The useful result
Write an attachment-based image brief with separate preservation and style instructions.
- Write an attachment-based image brief with separate preservation and style instructions.
“Make it like this photo” leaves the most important decision unclear: should the model borrow the subject, composition, palette or everything? Labeling image roles makes the request easier to inspect.
Gemini's image guidance documents working with uploaded images. Reference controls depend on the selected model and account. This lesson teaches a prompt brief and review method; it does not claim exact identity preservation or show a tested image edit.
Bring your own attachment
Attach an authorized subject photo. A second mood or style reference is optional; label which image plays each role.
Review evidence
Documented hands-on review · 2026-10-07
Original fictional reference and observed edit generated with the built-in image tool on 7 October 2026. Visually reviewed for recognizable object features. Other listed platforms and portrait identity were not tested.
Name each image’s role
Call your subject photo Image A. If you add a mood reference, call it Image B. Write a list of the details that must remain in A and the limited visual qualities you want from B.
For a product, preserve shape and approved color. For a portrait task, explicitly say the user's face comes from their attached photo. Do not add that face instruction to unrelated still-life or landscape work.
Example / expected result
Illustrative brief: A is a ceramic mug; preserve its shape and color. B suggests soft window light and a warm palette; do not copy its objects or logos.
Check your result
Confirm you have permission to use both references and that preservation and inspiration are not mixed together.
Copy the role-aware prompt
Replace the bracketed details with the actual task. Upload the images before sending. If you use only one image, remove the Image B instruction.
Use attached Image A as the subject reference.
Preserve [specific subject details that must remain].
Use Image B only for [lighting, palette or composition cues].
Do not copy Image B's subject, logos, labels or personal identity.
Create [the intended scene] with [the desired framing].
Do not add product claims or invent text.
For this task, subject fidelity matters more than decorative effects.Example / expected result
Expected direction: the original subject in the requested scene, with only the approved style cues borrowed. This describes a target, not an observed model output.
Check your result
Check that the prompt points to the correct attached image for each role and contains no unresolved placeholder.
Review fidelity separately from beauty
Compare the result with Image A. Inspect distinguishing features, proportions and unintended text. Then judge lighting and composition against the brief. Reject an attractive image if it changes a non-negotiable detail.
For exact product representation, consider an authorized real-photo compositing workflow rather than assuming generation preserves every pixel.
Example / expected result
Observed edit: the cream body, broad sage handle and green rim remain recognizable in a new oak-table scene. Lighting and background changed. This is visual review of one fictional object, not pixel-exact preservation or portrait identity proof.
Check your result
Inspect full resolution and the intended crop. For a portrait, verify identity against the actual attached photo rather than a generic resemblance.
When it goes wrong
References guide an output; they do not guarantee identity or exact product details. A selected lightweight model may not support the required reference workflow. Too many simultaneous changes make errors harder to diagnose.
Make it your own
Write a role-aware prompt for one object photo and one lighting reference. Remove everything borrowed from the second image except two deliberate visual qualities.
Useful next resources
Sources and review
Last checked Oct 7, 2026. Features and account limits can change. Verify important results against your original material.
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AI-assisted editorial lessons researched using linked primary sources. Worked examples are illustrative unless a live test is explicitly documented.
