Most people prompt AI images like users.

Professionals prompt like photographers.

If you’ve ever wondered why your AI images look average while others look like magazine covers… the secret isn’t the model.

It’s the prompting mindset.

Professional photographers think in framing, light, lens, composition, and mood — not just “make this nicer.”

Let’s talk about framing in this post.

(This is Part 1 of my image prompting series)

Due to the word limit, I’ve added example prompts and generated images for each technique in the carousel.

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1. Extreme Close-Up (ECU)

Use when: emotion, texture, detail

Prompt cue: extreme close-up, macro, shallow DOF

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2. Close-Up (CU)

Use when: emotion, face-focused portraits

Prompt cue: close-up, face filling frame

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3. Medium Close-Up (MCU)

Use when: expression + context

Prompt cue: medium close-up, chest up

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4. Medium Shot (MS)

Use when: gestures, posture, lifestyle scenes

Prompt cue: medium shot, waist up

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5. Medium Long Shot (MLS)

Use when: body language, presenting, editorial portraits

Prompt cue: medium long shot, knees up

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6. Long Shot (LS)

Use when: full posture, movement, environment

Prompt cue: full shot, long shot, head to toe, subject fills most of the frame

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7. Wide Shot (WS)

Use when: environment-driven storytelling

Prompt cue: wide shot, subject occupies 20-30% of frame, environment visible

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8. Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)

Use when: cinematic scale, mood setting

Prompt cue: extreme wide shot, vast landscape

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9. Over-the-Shoulder (OTS)

Use when: interaction, perspective

Prompt cue: over-the-shoulder, foreground blur

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10. Point of View (POV)

Use when: immersive, first-person perspective

Prompt cue: POV shot, from subject’s eyes

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11. Low Angle

Use when: power, confidence, heroic tone

Prompt cue: low angle, looking up

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12. High Angle

Use when: playfulness, vulnerability, overview

Prompt cue: high angle, looking down

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13. Bird’s-Eye View / Top-Down

Use when: flat-lays, organized layouts, overhead scenes

Prompt cue: top-down, bird’s-eye, aerial view

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14. Dutch Angle

Use when: drama, motion, tension

Prompt cue: Dutch angle, tilted frame, horizon on a diagonal

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Mastering these framing techniques can transform your AI image prompts from basic descriptions to cinematic directives.

Experiment with them to bring a new level of depth, emotion, and storytelling to your generated visuals.

Stay tuned for more insights in this series!