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AI prompts

AI Image Prompts for DTC Ads, Product Photos & Realistic Portraits

I’m Artem Kordikov, a DTC video editor. These are the 15 copy-and-paste AI image prompts I use for ad creative, product shots, realistic portraits and UGC-style content, tested in Midjourney and Nano Banana.

The prompts are grouped by what they are for, and every box has a one-click copy button. Start with the ad creative tab if you want to turn a winning ad into a new one for your own product. If you also need the video side, see my DTC video editing services and my guide to video ad hook examples.

Ad creative prompts

Turn any reference ad into a new ad for your own product. These are the three prompts I use to make DTC ad images fast: copy the ad style, swap in your product, and keep the layout that already works.

AD STYLE

Create an ad from a competitor’s example

Best for: static ad variations in the style of a proven ad

  1. Screenshot an example ad to use as the reference.
  2. Upload a stock product shot of your product, which will be used to create the AI ad.
  3. Paste this prompt, with the example image attached first.

Ad that models the design, layout, and style of the example image [attached first]. Make the background look like {describe background you want or ask to model the example image}. Match the overall aesthetic of the image on the left. Replace the product with the [Your Product Name], update the headline to say: {headline}, update the logo, and update the main copy to: {insert benefits / copy}. Keep the vibe consistent with the example.

Use the example for layout and style only. Write your own headline and copy, and do not reproduce another brand’s logo or trademarks.

MODEL

Model product shots

Best for: product on a person, lifestyle ads

Put this product on a {describe your model}. Make the background look like {describe background}.

STOCK

Stock product shots in a reference style

Best for: restyling a plain product photo to match a winning ad

Image that models the design, layout, and style of the example image (attached first) but using the product in the second image. Make the background look like the first image. Match the overall aesthetic of the image on the left.

Product photography prompts

Clean cutouts, hero shots and food close-ups for product pages, launches and ads.

CUTOUT

Isolated object, transparent background

Best for: product catalogs, packshots, PDP images

Isolated objects on a transparent background, clean rendering, sharp details.

NEGATIVE PROMPT

background, text, watermark, label, blur, distortion, low resolution, artifacts, extra wires, extra handles, cropped edges, duplicate lanterns, messy lighting

HERO

Cinematic product levitation

Best for: hero shots, launch content

A single product levitating mid-air against a deep gradient studio background, caught in a slow rotation as if suspended in zero gravity. Dramatic directional lighting rakes across the surface, revealing true material texture and fine reflections. A soft contact shadow anchors it below. Shot on a cinema camera, shallow depth of field, high dynamic range, physically accurate light falloff, no text, no props.

STUDIO

Single-spotlight studio shot

Best for: minimal, premium-feeling packshots

A single product centered in total darkness, lit only by one narrow overhead spotlight that carves out its form and casts a sharp, tapering shadow below. Every reflective and matte surface reads with true material accuracy. Background fades to pure black with no visible horizon line. Studio photography, physically accurate light, no lens flare, no color cast, no text.

FOOD

Hyper-realistic food macro

Best for: restaurant, snack and beverage ads

An extreme macro shot of [food item], filling the frame. Must clearly show real surface texture, moisture and oil catching the light, uneven natural color variation, and steam or condensation where appropriate. Shallow depth of field with focus locked on the nearest texture detail, warm natural side lighting, no artificial gloss, no plating props, no text.

Hyper-realistic portrait and skin prompts

Five prompts that avoid the plastic AI face. The first four work as a set: run them on the same subject description and you get a believable photoset instead of one lucky frame.

PORTRAIT

Neutral chest-up portrait

Best for: profile photos, casting-style headshots

A Black adult photographed chest-up against a simple neutral background. Expression is calm and natural, not posed or model-like. Skin shows real pore depth on cheeks and nose, slight shine on forehead, faint under-eye darkness. Lips show natural creases and dryness, not glossy perfection. Eyes show natural moisture and tiny veins, with realistic light reflections. Clothing is simple, textured fabric with natural folds. This shot should look like a real human captured in a RAW camera photo.

PROFILE

¾ side profile, imperfect angle

Best for: candid, unretouched brand content

A Black adult captured in a ¾ side profile, slightly imperfect angle. Visible: jawline texture, neck folds and natural lines, hair follicles or faint razor bumps, uneven skin tone transitions. Ears show real folds, pores, and tiny hairs. Hairline is naturally uneven, baby hairs not styled perfectly. Lighting creates soft shadows that emphasize skin relief. This should feel candid and unretouched.

