AI Photorealism Masterclass
Create AI-generated images indistinguishable from real photographs. Camera specifications, lighting setups, film emulation, and professional techniques.
The difference between "AI-looking" images and photorealistic ones comes down to technical specificity. Real photographers use specific equipment, lighting setups, and techniques. When you include these details in your prompts, AI models generate dramatically more realistic results.
In This Guide
Why Specificity Creates Realism
Generic prompts produce generic results. Compare these two approaches:
Generic Prompt
"A realistic photo of a woman in a coffee shop"
Result: Smooth skin, perfect lighting, obviously AI-generated
Specific Prompt
"Candid portrait of a woman reading at a coffee shop window. Shot on Fujifilm X100V, 23mm f/2. Natural window light from camera left, ambient cafe lighting. Kodak Portra 400 colour palette. Visible skin texture, natural imperfections. Documentary photography style."
Result: Convincingly photorealistic
The specific prompt tells the model exactly what "realistic" means - it references real equipment, real film, and real photographic techniques that have distinct visual characteristics.
Camera & Lens Specifications
Including camera and lens details fundamentally changes how AI renders images. Different equipment creates different looks.
Camera Bodies by Use Case
| Camera | Visual Characteristics | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sony A7IV / A7R V | Clean, high resolution, excellent dynamic range | Commercial, portraits, products |
| Canon EOS R5 | Warm skin tones, pleasing colour science | Portraits, weddings, fashion |
| Fujifilm X-T5 | Film-like colours, distinctive rendering | Street, documentary, editorial |
| Fujifilm X100V | Classic 35mm equivalent look, compact | Street, travel, candid |
| Leica M11 | Distinctive "Leica look", rangefinder rendering | Street, documentary, fine art |
| Nikon Z8 | Neutral colours, excellent detail | Landscape, wildlife, sports |
| Phase One IQ4 | Medium format, extreme detail | High-end commercial, fashion |
| Hasselblad X2D | Medium format, beautiful colour | Fashion, portraits, landscapes |
Lens Focal Lengths & Their Effects
| Focal Length | Visual Effect | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 14-24mm | Ultra-wide, dramatic perspective distortion | Architecture, interiors, landscapes |
| 24-35mm | Wide, environmental context visible | Street, documentary, environmental portraits |
| 50mm | Natural perspective, minimal distortion | "Nifty fifty", general purpose, classic look |
| 85mm | Flattering compression, beautiful bokeh | Portraits, headshots, fashion |
| 105-135mm | Stronger compression, subject isolation | Beauty, tight portraits, products |
| 200mm+ | Heavy compression, background blur | Sports, wildlife, distant subjects |
| Macro 90-105mm | Extreme close-up, 1:1 reproduction | Products, details, nature close-ups |
Aperture & Depth of Field
| Aperture | Depth of Field | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| f/1.2 - f/1.8 | Extremely shallow, dramatic blur | Artistic portraits, dreamy looks |
| f/2.0 - f/2.8 | Shallow, subject isolation | Portraits, products, low light |
| f/4.0 - f/5.6 | Moderate, balanced sharpness | Group shots, environmental portraits |
| f/8.0 - f/11 | Deep, most of scene sharp | Landscapes, architecture, products |
| f/16 - f/22 | Very deep, everything sharp | Maximum sharpness, starburst effects |
// Portrait with specific equipment
Portrait of a man in his 30s, shot on Canon EOS R5 with 85mm f/1.4L lens at f/1.8. Shallow depth of field with creamy bokeh in background. Natural side lighting from a window, warm afternoon tones. Subject has visible pores and slight stubble, natural skin texture without over-smoothing. Eyes tack-sharp, slight catchlights visible. Professional headshot composition with slight negative space on gaze side.
Professional Lighting Setups
Lighting is what separates amateur from professional photography. These setups have distinct, recognizable characteristics.
