# How to prompt Nano Banana Pro

Five parts make a prompt that works. Here they are, with before and after examples and prompts you can copy.

Nano Banana Pro follows plain sentences well. Most weak results leave out one of five things, and each one is a few words you can add.

## The five parts of a prompt

1. **Subject**: *a woman, three-quarter view*. Who and what.
2. **Style**: *editorial portrait card*. The look.
3. **Light**: *soft window light*. The mood.
4. **Camera**: *85mm, film grain*. The lens.
5. **Text**: *"{quote}" in serif, left third*. The exact words.

![A wide editorial portrait card with a quote set in serif on the left third](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDNT75MYMA0M2Y1CWMF2/w1200.webp)

## Step 1: Lead with the subject

Say who or what, doing what, from which angle. Vague subjects get stock-photo faces.

Before and after: Window light portraits. [Before](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDWBE1AHZC5DH7QG4W6D/w1200.webp), [after](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDNED8KSD9N4QD1D4W5T/w1200.webp).

Before: *woman in a chair by a window*. After: *A woman in her 30s reading in a green armchair beside a tall window, soft side light, three-quarter view, 50mm*.

## Step 2: Name the light

One phrase about light changes more than any style word. Say where it comes from and how hard it is.

Before and after: Perfume on a plinth. [Before](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDYXQ1PVFQ451JD5PT7F/w1200.webp), [after](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDPDXCY4AEJG3DVZ13WS/w1200.webp).

Before: *a perfume bottle on a table*. After: *A perfume bottle on a stone plinth, one hard light from the left, long shadow, warm sand backdrop*.

## Step 3: Put the words in quotes

Quote the exact text, keep it short, and say nothing else is written. Long lines come back misspelled.

Before and after: Slow mornings poster. [Before](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDXWP5GD78BRNN28ZWZK/w1200.webp), [after](https://cdn.promptclay.com/media/v/01M6TZVDVT16RX99F5EHQH8WBB/w1200.webp).

Before: *poster that says slow mornings with a sun and some details*. After: *A poster with the headline "Slow mornings" in a condensed serif over a low sun, cream background, nothing else written*.

> **Tip:** Keep the quoted words under six, and end the prompt with *nothing else written*.

## Prompts to copy

Swap the highlighted words for your own, then paste the prompt into Gemini, PicX or any tool that runs Nano Banana Pro. Each one below puts a step from this guide to work.

All three steps in one prompt: a man on a chair, sun from the left throwing window-grid shadows, and one word in quotes, *"THINK"*, set large behind him. It starts from an uploaded photo, so the subject is you.

```text
A cinematic portrait of a young man in the uploaded image sitting cross-legged on a simple wooden chair, wearing white over-ear headphones and gazing thoughtfully toward the light. He is wearing black sweater and brown trousers. He is in a cozy study room; the background features a beige wall cluttered with taped papers and sticky notes, with a wooden bookshelf and a globe visible on the right. Warm, golden-hour sunlight streams in from the left, casting distinct, sharp grid-like window shadows across the subject and the back wall. A large, semi-transparent, faded typography overlay of the word "THINK" blends vertically into the scene behind him. The atmosphere is moody, nostalgic, and warm, with a soft film grain texture.
```

Prompt: [Cinematic Portrait with Window Shadows and Typography Overlay](https://promptclay.com/prompts/cinematic-portrait-with-window-shadows-and-typography-overlay-4mz92y)

Change these words to your own: young man in the uploaded image, Warm, golden-hour sunlight streams in from the left, THINK.

Note: Upload a clear photo of yourself first. Keep the word in quotes short.

