Transcripts
1. Introduction to Prompt Like a Pro: AI Image Creation for Non-Creatives: Used to think you
need this to create stunning food
images. No anymore. Now, all you need is this sign just your words
and the right prompt. With the power of AI, anyone can become
an image maker, even if you're not
the creative type. I am Isichengapa,
photographer and creative director
and the founder of Look and Cook Studios. For the past ten years, I've helped global
food brands tell visual stories through over 1,000 recipe videos and images. But lately, I've fallen in
love with something new. Prompting AI to create
powerful food focused visuals. This class is all about
writing better prompts, prompts that help you generate scroll stopping AI food images. Even if you don't consider yourself a creative,
you can do this. You learn how to think visually, describing food
emotionally and guide AI to create images that
feel unique and personal. As a food storyteller, I know the power
of create images, but not everyone has a
studio or a camera gear, and that shouldn't stop you. AI gives you access to a whole new world
of visual creation, and I want to help you step
into it with confidence. This class is perfect for food bloggers, marketers, chefs, or just curious creatives
who want to create powerful visuals without needing design or photography skills. You don't need any special
skills to start, curiosity, a browser and access to an AI image tool like mid
journey, firefly, or Sra. In the class, we will cover
how to write the write proms, how to add mood, style, and story, and how to
build a visual series like your very own food shoot
all created through words. If you've ever felt limited
by tools or stuck with ideas, this class is going to
open a whole new door. Let's get started, and I'll see you inside the first lesson.
2. Module 1: The Big Picture: Hi there, and welcome
to the course. If you ever seen those stunning AI generated images
online and thought, That's cool, but I could never
make something like that. I want you to know
you're not alone. And more importantly, the
course is exactly for you. Here's the thing most
people don't realize. You don't need to be a designer, you don't need to be an artist, and you definitely don't need
to call yourself creative. All you really need is to
know what to say to the AI. So what is AI Image generation? It's actually pretty simple. You type in a sentence and a machine turns it
into a picture. Think of it like
magic but with rules. Whether you're
using Mid journey, Dali or another tool, these AIs are trained
on millions of images. They understand how
words translate into visuals and they just need
a clear direction from you. And that direction, it comes
in the form of a prompt. So let's talk about
that word for a second. A prompt is just a
sentence or a phrase you type in to tell
the AI what to make. It's like giving instructions
to an invisible artist. The clearer you are,
the better the rest. Let me show you an example. Here's prompt one. A man standing. Okay,
that's not terrible, but that's not very exciting
either. Now let's try this. A young man in a red hoodie standing on
a rainy street at night, neon lights reflecting on the wet pavement and give
it a cinematic mode. Same core idea, completely
different vibe, right? So that's the power
of a good prompt. You give it mood,
you give it details, and suddenly it comes to life. Now, if you're thinking,
this sounds cool, but I'm not good at describing
things, don't worry. This course is designed
for people who don't think visually or
maybe even creatively, or whatever else has
held you back until now. We're going to give you
a simple structure, ready made templates and cheat sheets that take
out the guesswork. Think of it like
building with Lego. You don't need to see the
whole sculpture in your head. You just need the
pieces and the steps. In the next module,
I'll walk you through the four key ingredients
every great prompt needs. It's a formula you can
use again and again, no matter what kind of
image you want to create. So get ready because
you're about to start prompting like a P.
Let's go to Module two.
3. Module 2: What to Say to the AI: Module two, what to say
to the AI. Welcome back. In this module, we're
going to dive into how to talk to the AI
to create food images. So no fancy design
knowledge required. Just follow this
formula and you'll get mouthwatering
results every time. We're going to break it
down into four easy parts. Number one is subject. Number two is style, and number three
is the detailing. And number four is the
mode or the light. And let's go over
each step one by one. So first, we have the subject. This is the main
star of the image. What do you want
the AI to create? For example, it could be
a fresh bowl of pasta. Or you can create a
perfectly grilled steak. To make it even creative, you could have a
vibrant fruit salad or maybe a cozy
breakfast spread. You can even create
a chocolate cake, and the subject is simply the food item that
you want to feature. So keep it simple.