Classic Portrait Lighting Patterns
Rembrandt Lighting
Named after the painter. Key light at 45 degrees creates a triangle of light on the shadowed cheek.
Butterfly / Paramount Lighting
Light directly above camera creates butterfly-shaped shadow under nose. Classic Hollywood glamour.
Split Lighting
Light from exact side, illuminating only half the face. Dramatic, mysterious.
Loop Lighting
Small shadow loops from nose toward cheek. Versatile, flattering for most faces.
Studio Lighting Setups
// Three-point lighting
Professional three-point studio lighting setup. Key light (softbox) at 45 degrees camera left, fill light (reflector) at lower intensity camera right reducing shadows, hair light from behind creating rim light separation from background. Clean grey seamless backdrop. Even, professional illumination with controlled shadows.
// High-key lighting
High-key studio lighting on white seamless background. Multiple diffused light sources creating bright, even illumination with minimal shadows. Overexposed white background wrapping around subject. Clean, commercial, bright and airy aesthetic. Commonly used in beauty and fashion photography.
// Low-key dramatic
Low-key dramatic lighting against dark background. Single hard light source from side creating strong shadows across face. Most of frame in darkness, subject emerging from shadow. Noir aesthetic, mysterious mood, high contrast ratio between highlights and shadows.
Natural Light Conditions
Golden Hour
"Golden hour sunlight, warm orange tones, long soft shadows, directional side lighting, magical warm glow on skin"
Blue Hour
"Blue hour twilight, cool blue ambient light, city lights beginning to glow, soft diffused illumination"
Overcast
"Overcast sky acting as giant softbox, even diffused light, no harsh shadows, soft flattering illumination"
Harsh Midday
"Direct midday sun, hard shadows, high contrast, squinting eyes, dramatic shadow patterns"
Window Light
"North-facing window light, soft directional illumination, beautiful falloff, natural portrait lighting"
Dappled Light
"Dappled light through tree leaves, spots of sunlight, complex shadow patterns, natural forest lighting"
Film Stock Emulation
Each film stock has a distinctive color signature. These characteristics are well-understood by AI models.
Colour Negative Films
| Film Stock | Characteristics | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Kodak Portra 400 | Warm skin tones, pastel highlights, fine grain, lifted shadows with orange cast | Portraits, weddings, fashion |
| Kodak Portra 800 | Slightly more grain, warmer tones, excellent in low light | Events, indoor, low light portraits |
| Kodak Portra 160 | Finest grain, subtle colours, smooth tones | Beauty, studio, high-end portraits |
| Kodak Ektar 100 | Vivid saturated colours, finest grain, high contrast | Landscapes, travel, vibrant scenes |
| Kodak Gold 200 | Warm, nostalgic, consumer film look, visible grain | Casual, nostalgic, everyday |
| Fuji Pro 400H | Cool shadows, soft greens, creamy skin | Weddings, portraits, editorial |
| Fuji Superia 400 | Punchy colours, green-shifted, consumer look | Street, casual, nostalgic |
| CineStill 800T | Tungsten balanced, halation around lights, cinematic | Night photography, neon, cinematic |
Black & White Films
| Film Stock | Characteristics | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Kodak Tri-X 400 | Classic contrasty look, visible grain, rich blacks | Documentary, street, classic photojournalism |
| Ilford HP5 Plus | Medium grain, wide tonal range, versatile | All-purpose B&W, portraits, street |
| Ilford Delta 100 | Fine grain, smooth tones, high detail | Portraits, landscapes, studio |
| Kodak T-Max 400 | Modern grain structure, excellent shadow detail | Versatile, modern B&W look |
| Ilford FP4 Plus | Very fine grain, excellent for enlargement | Landscapes, architecture, fine art |
// Kodak Tri-X street photography
Street photograph shot on Kodak Tri-X 400, pushed one stop. A man in a fedora walking through rain-slicked city streets at night. High contrast black and white, rich deep blacks, visible film grain especially in midtones. Dramatic shadows from street lights. Classic 1960s photojournalism aesthetic, reminiscent of William Klein or Garry Winogrand.