The light step on a face: one hard light from the right, and the shadows it casts are named too. Fill in the background and the blazer colours.

```text
Bold ultra-realistic portrait with diagonal sunlight casting sharp triangular shadows across a deep {background_color} background. Subject in a {outfit_color} blazer and turtleneck, wearing thin metal-framed glasses. Head tilted upward, off-camera gaze. Hard directional lighting from right, high micro-detail on skin and fabric, 4:5 vertical ratio, cinematic contrast, no oversaturation.
```

Prompt: [Ultra-Realistic Portrait with Hard Lighting Prompt](https://promptclay.com/prompts/ultra-realistic-portrait-with-hard-lighting-prompt-4hr7rf)

Change these words to your own: {background\_color}, {outfit\_color}, diagonal sunlight casting sharp triangular shadows, Hard directional lighting from right.

The text step as hand lettering: your line goes in quotes in the middle, with food drawn around it. The example line is twelve words and the cover spells it right, but shorter is safer.

```text
A warm, affectionate illustration on a light beige, subtly textured background filled with a playful scatter of {food_items}—surrounding colorful, handwritten text in the center. The text, in a whimsical, slightly uneven cursive font, reads "{quote}" Each word is a different bright, cheerful color, with soft shadows and gentle outlines to make the letters pop while preserving a handmade, imperfect feel. The composition feels cozy and inviting, with a harmonious layout that radiates warmth, love, and togetherness. Suitable as {art_style}.
```

Prompt: [Whimsical Food Quote Illustration](https://promptclay.com/prompts/whimsical-food-quote-illustration-dr86zw)

Change these words to your own: {food\_items}, {quote}, {art\_style}.

Neon is a light like any other: name it and say where it sits. This portrait puts you beside a ring of neon at night and keeps your face from an uploaded photo.

```text
Use my uploaded face image as the primary identity reference. Preserve my 100% exact facial identity, face shape, hairstyle, hair texture, beard style, skin tone, eye shape, eyebrows, nose, lips, and all facial details with maximum accuracy. Do not change my face or make me look like a different person. Create a realistic cinematic luxury fashion portrait of me standing outdoors at night. I am wearing a {suit_color} velvet suit with a black shirt, elegant formal styling, black loafers, and a premium wristwatch. I am standing in a relaxed confident pose with my body and head perfectly straight, upright, and symmetrical facing the camera (no tilt, no leaning, no angled head). Place me beside a {light_installation} wrapped with green vines and warm fairy lights. The background is a {background} with soft bokeh lights, cinematic atmosphere, and shallow depth of field. Make the pose natural and confident: hands in pockets, one foot slightly forward, shoulders straight, looking directly at the camera with a calm expression. Ultra-realistic photography, professional fashion magazine style, cinematic lighting, sharp focus, high detail, 8K. Keep my face as the main focus.
```

Prompt: [Luxury Velvet Suit Neon Portrait](https://promptclay.com/prompts/luxury-velvet-suit-neon-portrait-n75jn0)

Change these words to your own: {suit\_color}, {light\_installation}, {background}.

Note: Upload a clear photo of yourself first.

More ideas in [Nano Banana Pro prompts](https://promptclay.com/models/nano-banana-2-1) and [every prompt tested on it](https://promptclay.com/prompts?model=nano-banana-pro).

## What Google's own guide adds

Google published a [prompting guide for Nano Banana Pro](https://dev.to/googleai/nano-banana-pro-prompting-guide-strategies-1h9n). Its core advice matches the five parts: say who, where, which light and which words. Four of its rules go further. Each one below comes with a live prompt that follows it, and the last section shows when a long structured prompt is the better choice.

### Write sentences, and say who it is for

Google calls lists of keywords "tag soups" and asks you to "talk to the model as if you were briefing a human artist." It also asks for context, the why or for whom: a sandwich "for a Brazilian high-end gourmet cookbook" lets the model work out the plating and the light by itself.

