Images and creative direction
Describe the change. Preserve the details.
A practical guide to image prompts, visual references and checking generated edits before using them.
Updated
Inspection and generation are different tasks
For a wardrobe photo, ask for outfit combinations based on visible items. For a campaign visual, describe the image to create or edit. If the reference is unclear, a model's plausible interpretation may still be wrong.
Give an edit a clear boundary
For a product image, specify the background change and the product details that must remain faithful. Treat colour, shape and branding as review criteria. A visually attractive result is not proof that the product is represented accurately.
- Name the subject and intended use.
- Describe composition, lighting and output orientation.
- List details to preserve and elements to change.
Review the output against the reference
Compare the result with your original at a readable size. Check required lettering, product geometry and any detail that was meant to stay fixed. For a second edit, restate the detail that drifted and ask for one focused correction.
- Check text character by character.
- Inspect fastenings, edges, patterns and proportions.
- Confirm that the requested edit did not introduce another change.
A garment example
Try: ‘Place this jacket in a simple studio campaign scene. Keep its visible stitching, zip and proportions faithful to the reference. Leave empty space on the left for a headline I will add later. Add no accessories.’ Review those details before using the image as product marketing.
Sources and editorial note
Guidance checked 8 October 2026. These AI-assisted guides and original templates are reviewed against the linked sources. Results depend on your inputs and available tools. Model recommendations are editorial starting points, not comparative test results.