You don't need to worry about the
rest just yet. Second, we'll look at the style. Now, style is where you get to define how you want
the food to look. This is how the AI will
interpret your subject visually. For example, do you want it to look like a realistic
food photo? Like something you'd
see in a food magazine? Or do you want a
stylized illustration? Maybe a minimal flat design, or maybe even a
vintage cookbook style like a hand drawing
sketch of your dish. Here are a few style ideas
that I've given you for food. It could be realistic
food photography. It could be a watercolor
painting of food, it could be a three
D render of food, a flat lay photography, a minimalistic line art, a retro style illustration, maybe an editorial
food photography. The style helps set the overall
look of your food image, and it gives a certain
vibe or an aesthetic. Third is the details. Details are where
you get specific. You're helping the AI visualize exactly what the food
looks like in your mind. For example, if your
subject is a bowl of pasta, what kind of pastats,
spaghetti, fettuccini? What sauce is it covered in? Is it sprinkled
with cheese on top? Are they garnishes like
fresh basil or chili flakes? Add more details about
the ingredients, the plating, what's in the background, the
texture of the food. For example, a simple prompt
could become a bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce topped with fresh
Parmesan and basil, sitting on a rustic wooden table with a glass of red
wine in the background. The more specific, the better. And lastly, is the
mode and the lighting. This part sets the atmosphere
for your food image. It's like the vibe
of your image. Do you want your dish
to look warm and cozy, bright and fresh,
rich and indulgent, maybe even elegant and refined? The light plays a
big part in this. So for example, you can say
a soft natural light from the sight or maybe a dim
romantic candlelight. You could also describe it as a bright and airy
kitchen lighting. Maybe the golden sunlight
casting shadows on the plate. The lighting and the mood adds emotion to your food image. It makes the image
feel something, not just look like food. So let's put it all together. Let's say we want to create
an image of a cheese platter. The subject here is
the cheese platter. The style is realistic
food photography. So the final prompt would
be a realistic photo of a cheese platter
with soft cheeses, sharp cheddar, crackers, grapes, figs, and nuts, arranged on a rustic
wooden board, softly lit with natural light to create a warm, cozy atmosphere. So to summarize this, your food prompt
formula is the subject, the style, the details,
and the mode lighting. This formula works
for any food item, whether it's a dessert, a savory dish, or
even a beverage. It is as simple as that. Start by writing a few prompts
and see how they turn out. In the next module, we'll dive deeper into how to choose the right
style to make sure your food images looks
exactly how you want it. See you in Module three.
4. Module 3: The Style Dictionary: Module three is how to choose a style. Welcome
to Module three. Now that you know how to
create a basic food prot, we are going to
zoom into something that can really change the look of your food
image, and that is style. Choosing the right style can be a game changer for
your food images. It's how you go from a basic
photo to something that makes people want to eat
the food. But don't worry. You don't need to be a visual
expert to get it right. In this module, I'm
going to show you how to choose the perfect style
for your food images, even if you've never
thought about style before. Why does style matter?