This podcast portrait does both. Subject, light and camera are full sentences, and the last words say what it is for: a YouTube podcast. Fill in the host, the clothes and the background light. The prompt says *he* throughout, so change it if your host is a woman. The cover's red glow comes from the example background, *warm red-orange accent lighting*.

```text
A professional {host_description}, facing the camera with a confident and friendly expression. He is wearing a {clothing} and sitting in a comfortable chair. A high-quality podcast microphone on a boom arm is positioned close to his mouth. On the desk are a notebook with handwritten notes, a coffee mug, and an audio interface with connected cables. The background features {background_lighting}, creating a clean, cinematic studio atmosphere. Soft key lighting on the face, subtle rim lighting, shallow depth of field, ultra-realistic details, 50mm lens, f/1.8, professional color grading, high contrast, 8K, YouTube podcast aesthetic.
```

Prompt: [Cinematic Podcast Studio Portrait](https://promptclay.com/prompts/cinematic-podcast-studio-portrait-e2qnr3)

Change these words to your own: {host\_description}, {clothing}, {background\_lighting}, Soft key lighting on the face, 50mm lens, f/1.8.

Context works for layouts too. This one says it is a luxury cookbook page crossed with a heritage restaurant poster, then puts every word to print in quotes. Put the same dish in both dish blanks. The bracketed parts, the dish name, the tagline and each ingredient line, are blanks as well, though the post lists only four. The cover is a Margherita pizza with each ingredient in its own slice of the circle.

```text
Top-down flat lay of all {dish} ingredients arranged in a perfect radial burst pattern, each in its own pie-slice section radiating from the center. Sections divided by thin hand-drawn lines. Final plated {dish_2} in {vessel} sits at the center, beautifully presented and steaming. Each ingredient labeled at outer edge in uppercase serif with small italic descriptor below — "[INGREDIENT] / [quantity, preparation, origin]". Surface: {color} kraft paper, subtly aged. Overhead soft box lighting, zero harsh shadows, slight vignette pulling focus to center. Dish name curved around center circle like an engraving: "[DISH NAME]". Subtitle: "[TAGLINE]". Luxury cookbook editorial meets heritage restaurant poster. 4K overhead, tack sharp, warm film grain.
```

Prompt: [Luxury Cookbook Ingredient Flat Lay Infographic](https://promptclay.com/prompts/luxury-cookbook-ingredient-flat-lay-infographic-s5nnvq)

Change these words to your own: {dish}, {dish\_2}, {vessel}, {color}, \[DISH NAME\], \[TAGLINE\].

### Describe the material

Google's guide lists materiality next to the subject: "Matte finish," "brushed steel," "soft velvet," "crumpled paper." A surface word tells the model what the light falls on, so it pairs well with the light phrase from step 2.

This short prompt is nothing but material: one surface, lit from a low angle so the light shows every pit and fibre. Use it to test a texture before you put it in a bigger prompt. The example blank lists three materials, and the cover came back as a grid of four different tiles. Name one material if you want one surface.

```text
Extreme close-up surface study.
Realistic material texture resembling {material_type},
soft grazing light revealing micro-details,
natural imperfections,
neutral monochrome palette,
no pattern repetition,
```

Prompt: [Material and Surface Study for Realism Testing](https://promptclay.com/prompts/material-and-surface-study-for-realism-testing-gpazxs)

Change these words to your own: {material\_type}, soft grazing light revealing micro-details, natural imperfections.

### Lock the face, in words

Nano Banana Pro takes up to 14 reference images, 6 of them at high fidelity, according to Google. The guide's advice is to say outright what must stay: "Keep the person's facial features exactly the same as Image 1."

This prompt takes that to the limit. Six rules cover the face, from bone structure to skin tone, and the scene is a few short lines at the end. Upload one clear, well-lit photo, then change only the setting and the background. If you also want a new expression, change the expression rule: as written, it forbids one.

```text
{
  "Objective": "Generate a photorealistic outdoor casual close-up portrait using the provided reference image with absolute facial identity lock and zero deviation.",
  "Edit_Type": "Image-to-image portrait generation",
  "Input_Image": {
    "Usage": "Primary identity reference",
    "Identity_Lock": "Maximum / absolute",
    "Rules": [
      "Exact same face as reference image",
      "No changes to facial structure or proportions",
      "No changes to age or perceived age",
      "No changes to eye shape, lip shape, nose, jawline, or cheek structure",
      "No changes to skin tone, undertone, or texture",
      "No changes to expression or facial micro-expressions"
    ]
  },
  "Persona_Details": {
    "Subject": "Same individual as reference image",
    "Expression": {
      "Type": "Calm, neutral, natural",
      "Emotion": "Relaxed, approachable, authentic"
    },
    "Makeup": {
      "Style": "Soft natural makeup",
      "Coverage": "Minimal, realistic skin finish",
      "Detail": "No glam, no heavy contouring"
    }
  },
  "Scene_and_Environment": {
    "Setting": "Outdoor casual environment",
    "Background": {
      "Treatment": "Softly blurred natural background",
      "Elements": "Subtle greenery or neutral outdoor textures"
    }
  }
```

