Get better AI image results with proper briefing. Learn the exact framework for briefs that produce usable commercial imagery on first try.
How to Write AI Image Briefs That Actually Work: A Practical Guide for Marketers
The difference between AI-generated images that look amateur and ones that look professional isn't the technology.
It's the brief.
I've seen the same AI tools produce garbage for one client and portfolio-quality work for another. The difference is always in how the request was communicated.
This guide will teach you exactly how to brief AI image generation for commercial use. No fluff. Just the framework that works.
Why Most AI Briefs Fail
Let's start with what doesn't work.
Bad brief example:
"I need a product photo of our protein powder. Make it look good and professional."
This tells the AI (and the humans operating it) almost nothing. "Good" and "professional" mean different things to different people. The result will be a guess—and guesses rarely hit the mark.
When you brief properly, you get results like this:
Result of a detailed brief: clean, professional, usable
Same product, lifestyle context brief
What happens:
- Multiple revision rounds
- Frustration on both sides
- Results that miss the mark
- Time and money wasted
Good brief example:
"Product: 2lb black protein powder container with silver lid and green label
Setting: Modern kitchen counter (white marble or light quartz)
Lighting: Soft natural light from the left, slight shadow on right
Mood: Clean, premium, health-focused
Composition: Product centered, slight angle (15-20 degrees), negative space on right for text overlay
Reference: Similar to Ritual vitamins photography style
Avoid: Gym equipment, dumbbells, overly masculine styling"
This gives clear direction. The result will be close to expectation on the first try.
The Six Elements of an Effective AI Image Brief
Every commercial AI image brief should address these six elements:
1. Subject Definition
What exactly are we photographing?
Include:
- Product name and variant
- Physical description (size, colors, materials)
- Any text or branding visible
- Which angle or side to feature
Example:
"Subject: 12oz matte black skincare bottle with pump dispenser. Gold text reading 'LUXE' on front. Show front of bottle at slight angle to see both the label and product shape."
Not:
"Our skincare product"
2. Environment/Setting
Where does this product exist in the image?
Include:
- Surface material and color
- Background type (solid, gradient, environmental)
- Props if any (and their relationship to product)
- Indoor vs outdoor
- Any environmental context
Example:
"Setting: Bathroom vanity with white marble surface. Soft out-of-focus bathroom elements in background (mirror, towels in neutral tones). Single eucalyptus sprig placed casually beside product."
Not:
"Nice background"
3. Lighting Direction
Lighting makes or breaks photography. AI needs direction here too.
Include:
- Light source direction (left, right, overhead, backlit)
- Light quality (soft/diffused vs hard/dramatic)
- Shadow preferences
- Any specific lighting effects
Example:
"Lighting: Soft diffused light from upper left (45-degree angle). Gentle shadows falling to lower right. No harsh reflections on bottle surface. Slight rim light on bottle edge to separate from background."
Not:
"Well lit"
4. Mood and Style
What feeling should the image convey?
Include:
- Emotional tone (luxurious, playful, clinical, natural)
- Visual style reference (minimalist, maximalist, editorial)
- Color temperature (warm, cool, neutral)
- Brand personality alignment
Example:
"Mood: Premium but approachable. Clean and sophisticated without being cold. Spa-like tranquility. Color temperature slightly warm to feel inviting."
Not:
"Professional looking"
5. Technical Requirements
What are the practical specifications?
Include:
- Aspect ratio
- Resolution needs
- File format
- Any text overlay space required
- Specific crop considerations
Example:
"Technical: 4:5 aspect ratio for Instagram. High resolution (minimum 2000px on short side). Leave negative space in upper third for headline text. Product should occupy approximately 60% of frame height."
Not:
"For social media"
6. References and Anti-References
Show, don't just tell.
Include:
- Links or attachments of images you like
- Specific elements you're referencing from each
- Competitor examples (what to avoid looking like)
- Clear "do not include" items
Example:
"References:
- [Link 1]: Like this lighting and surface texture
- [Link 2]: Similar composition and negative space
- [Link 3]: This color palette feeling
Avoid:
- Stock photo clichés (obvious fake smiles, over-staged)
- Our competitor Brand X's blue-heavy aesthetic
- Cluttered backgrounds
- Overly clinical/medical feeling"
Brief Templates for Common Use Cases
E-Commerce Product Shot (White Background)
SUBJECT:
[Product name]: [Physical description]
[Visible text/branding]
[Featured angle]
SETTING:
Pure white background (#FFFFFF)
[Surface if applicable: white sweep, invisible, floating]
LIGHTING:
Soft, even product lighting
Minimal shadows OR soft shadow beneath product
No harsh reflections
[Specific highlight preferences]
MOOD:
Clean, commercial, professional
[Brand-specific tone]
TECHNICAL:
Square crop (1:1) for primary
Additional 4:5 crop for mobile
White background must be pure white (for easy background removal)
Product centered with [X]% padding
REFERENCES:
[Link to style reference]
AVOID:
Props or environmental elements
Colored lighting or gels
Dramatic shadows
Lifestyle/Contextual Product Shot
SUBJECT:
[Product name]: [Physical description]
[Visible branding]
[Which product features to emphasize]
SETTING:
[Specific location]: [Description of environment]
[Surface/placement]
[Props]: [List with spatial relationship to product]
[Background elements]: [Blur level, elements visible]
LIGHTING:
[Natural/artificial]
[Direction and quality]
[Time of day feeling if relevant]
[Shadow preferences]
MOOD:
[Emotional tone]
[Visual style]
[Color temperature]
[Lifestyle/demographic signal]
TECHNICAL:
[Aspect ratio]
[Resolution]
[Text overlay space needs]
[Crop considerations]
REFERENCES:
[Link 1]: [What you like about it]
[Link 2]: [What you like about it]
AVOID:
[Specific elements, styles, or associations to exclude]
Ad Creative
SUBJECT:
[Product/concept]
[Key message to communicate visually]
[Action or state to depict]
SETTING:
[Background type]
[Environmental context if any]
[Supporting elements]
LIGHTING:
[Style appropriate to platform and message]
[Attention-directing considerations]
MOOD:
[Emotional response desired]
[Brand alignment]
[Platform context] (feed ad vs story vs display)
TECHNICAL:
[Platform-specific dimensions]
[Safe zones for text/UI]
[Multiple size outputs needed]
COMPOSITION:
[Focal point placement]
[Visual hierarchy]
[Text overlay areas]
[CTA button placement consideration]
REFERENCES:
[High-performing ad references]
[Style references]
AVOID:
[Platform policy concerns]
[Brand conflicts]
[Overused visual clichés]
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake 1: Vague Adjectives
Problem: "Make it look premium"
Fix: "Soft lighting with subtle shadows, muted color palette, clean negative space, high-end material textures visible"
Premium means different things. Describe the visual elements that create premium perception.