Well, here's the thing. The same food subject can look completely different
in different styles. For example, a chocolate cake. In a realistic photo style, it looks like something you'd see in a bakery or
a restaurant menu. In a watercolor painting style, it's soft, dreamy, and
maybe a bit whimsical. In a three D render, it might look ultra detailed, lossy, and little futuristic. The style at what says
the mood of your image. It's how the food
feels to the viewer before they even take a bite. How do you choose
the right style? If you're on show, here are three easy ways to get started. Number one is use real
world references. Think about where
you would normally see these food images. Would it be in a recipe book
or maybe a food magazine, or it could even be in a
high end restaurant menu, or maybe in a food
bloggers Instagram post. So look around and
notice what's popular in food photography and then
describe it in your prom. So for example, modern
food photography style, Vintage recipe book
illustrations, Instagram style food photos with bright colors in a
minimalistic background. Number two is you can
try popular food styles. Here are some common
food photography styles that you can mix and match
to get the perfect look. The realistic food
photography style, maybe an editorial
food photography like a glossy magazine. It could even be a flat
lay food photography that is shot from above. You can have watercolors
or hand drawings. You could have vintage
color illustrations, three D renders of food, minimalistic food photography, lifestyle photos with people. You can experiment with
these styles to see what matches your vibe and
what you're going for. And third is we focus on
the mood and the lighting. Sometimes choosing
a style is less about what it looks like and
more about how it feels. Think about how you
want the food to feel. You can describe it
as warm and cozy, bright and fresh, indulgent and rich, clean
and minimalistic. Then let that mood guide
the style you choose. A rich, warm, cozy style
with soft lighting, a fresh, bright look with
natural daylight, a crisp, clean and minimalistic style with bright white background, a rustic, early style with
deep shadows and warm tones. Mood and lighting matters as
much as the style itself. So be sure to add
that into your pro. And here's a pro tip, mix and match styles. And don't be afraid
to experiment with combining different styles. You can create something
unique by mixing, for example, a
realistic food photo with a vintage illustration. Maybe even a three D render with a cinematic lighting style. A flat lay with
editorial magazine. It's all about getting
creative and seeing what works best for your and here
are the final thoughts. Now you're ready to choose the right style for
your food images. It's all about giving
your image personality and setting the right tone. And the next module will
dive into troubleshooting your proms and fixing any issues with the
images you generate. But for now, I want you to
experiment with a few styles. Lay around and see what looks
best for your food subject. See you in Module four.
5. Module 4: Descriptive Power – Words That Paint: Troubleshooting your food proms. Welcome to Module four. By now, you learned
how to create clear food proms and experiment
with different styles. But sometimes the AI can
produce unexpected results. Don't worry. That's normal. In this module, we'll
cover troubleshooting your food proms and
we'll go over how to fix common issues and refine your images until
they look just right. Let's dive in. Why do
some proms not work? Before we get into
the solutions, let's talk about why
your food prompt might not be giving you
the results you expect. Firstly, it could be too vague. If your prompt is too general, the AI might guess
what you want, but it might not be
what you had in mind. Secondly, it was too complex. Sometimes if you provide
too many details, the AI can get confused, making the image cluttered
and unrealistic. It could be the
wrong style or mode. If the style you've
chosen doesn't match your subject or the
mode you're going for, the image can look
off. Don't worry. We'll go over how to fix these. First is fixing vague prompts. If your food image is coming out differently than expected, the issue might be that
your prompt is too vague. For example, a prompt like
a pizza is too general. The AI doesn't know if you
mean a margarita pizza, a deep dish pizza, or even a pizza with funky
topping combinations. So here's how to fix it. You need to be specific. Add details about the pizza. What toppings does it have? What kind of crust?
Is it freshly baked? Is it a flat lay
photo or a close up? Include the mood and the light. Do you want it to feel warm
and cozy or fresh and crisp? Here's the improved version. A close up shot of a thin crust margaritza pizza
with a fresh basil leaves, mozzarella cheese, and
a golden crispy crust served on a rustic wooden
table with soft natural light. Now the AI has a clear
idea of what you want. Secondly, let's fix the
overly complex prompts. Sometimes lesisma. When you add too many
details to your food prompt, the AI might get confused
or even overwhelmed. You may end up with
an image that looks messy and overly complicated. For example, if
you're describing a burger with ten different
toppings and sauces, the AI may not capture the
essence of the burger itself. Here's how to simplify it. You can choose two to
three main elements. Focus on the key
elements of the dish. Is it a burger? Then focus on
the patty, bun and topping. Prioritize the most
important details. If you're focusing on the
mood and the lighting, limit the number of
ingredients you describe. Here's an example of
an overly complex pn. A burger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, two
layers of cheese, a fried egg, a bacon, ketchup, mustard, and a side of crispy fries on a table of green cloth and a glass of cola in the background
and a soft golden light. Here's a streamlined version
that you should be using. A juicy burger with
lettuce, tomato, and mental cheese with
crispy fries on the side, all placed on a wooden
table with natural light. You see how much clearer it is. And here's how to fix
style mismatchings. You choose a style
that suits the food. For a rustic and homemade food, choose a style that's
natural or realistic. For a more modern or
experiential dishes, try a three D render or
a minimalistic design. You can match the
food with lighting. If your food looks
flat or lifeless, try switching the
lighting to something softer and warmer
to add more depth. Example of a mismatch style. A prompt asking for a
realistic photo of a pizza in three D render style
might make the pizza look too glossy or unnatural.