Prompt: [Photorealistic Portrait with Absolute Facial Identity Lock](https://promptclay.com/prompts/photorealistic-portrait-with-absolute-facial-identity-lock-9szd9r)

Change these words to your own: Exact same face as reference image, Outdoor casual environment, Subtle greenery or neutral outdoor textures.

Note: Upload a clear, front-facing photo first.

### Edit, don't re-roll

Google's first rule: when a picture is 80% right, ask for the one change you need instead of starting again. Its example is a single sentence, "That's great, but change the lighting to sunset and make the text neon blue."

Photo restoration is that rule as a whole prompt. It starts from your old photo, lists what must not change, and asks only for the damage to go. To keep a black-and-white photo black and white, take out *and colorize*. When the result is close, ask for one fix at a time, for example *sharpen only the eyes*, rather than pasting the prompt again.

```text
Restore and colorize the uploaded old photograph into a crystal-clear, photorealistic, high-detail image while preserving 100% of the original composition. Keep the exact same pose, expression, facial structure, proportions, framing, clothing, hairstyle, background, objects, and all details unchanged. Do not add, remove, move, or restyle anything. Remove blur, noise, scratches, fading, stains, and age-related damage. Recover natural sharpness, fine skin texture, realistic textures, true-to-life colors, and lifelike skin tones. No identity change, no stylization, no cartoon or CGI look, no plastic skin.
```

Prompt: [Old Photo Restoration Prompt for Nano Banana Pro 2.0](https://promptclay.com/prompts/old-photo-restoration-prompt-for-nano-banana-pro-2-0-vtxxt7)

Change these words to your own: Restore and colorize the uploaded old photograph, Do not add, remove, move, or restyle anything.

Note: Upload the old photo first, scanned as flat and sharp as you can.

### When a long structured prompt is the right tool

Sentences are the default, not a law. The most copied prompt on our [Nano Banana Pro page](https://promptclay.com/models/nano-banana-2-1) is a calendar written as a long settings file: colours as codes, every word to print in quotes, and *strict\_text\_and\_dates: true*. On its cover, every printed word and number came out right.

