Short answer
Describe the subject, setting, composition, lighting, and style. For an edit, add the change you want and the details to keep from your source photo. Start with one clear idea in Vega AI, then change one part of the prompt between versions.
Give the image a job
Start with the intended use: a square profile image, a product background, or a landscape illustration for a post. That choice guides the crop and the amount of space around the subject.
Then name what matters in the scene. Choose concrete descriptions such as “a ceramic mug on a pale wood desk” rather than a string of general compliments.
| Part of the prompt | A useful detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | A handmade blue ceramic mug |
| Setting | A pale wood desk beside a window |
| Composition | Mug on the right, open space on the left |
| Lighting | Soft morning window light |
| Style | Natural product photography with muted colors |
Turn the details into a sentence
You do not need to fill every prompt with technical camera terms. Write the image as you would describe it to someone making a first draft. This original example combines the decisions in the table.
A product-scene prompt to try
Create a natural product photograph of a handmade blue ceramic mug on a pale wood desk beside a window. Place the mug on the right with open space on the left. Use soft morning light and muted colors.
Use a different structure for an edit
When you already have a photo, say what should change and what should stay recognizable. The source image carries information that you do not need to reinvent in the prompt.
- Choose image generation for a new scene or photo editing for an existing image.
- Write the main request and the important composition details.
- Select the available output settings for your use.
- Generate, compare, and change one part for the next version.
An edit prompt to adapt
Replace the background with a pale wood desk and soft window light. Keep the mug’s shape, handle, blue glaze, and position in the image recognizable.
Improve a version with one decision
If the subject is right but the background is busy, simplify the background request. If the crop is wrong, specify the framing. Changing everything makes it harder to see which instruction helped.
Google’s image prompting guidance also emphasizes descriptive scenes and iterative refinement. The sample prompts here are starting points for your own images; the controls available in Vega depend on the selected workflow.
Questions
How long should an AI image prompt be?
Long enough to describe the decisions that matter. A few specific sentences are a useful starting point; extra words do not help if they contradict each other.
Do I need a photo first?
Use text-to-image for a new scene. Choose a source photo when you want to edit an existing subject or try a new look.