Here's how to fix it. You can switch the style to
realistic food photography instead and tweak the lighting to create a more natural vibe. Fourth is fixing image
composition issues. Sometimes the composition of the food image just feels off. The subject may be
too far away and maybe the angle doesn't
showcase the food well. To fix this, consider
these steps. Specify the composition. Let the AI know if
you want a close up, overhead shot or
maybe even a side view. Angle and framing. If you want a particular
angle like a close up of a soap bowl with steam rising,
mention it in your prompt. Balance the background if you don't want too much clutter. Specify a clean,
minimalistic background. Here's an example of
a composition issue. A food spread on
a table could end up with a bunch of dishes
scattered everywhere, making the scene feel chaotic. So fix it by saying a clean, minimalistic overhead shot
of a bowl of ramen with fresh ingredients
arranged neatly on a soft wooden table
with background. Number five is
experiment and refine. The most important tip for troubleshooting food proms is experiment and to refine it. Don't be afraid to play around with different
combinations of food types, styles,
lighting, composition. Sometimes you need to try
a few different variations of your prom before
getting it just right. Keep experimenting and refining until you're happy with the results and
learn how to do it. To summarize what we've
learned here in this module, to troubleshoot food
proms effectively, be specific, avoid
vague prompts, simplify when needed, and don't overwhelm AI with
too many details. Choose the right style, ensure the style matches
your food and the mood. You can adjust composition by considering
angles and balance, you can experiment and
refine it with renal. Don't be discouraged if
the image isn't perfect. The more you practice,
the better you'll get a crafting the ideal prompt. And in the next module
will explore how to make food prompts even
more creative and unique. So stay tuned for more tips
and see you in the next one.
6. Module 5: Prompting by Purpose: Making your food
proms stand out. Welcome to Module five. By now, you've mastered
the basics of creating and troubleshooting food proms and you've started
getting good results. But let's take it
a step further. How can you make your food proms stand out and get
that wow factor? In this module, we'll
focus on making your proms more
creative and unique. We'll explore ways to
add more personality, evoke emotions, and create visually stunning food images that truly capture attention. Let's get started. Number one is to add emotions and
storytelling to your proms. One way to make your
food proms stand out by adding emotions or a story instead of just describing food. Think about what
kind of feeling you want the viewer to have
when they see the image. Ask yourself, what kind of
experience do I want to evoke? Is the dish comforting,
exciting, festive? Does the food remind you of a
specific memory or a place? For example, instead of a
bowl of soup on a table, try a steaming bowl of homemade tomato soup with fresh basil leaves
floating on the top, sitting on a rustic
wooden table, evoking a warmth and comfort
of a cozy winter evening. By adding a sense of
feeling or story, you instantly make the
image more captivating. The AI can capture not
just the ingredients, but also the mode of the steam. Number two is incorporate
textures and details. Textures can make
your food image feel more tangible
and realistic. Whether it's a crispy edge of
a pizza crust or smoothness of a velvety soup or the
glistening syrup on a pancake, textures make all
the difference. Be specific in
describing the texture. Is the surface crispy, smooth, creamy, or flaky? Is the food steaming
or glossy with sauce? Does it have a rough, velvety, crunchy texture?
