# Image prompt details that guide composition

> Build a useful image prompt around the subject, composition, light, materials, and intended use. Compare a short idea with a detailed creative brief.

## Define the image you need

Image prompt details give a creative brief enough structure to guide composition and review. Start with the intended use: a product listing, an editorial illustration, or a social card. This decision informs the aspect ratio, empty space, and level of visual detail.

## Describe the subject and composition

Name the main subject and its position. A ceramic vase in the center of a table produces a different brief from a close view of the vase surface. Describe camera distance, viewpoint, and which objects should be visible. When an image will carry text, reserve an uncluttered area in the composition.

## Make light and materials concrete

Light describes both direction and quality. Soft window light from the left, a bright overcast outdoor scene, and a focused desk lamp suggest different shadows. Materials add useful detail: brushed metal, matte paper, glazed ceramic, and woven linen describe surfaces more clearly than a general request for realism.

## An example brief

**Idea:** A quiet workspace.

**Prompt:** Create an editorial image of a small oak desk beside a window. Place an open notebook at the lower right, with a pencil resting across the page. Use soft morning light from the left, a pale neutral wall, visible wood grain, and enough clear space at the upper left for a short headline. Use a horizontal composition.

## Review the result

Compare the image with the brief. Inspect object count, important text, edges, lighting consistency, and the space reserved for the final layout. Check rights and suitability for the publication context. Change one detail in the prompt when you need a revision, and keep the original image for comparison.

Use the [tool](/) to organize your own image idea. The [result review guide](/blog/review-ai-results) provides a final check before publication.