MACRO

Extreme macro skin close-up

Best for: skincare ads, texture-forward content

An extreme macro close-up of Black skin (cheek, nose, or mouth area). Must clearly show: high-resolution pores, uneven skin texture, tiny scars and pigmentation variation, oil interacting with light, peach fuzz hairs catching highlights. This shot should feel almost uncomfortable in its realism — like zooming into a real face.

EYE

Hyper-realistic eye macro

Best for: “wow” close-ups, beauty content

A hyper-realistic macro shot of a single full eye belonging to a Black person, filling almost the entire frame. Eye and surrounding skin: fine lines and micro-wrinkles on the eyelid, uneven texture, tiny pores, natural crease depth, realistic pigmentation around the eye. Eyelashes: individually visible, uneven lengths, natural clumping, tiny gaps. Sclera: realistic red blood vessels, slight off-white color variation, natural moisture with soft reflections. Iris and pupil: detailed radial fibers, color variation, natural light reflection, realistic pupil size for the lighting. Lighting: soft macro lighting, extremely shallow depth of field, focus locked on the iris, slight lens falloff at the edges. No text, no symbols, no glow, no digital artifacts, no beauty retouching, no artificial sharpness. This should feel like a medical-grade macro photograph.

EDITORIAL

Moody editorial: mature skin, sad expression

Best for: skincare carousels, emotional storytelling ads

A close-up portrait shot focusing on a Korean woman in her mid-30s, showing realistic mature skin texture with noticeable redness and dryness. She is touching her cheek with a sad, disappointed expression. Not a K-pop idol style, but a realistic sophisticated woman. High detail skin pores, natural makeup, slightly moody lighting. --ar 4:5 --raw

The --ar and --raw parameters are Midjourney settings. Remove them in other generators.

UGC, motion and typography prompts

Three prompts for content that has to feel unpolished, move smoothly or read as brand type.

UGC

UGC weightless mid-jump phone photo

Best for: DTC ads that need to feel unpolished (built for Nano Banana Pro)

A casual iPhone-style photo captured from a low angle against a blue sky. The subject appears briefly weightless, as if caught mid-jump, with a relaxed, unposed posture. Accessories from the original image like bag, sunglasses, and small personal items float naturally around the body at different distances, slightly rotated, like a real moment frozen in motion. Natural daylight only, mild sky overexposure, realistic shadows, visible fabric and skin texture, slight grain and softness. Feels unplanned and authentic, not editorial or cinematic — true UGC phone photo.

MOTION

Seamless cinematic scene transition

Best for: reels, product films, portfolio reels

Create a seamless, cinematic transition between Image 1 and Image 2. Start fully inside Image 1, then guide the camera into a natural motion path that logically leads toward the transition point. Maintain consistent lighting, depth, and perspective so the viewer feels physically carried from one scene to the next. Use smooth blending of colors, shadows, and textures, and ensure that surfaces and objects morph gradually and believably. The transition should feel like a continuous camera move, not an effect. Keep the aesthetic cinematic, realistic, and polished, with physically accurate camera movement, stable motion and depth, natural environmental lighting, and high-resolution textures. Your goal is to make the cut invisible, as if the camera is traveling through one continuous world that naturally evolves into Image 2. [insert additional instructions here]

Keep the structure and swap your own scene details into the last bracketed line.

TYPE

3D glass typography

Best for: brand numerals, kinetic type, app icons

A single transparent glass character "[X]", highly detailed, standing upright in the center of the frame. The character is made of clear blue-tinted glass with realistic reflections and light refraction. It is placed on a plain white background, with soft shadows underneath, a minimalistic and clean composition, and studio lighting.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI image prompt?

An AI image prompt is the written instruction you give an image generator. A good one names the subject, the framing, the lighting and the texture details, so the result looks specific instead of generic.

Which AI image generators do these prompts work with?

They are written for tools such as Midjourney and Nano Banana, and most work in other generators too. The --ar and --raw settings in the editorial prompt are Midjourney parameters, so remove them elsewhere.

How do I make an AI ad from a competitor’s example?

Screenshot the example ad, upload a stock shot of your own product, and use the “Create an ad from a competitor’s example” prompt with the example attached first. Use the example as a style and layout reference, and write your own headline and copy.

How do I avoid the plastic AI face look?

Describe real imperfections: visible pores, uneven skin tone, natural dryness, fine lines, and soft, directional light. Add “no beauty retouching” and ask for a RAW camera photo look, as the portrait prompts here do.

Can I use these prompts for ads?

Yes, the prompts are made for ad and product content. Check your generator’s license terms and each ad platform’s rules on AI-generated images before you publish.

Want prompts and creative built for your brand?

Send me a short brief with your product, audience and goal. I’ll build the images and the video ads around it.

Get in touch →

Last updated November 1, 2026.