// CineStill 800T night scene
Night photograph shot on CineStill 800T film. A woman walking past a neon-lit diner, red and blue signs creating coloured light on wet pavement. Characteristic halation glow around bright light sources - the orange/red halo effect unique to CineStill. Tungsten white balance creating cool blue shadows. Cinematic, moody, reminiscent of Wong Kar-wai films.
Genre-Specific Techniques
Portrait Photography
Environmental portrait of a chef in her restaurant kitchen. Shot on Sony A7R V with 35mm f/1.4 at f/2.8. Available kitchen lighting mixed with window light from right. Subject sharp, busy kitchen background slightly soft. Natural pose leaning against prep station, genuine expression, flour on apron. Documentary portrait style, authentic, editorial quality. Visible skin texture, character lines, real person not model-perfect.
Street Photography
Street photograph in the style of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Decisive moment captured - a man jumping over a puddle, reflection visible in water. Shot on Leica M11 with 35mm Summicron. Black and white, strong geometric composition using shadows and architecture. Candid, unposed, moment of human grace. Classic street photography aesthetic with balanced frame and strong leading lines.
Fashion Photography
High fashion editorial photograph. Model wearing avant-garde sculptural dress, dramatic pose with extended arm. Shot on Hasselblad X2D with 80mm f/1.9 in studio. High-key lighting with two large softboxes creating even illumination. Clean white background. Crisp focus on garment details showing fabric texture and construction. Vogue editorial style, high-end fashion photography aesthetic.
Product Photography
Product photograph of luxury watch on dark surface. Shot on Phase One IQ4 with 120mm macro lens, focus stacked for maximum sharpness. Single dramatic side light creating highlights on polished metal surfaces, showing every detail of craftsmanship. Reflection visible on black acrylic surface below. High-end commercial product photography style, every detail razor sharp.
Landscape Photography
Landscape photograph of mountain range at dawn. Shot on Nikon Z8 with 24-70mm f/2.8 at 24mm, f/11 for deep focus. Tripod-mounted long exposure showing smooth water in foreground lake reflecting peaks. Golden hour light hitting snow-capped summits while valleys remain in blue shadow. High dynamic range, detail in both highlights and shadows. Ansel Adams inspired composition with strong foreground interest.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
"Perfect" and "Beautiful"
These words trigger over-smoothed, plastic-looking skin. Instead use: "natural skin texture", "visible pores", "authentic", "candid".
Missing Imperfections
Real photos have imperfections. Add: "slight motion blur on edges", "dust on lens creating flare", "authentic film grain", "slight vignetting".
Over-Lit Scenes
Real photographs have shadows. Specify: "shadows falling naturally", "single light source", "directional lighting", "available light only".
Too Sharp Throughout
Real cameras have depth of field. Include: "background soft", "shallow depth of field", "focus on eyes, ears slightly soft".
Ignoring Environment
Subjects exist in space. Describe: "reflected light bouncing from nearby surfaces", "colour cast from environment", "ambient light mixing with key light".
Pro Tip: The Imperfection Principle
Add one deliberate "flaw" to increase realism: a stray hair, slight lens flare, minor underexposure in corners, or catchlight reflection. Perfect images look fake.
Summary: The Realism Checklist
Include in every photorealistic prompt:
- Camera body: Sony A7IV, Canon EOS R5, Leica M11, etc.
- Lens and aperture: 85mm f/1.4 at f/2.0
- Lighting description: Natural, studio setup, or mixed
- Film stock or colour profile: Kodak Portra, Fuji, etc.
- Skin/surface texture: "Visible pores", "natural texture"
- One imperfection: Grain, flare, slight motion blur
- Style reference: Editorial, documentary, commercial
Create photorealistic images
Apply these techniques with Imagen 3 and Nano Banana Pro in ChilledSites.
Start Creating