Here's an example. Instead of a slice of cake, try a slice of rich moist chocolate cake with shiny velvety
ganache on top, sprinkled with a dusting
of cocoa powder, served on a white
porcelain plate. By describing textures,
you're creating an image that feels like you could reach out and take a bite. Number three is you
experiment with uncommon angles, and close ups. A great way to create a
standout food image is to experiment with unusual
angles or close up shots. This can give your images a fresh perspective
and add more drama. Here are some ideas to try. For close up, you could try focus on a specific
part of the dish like the guy cheese pull from a pizza or the texture
of a frosty cupcake. You could even try
overhead shots flatly show a bird's eye view of a beautifully
arranged food spread. For a side and diagonal angle, add depth by showing
the side of a dish, like the layers of a sandwich or the glass of layered dessert. Examples of a close up. Instead of a cup of coffee, try a close up of a cream topped with a
dusting of cinnamon, resting on a small saucer with
a golden spoon beside it. Number four is use the power of colors. Colors are powerful. They can influence the mood
and evoke specific emotions. So colors are energizing while others fam calm and comforting. When crafting food proms, use colors to your advantage. Think about these tips. Warm colors like reds, oranges, yellows can make the food feel comforting
and inviting. Cool colors like blues, greens, purples can give a feeling
of freshness and elegance. Contrasting colors
like greens and red can make your food look
vibrant and eye catching. Examples of using colors. Instead of using
a bowl of fruit, try a vibrant bowl of fresh
summer fruit with plums, strawberries, juicy oranges, and a handful of
deep purple grapes. Notice how the addition
of colors brings the image to life and creates
a more striking visual. Number five is to add
a creative twist. Now that you're comfortable
with the basics, it's time to get creative. Add a twist to your
food prompts that makes a scene feel unique or
maybe even unexpected. Number six is use lights
and shadows for drama. Lighting is one of the most important aspects of
food photography. It can transform a simple
dish into a masterpiece. Think about how light
can affect your image. Soft lighting gives
a warm inviting glow and makes the food look
fresh and appetizing. Harsh lighting creates high
contrast and sharp shadows, which can add drama and
highlight the textures. Back lighting can create a beautiful silhouette
effect and add mystery. T. Instead of a
sandwich on a plate, try a side view of a sandwich stacked high with fresh
vegetables, grilled chicken, melted cheese,
illuminated by warm, soft light coming from the side, casting gentle shadows
across the sandwich. The use of light
adds drama and makes a sandwich look a lot more
delicious and inviting. Number seven is experiment
and refine your proms. Like everything else, creating standout food proms is a
process of experimentation. You can always refine your proms by adding
more creativity, playing with different elements, and adjusting details to
make the image more unique. Keep testing different
descriptions and getting feedback
from the AI. You'll soon discover what
works best for your vision. To make your food
prompts stand out, add emotion and storytelling, evoke feelings or
maybe even memories. You can describe textures, make the food feel tangible. You can use unique
angles and close ups, create drama and interest. You could use color, which can influence the mood and
make the image vibrant. You can add a creative twist
and make unique concepts. You can play with light and use lighting and
shadows for drama. You can experiment and refine, keep testing and improve. In the next module we'll
wrap up the scores with some bonus tips
and show you how to organize your proms
for maximum impact. H
7. Module 6: Personalizing Prompts: Module six. Here's
a bonus tip to organize your proms
for maximum impact. Welcome to the final module. You've now learned how to create detailed and engaging food proms that produce stunning images. In this final module we'll
cover some bonus tips that will help you optimize
your proms even further, along with strategies
to organize your proms for better
efficiency and consistency. Let's dive in. First is, you use negative proms to
avoid unwanted results. Sometimes the A might
generate an image that doesn't quite meet
your expectations. This is where negative
proms come in handy. Negative prompts can tell
the AI what not to include helping you avoid common
mistakes or undesired elements. For example, if you don't want an overexposure
in your food image, you can add no over exposure
as a negative prompt. If you want to avoid
blurry images, you can use sharp focus as a positive prompt and no
blur as the negative prompt. Here's an example of
another negative prompt. A chocolate cake with
rich frosting topped with fresh berries and
powdered sugar, no blur. This allows you to better
control the quality of the image and ensure you
get exactly what you want. Second, we have layer
proms for complex scenes. As you gain confidence, you might want to create
