GPT Image Prompts: Write a Brief, Not a Caption
The strongest GPT Image prompts read like a work order rather than a caption: name a role for the model, then list numbered steps it carries out in sequence.
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That pattern sits behind the style-guide templates on MarketVideo. Their prompts open with a line such as “Act as an expert stylist with systems thinking” and walk through an analysis stage before anything is drawn. Below are the parts of such a brief, real examples from the catalog and a skeleton for writing your own for GPT Image 2.5.
Start with a role
Opening with a job title changes what the model looks for. The Personal Style Guide prompt begins “Act as an expert stylist with systems thinking”, while the Makeup Guide casts a professional makeup artist and beauty futurologist. The role decides which questions get asked about the photo: face shape and color type for a stylist, eye shape and skin undertone for a makeup artist.
Number the steps
Lay the work out as a numbered plan. The Hairstyle Guide opens with “1. Analytical stage (Deep Scan)”: find the face shape, study forehead, jawline and cheekbones, read the skin undertone, and only then build the guide. The Accessories Guide splits the job into “1. Analysis (internal)” and “2. Image generation”, marking the first step as internal so the reasoning stays off the finished picture.
Say what must not change
A brief also needs limits. Marker Doodle Sketchbook says “Keep the pose, composition, and people” and then lists what to add around them: hearts, arrows, stars and notes. Botanical Ink Illustration has a whole section headed PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL for composition, pose and proportions. Put these locks before the creative part, so the model knows what is fixed and what is open.
Fix the format and keep labels short
Bold Flat Character Poster includes a block called FORMAT LOCK: a vertical 3:4 frame, warm off-white paper edge to edge, one standalone poster. Name the shape, the background and the number of images up front. The guide templates also ask for an infographic, so captions sit inside the picture; keep that text brief and proofread the result, because lettering can still come out wrong.
A skeleton for your own brief
Your own brief goes into Create photo with GPT Image 2.5 selected; attach a photo when the task needs one. A workable order: role, task in one sentence, numbered steps, what to keep, format. For example: “Act as an interior stylist. Analyze the room in the photo. 1. Note the light and main colors. 2. Suggest three changes. 3. Show them as a labeled collage, 9:16.”
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FAQ
Does GPT Image follow a role you give it?
It treats the role as a frame for the whole task. The style, hair, makeup and accessories guides in this catalog are all built that way, each opening with an expert title before the steps. Outputs still differ between attempts, so give it a second pass if the first one misses.
Do numbered steps work better than one long sentence?
For tasks with several stages, a list makes the order explicit: analysis comes before drawing, and each part of the layout gets its own instruction. For a simple scene, a plain description of subject, style and light is usually enough.
Which model should I pick when likeness matters most?
No model guarantees an exact match. Many portrait templates in the catalog run on Nano Banana models, while GPT Image 2.5 handles the briefs with stages and labels. Try both on Create photo with the same sharp picture of yourself and keep the version you like.
What does running a GPT Image prompt cost?
Stars cover every generation, and the cost appears on the model before you start. Confirming the email on a fresh account brings five of them; more come from plans or packs listed on Pricing. A few templates are also free each day within a small daily allowance.
Can I use photos of other people?
Stick with your own picture or one of a person who gave permission. Famous people, strangers and fake documents stay out, and so does anything sexual. Kids belong only in pictures of your own family.