Mistake 2: Missing Context
Problem: "Product on a table"
Fix: "Product on weathered oak dining table, morning light from window on left, breakfast setting suggested in soft background blur"
Context creates meaning. Specify the story the image tells.
Mistake 3: No Spatial Direction
Problem: "Leave room for text"
Fix: "Upper right quadrant should be negative space (soft gradient or out of focus) for headline text overlay, approximately 30% of frame"
Be specific about where and how much.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the Negative
Problem: Only describing what you want
Fix: Always include what to avoid
AI can interpret requests many ways. Excluding unwanted interpretations is as important as specifying desired ones.
Mistake 5: No Reference Points
Problem: Describing everything in words
Fix: "Similar to [specific image reference] but with [these modifications]"
Visual references communicate more efficiently than paragraphs. Use them.
The Iteration Mindset
Even perfect briefs don't always hit the mark on the first try. Build in iteration.
Good iteration process:
- First pass: Generate 3-5 concepts from brief
- Review: Identify what's working and what isn't
- Refine brief: "Like option 2, but with lighting from option 1, and move product slightly left"
- Second pass: Generate refined versions
- Final selection: Choose best, request minor adjustments if needed
Time investment:
- Brief writing: 15-30 minutes
- First review: 10-15 minutes
- Refinement brief: 5-10 minutes
- Final review: 5-10 minutes
Total: 35-65 minutes for a finished, usable image.
Compare to: Scheduling a photographer, shipping products, shoot day, post-production, revisions. Days or weeks vs under an hour.
Building Your Brief Library
Over time, you'll develop standard briefs for recurring needs.
Create templates for:
- Product hero shots
- Lifestyle variants
- Social media formats
- Ad creative styles
- Seasonal variations
Store these with examples of successful outputs. When new needs arise, start from the closest template and modify.
This compounds efficiency. Your hundredth brief takes a fraction of the time of your first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an AI image brief?
An AI image brief is a detailed set of instructions that tells AI image generation tools exactly what to create. Unlike simple prompts, effective briefs include six key elements: subject definition, environment/setting, lighting direction, mood and style, technical requirements, and references. A good brief produces usable commercial imagery on the first try instead of requiring multiple frustrating revision rounds.
How do I write a good AI image prompt for product photography?
Write good AI image prompts by being specific about all visual elements. Include exact product description (colors, materials, visible text), setting details (surface type, background, props), lighting direction (source, quality, shadows), mood descriptors (premium, playful, clinical), technical specs (aspect ratio, negative space for text), and visual references (links to similar imagery). Avoid vague terms like "professional" or "good" that mean different things to different people.
What's the difference between a bad and good AI image brief?
A bad brief says "Make a professional product photo that looks good." A good brief says "2lb black protein powder container with silver lid on white marble kitchen counter, soft natural light from left creating gentle shadow on right, clean premium health-focused mood, centered composition with 15-20 degree angle, negative space on right for text overlay, similar to Ritual vitamins photography style, avoid gym equipment and overly masculine styling."
How long does it take to write an AI image brief?
Writing an effective AI image brief takes 15-30 minutes for your first attempt on a new project type. Reviewing initial results takes 10-15 minutes. Writing refinement briefs takes 5-10 minutes. Total time investment is 35-65 minutes for a finished, usable image. This compares to days or weeks with traditional photography including scheduling, shooting, and post-production.
Can I reuse AI image briefs?
Yes, creating reusable brief templates is one of the best practices for AI image generation. Build a brief library for recurring needs like product hero shots, lifestyle variants, social media formats, ad creative styles, and seasonal variations. Store templates with examples of successful outputs. Your hundredth brief takes a fraction of the time of your first, compounding efficiency over time.
What mistakes should I avoid when briefing AI image generation?
Avoid these common mistakes: using vague adjectives without visual specifics ("make it premium"), missing context about the setting and story, not specifying spatial direction for composition elements, forgetting to include what to avoid, and relying only on words without visual references. Always be specific, include both positive direction and negative exclusions, and provide image references whenever possible.
The Brief Is the Skill
Here's the truth about AI image generation:
The technology is a commodity. Anyone can access the same tools. The differentiator is the brief—the ability to translate a creative vision into instructions that produce results.
Master briefing, and AI becomes a precise creative tool. Skip briefing, and AI produces generic, unusable output.
The time invested in learning to brief well pays dividends on every image you create.
Put It Into Practice
Ready to test your briefing skills? Visit our Creative Studio and request your free test images.
Use the framework from this guide. Write a detailed brief. See how close the output matches your vision.
That's how you learn what works—by doing it.
Related Reading:
AI doesn't read minds. It reads briefs. Write better briefs, get better images.
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