Two cautions from reading it and its cover. The month blank is only in the title, while the printed month name and number are written in full lower down, so change all three. And the prompt lists no dates. The cover still put 1 February on a Sunday, which is right for 2026, but marked the 11th and 23rd in red, which are Japan's public holidays. Say whose holidays you want.

```text
meta:
  title: "CALENDAR 2026 — {month_name} (Winter Alpine / Flat Teal Splitter / Sundays Red)"
  purpose: "image_generation_prompt"
  language_in_image: "English"
  output: "single calendar poster"
  quality: "commercial, crisp typography, no artifacts"
  strict_text_and_dates: true

canvas:
  size: { width: 2048, height: 1536 }
  aspect: "4:3 landscape"
  base_bg: "#FFFFFF"
  safe_margin_pct: 6

style:
  keywords:
    - "premium modern minimal"
    - "corporate clean"
    - "cool winter calm"
    - "high legibility"
  palette:
    deep_teal: "#083D57"
    teal: "#0E7890"
    mid_teal: "#6A90A0"
    navy: "#0B2433"
    text_dark: "#2C2F33"
    border_light: "#D7DDE2"
    icy: "#EAF2F6"
    saturday_blue: "#1F7FA0"
    sunday_red: "#C93B3B"
    holiday_red: "#C93B3B"
  typography:
    font: "Noto Sans (fallback: Helvetica/Arial)"
    rules:
      - "no warping, no jitter, no random glyphs"
      - "high anti-aliasing + optical kerning"

composition:
  layout:
    - "Left ~52%: winter alpine photo inside a large smooth curved mask"
    - "Right ~48%: clean white negative space with month + calendar card"
    - "Bottom-left: deep teal layered wave band hosting 'CALENDAR 2026'"
  photo_left:
    subject:
      - "snowy mountains, conifer forest, calm valley, overcast sky"
      - "no people, no buildings, no animals, no text"
    grading: "cool-neutral, slightly desaturated, moderate contrast, preserve snow detail"
    overlay: "very subtle snow/bokeh particles mainly over photo area (keep right area clean)"
  divider_splitter:
    shape: "thin smooth curved band near the boundary of photo/white"
    thickness: "5–7% of canvas height"
    fill_gradient: { from: "#083D57", to: "#0E7890" }
    optional_rim:
      enabled: true
      thickness: "1–2% of canvas height"
      fill_gradient: { from: "#EAF2F6", to: "#FFFFFF" }
    flat_rules:
      - "no 3D, no bevel, no inner shadow, no glass, no facets, no specular"
  bottom_waves:
    coverage: "bottom 22–28% of canvas"
    layers:
      - { gradient: { from: "#083D57", to: "#0B2433" }, opacity: 1.0 }
      - { gradient: { from: "#0E7890", to: "#6A90A0" }, opacity: 0.55 }
      - { gradient: { from: "#EAF2F6", to: "#FFFFFF" }, opacity: 0.45 }
    rule: "flat premium (no facets/bevel), minimal noise only to prevent banding"

text_blocks:
  month_number:
    text: "2"
    position: "top-right of right area"
    style: { weight: 800, color: "#0E7890", size: "very large" }
  month_label:
    text: "FEBRUARY"
    position: "upper-center of right area"
    style: { weight: 800, color: "#2C2F33", size: "large", tracking: "slightly wide" }
  footer_left:
    position: "bottom-left on teal wave band"
    lines:
      - { text: "CALENDAR", style: { weight: 700, color: "#FFFFFF", size: "medium" } }
      - { text: "2026",     style: { weight: 900, color: "#FFFFFF", size: "very large" } }
    alignment: "left"

calendar_card:
  placement: "center-right"
```

Prompt: [Detailed Calendar Design Prompt for Nano Banana Pro](https://promptclay.com/prompts/detailed-calendar-design-prompt-for-nano-banana-pro-vdnnce)

Change these words to your own: {month\_name}, FEBRUARY, strict\_text\_and\_dates: true.

## Questions

### Do I need an account to copy these?

No. Copy and Open in PicX work without one. You only need an account to save, like or reply.

### Which aspect ratio should I ask for?

4:5 for feed posts, 9:16 for stories and 3:2 for headers. Say it in the prompt or set it in your tool.

### Why is the text in my image misspelled?

Put the exact words in quotes, keep them under six words, and add "nothing else written".

### Does promptclay make the images?

No. promptclay never generates images. Copy a prompt here and paste it into Gemini, PicX or any tool that runs Nano Banana Pro.

### How many photos can I give it at once?

Up to 14 reference images, and up to 6 of them at high fidelity, according to [Google's guide](https://dev.to/googleai/nano-banana-pro-prompting-guide-strategies-1h9n). Say what each one is for, as in *keep the face from Image 1*.

### Do I have to write my prompt as JSON?

No. Google's guide asks for plain, full sentences, and the before and after examples above are written that way. Long structured prompts, like the calendar above, help most when a layout has a lot of exact text to place.

### Can Nano Banana Pro make 4K pictures?

Yes. Google's guide says it makes pictures from 1K up to 4K, and advises asking for 2K or 4K outright where your tool allows it.

---
Canonical: https://promptclay.com/guides/how-to-prompt-nano-banana-pro