:
"Portrait of a woman in 1920s flapper style, art deco aesthetic, finger waves hairstyle, pearl necklace, dark lipstick, glamorous, vintage photography style, sepia tones"
🔧 Fixing Common Portrait Issues
Here's how to fix the most common problems in AI portraits:
🖐️ Problem: Deformed Hands
Solution: Crop hands out of frame, or add to negative prompt:
"deformed hands, extra fingers, mutated hands, bad hands"
👁️ Problem: Weird Eyes
Solution: Add specifics about eyes, use negative prompts:
"crossed eyes, asymmetric eyes, deformed iris"
😬 Problem: Bad Teeth
Solution: Avoid open-mouth smiles or add:
"bad teeth, missing teeth, crooked teeth"
📸 Problem: Blurry/Low Quality
Solution: Add quality modifiers:
"8K, ultra detailed, sharp focus, professional photography, high resolution"
📋 Ready-to-Use Portrait Prompts
Copy these prompts and customize them for your needs:
👔 Professional Headshot:
"Professional headshot of a 35-year-old man, friendly confident smile, wearing navy blue suit, neutral gray background, studio lighting with soft fill, sharp focus, corporate portrait, 8K resolution"
🎨 Artistic Portrait:
"Artistic portrait of a young woman, ethereal expression, flowing red hair, dramatic Rembrandt lighting, dark moody background, fine art photography, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, masterpiece"
🌅 Golden Hour Portrait:
"Portrait of a woman at golden hour, warm sunlight, soft smile, wind in hair, looking into distance, natural outdoor setting, lens flare, romantic atmosphere, cinematic, 4K"
🎭 Character Portrait:
"Fantasy character portrait, elven warrior princess, pointed ears, silver hair, intricate crown, fierce determined expression, dramatic lighting, detailed armor, epic, digital art, 8K"
🌃 Cyberpunk Portrait:
"Cyberpunk portrait, young woman with neon makeup, glowing cybernetic implants, pink and blue neon lighting, rain-soaked city reflection, futuristic, blade runner style, high contrast, 8K"
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