more complex scenes involving multiple elements, like a beautiful food spread
or a stylized dining table. Layering food proms is a
great technique to break down complex scenes
into manageable steps. Here's how you can do it. Start with the main
subject, for example, a freshly baked pizza
with melted cheese. Then you add context on a rustic wooden
table catered with fresh herbs and a
bottle of olive oil beside you can
refine the details. The pizza has a crispy crust, golden brown cheese, and a few colorful bell pepper
slices scattered on top. Each prompt builds on the last, creating a comprehensive image. This way, you can combine multiple details into a
cohesive and detailed scene. Use composition and styling
to elevate the scene. Just like in food photography, composition and styling play a huge role in creating
beautiful images. When describing
your food, prompt, think about how you want
to arrange the scene. Here are some tips,
rule of thirds. Position the key
elements off center to create a more dynamic
composition. Symmetry. A perfectly symmetrical
arrangement can evoke feelings of
balance and elegance. Framing. Use natural
elements like plates, cups, audio tensils to frame the food, guiding the viewers focus
to the main subject. Examples using composition. Instead of a glass of lemonade, try a tall glass of lemonade with a slice
of lemon on the rim, with a sprig of freshnt
floating inside, and a few ice cubes
sketching the light. This gives a more composed
and artful feel to the image. Number four, keep it
simple when necessary. While it's fun to
experiment with creativity, sometimes less is small. If you're aiming for a clean
and elegant food image, simplicity can be powerful. For example, a
minimalistic approach with just a single
ingredient audien focus can create a really
sophisticated loco. A natural background or soft textures can help
the food stand out. Examples of simplicity is, instead of a bowl of soup
with bread and spoon, try a simple white bowl of creamy butternut squash soup with a swirl of cream on top, resting on top of a wooden table with a
hint of natural light. This image feels
clean and focused, making the food the
star of the show. And number five is organize
your proms for easy reuse. Now that you've
mastered food proms, it's time to organize them
in a way that makes it easy to reuse and adapt them
for different purposes. A simple strategy is to group
your prompts by categories. Type of food such as
cakes, sandwiches, pastas, the mood and the theme like comforting,
festive, healthy. Styles could be minimalistic,
elegant, rustic. And example of
categories, cakes, a rustic homemade apple
cake with cinnamon frosting on a wooden cake stand sprinkled with sprout or sugar. Here's an example
of a healthy snack. A bowl of fruit salad,
including strawberries, Brubery kiwi, served in a glass bowl with
a sprig of mint, festive food, a Christmas ham glazed with honey and mustard, surrounded by roasted
vegetables on a silver splatter with
a sprig of rosemary. By organizing your prawns, you'll save time when creating
new images and you can adapt them to fit different
projects or campaigns. Number six, bonus tip. Be patient and keep
experimenting. One of the most important tips I can give you is to
keep experimenting. Don't be discouraged if
your first few proms don't give you exactly
what you envisioned. Like any skill, crafting
prompts takes practice. Try new combinations
of ingredients. You can experiment with
lighting and angles. You can explore different
themes and modes, and the more you experiment, the better your results will be. And you'll quickly
develop an instinct for crafting prompts that
produce stunning images. And to wrap things
up, negative proms help you avoid unwanted
elements in your image. Layering proms allows you to build complex scenes
step by step. Composition and styling can elevate the visual appeal
of your food images. Simplicity can create elegant, clean images when needed. Organizing proms make it easier to use and adapt
your description. Keep experimenting and refining your proms to achieve
the best results. And that's a wrap
on this course. You've now learned how to create refine and organized food
proms for AI image generation. The more you practice, the more your food proms
will stand out, and the easier it will be to create stunning and
unique food images. I hope this course was
helpful and inspiring. Go ahead and put these
tips into practice, and soon you'll be creating beautiful food images
with confidence. Good luck and happy prompting.
8. Wrap-Up Project: Your AI Visual Portfolio: All right. Now it's
your turn to create. For your class project, I want you to pick
one food item. It could be something
simple like a strawberry, a cinnamon roll, or
a slice of cake, or even just a cup of coffee. Your task is to use that one food and build a
story around it visually. You'll write a prom that
reflects your own taste, vibe, and maybe even
your mood today. Then use AI to
generate a series of six images that tell a
story with that food. Think of it like directing your own little food
shoot but with words. And don't forget to upload the six image story in
the project section. I'd love to see what you create.
Insy Chengappa
