ChatGPT Portrait Photography Prompts: Master 85mm Lens, Bokeh & Studio Lighting

Create a professional studio portrait photograph of [subject description].
Lens: 85mm f/1.8 equivalent. Aperture: f/2.0 — sharp focus on eyes with
creamy background bokeh. Lighting: Loop lighting setup — large softbox at
45-degree angle to subject, silver reflector opposite side filling shadows
softly. Background: [seamless backdrop color — gray/white/navy/black].
Focus: Tack sharp on near eye, slight depth of field falloff on far eye.
Skin rendering: Natural texture, no over-smoothing, realistic pore detail.
Expression: [natural smile/serious professional/warm and open]. Color grading:
Clean, neutral, professional color correction — accurate skin tones.
Composition: Head and shoulders, subject centered or rule of thirds offset.
Quality: Commercial headshot photography standard.

Create a natural light environmental portrait of [subject] in [environment].
Lens: 85mm equivalent creating beautiful compression and background separation.
Light: [window light/shade/overcast outdoor] — soft, directional natural light.
Direction: Light coming from [left/right/slightly front]. Background: [real
environment] beautifully blurred by 85mm compression and f/1.8 aperture.
Subject: In their natural context, [engaged in activity/relaxed/interacting
with environment]. Depth of field: Subject sharp, background recognizable but
soft — bokeh balls visible if any light sources in background. Color: Natural,
warm, authentic — no heavy processing. Mood: [documentary warmth/intimate/
spontaneous]. Quality: Editorial photography suitable for magazine or profile.

Create a dramatic Rembrandt lighting portrait of [subject]. Lighting: Classic
Rembrandt setup — single light source at 45 degrees above and to one side of
subject, creating the signature small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek.
Shadow side: Rich, deep shadow across half the face with the characteristic
inverted triangle highlight on shadow cheek. Light side: Well-lit but not
overexposed, showing skin texture and dimension. Background: Dark, graduated
— lightest directly behind subject, darker at frame edges. Lens: 85mm equivalent.
Depth of field: f/2.8 — subject fully sharp, background dark and slightly soft.
Color temperature: Warm — tungsten practical or warm studio light. Mood:
Dramatic, painterly, Old Masters quality. Subject: [description]. Suitable for
fine art portrait photography.

Create a professional beauty photography portrait with clamshell lighting of
[subject]. Lighting: Clamshell setup — large octabox directly above camera
axis at 45 degrees, large white reflector or second light below at 45 degrees.
This creates the signature even, shadow-free beauty lighting. Eyes: Catch lights
in a ring or butterfly pattern. Skin: Luminous, even illumination — texture
beautifully rendered without harsh shadows. Makeup: [if relevant, specific
makeup description] shown in maximum detail. Background: Pure white or soft
gradient. Lens: 85mm equivalent, f/2.8. Focus: Eyes sharp, skin texture visible.
Color: High-key, clean, beautiful skin tones. Framing: Tight head and shoulders
or three-quarter view. Quality: Major beauty brand campaign standard.

Create a dramatic editorial portrait of [subject] for magazine publication.
Lighting: [choose one: split lighting for maximum drama / Rembrandt for
classic drama / single fresnel spot for theatrical quality]. Post-processing
look: [high contrast black and white / desaturated editorial color / deep
color with shadows lifted]. Composition: [dramatic close crop / extreme
close-up of eye and lip / full-length dramatic pose]. Lens: 85mm equivalent
with [wide aperture for isolation / stopped down for detail]. Background:
[stark black / raw concrete / abstract environmental]. Mood: [intense /
mysterious / defiant / ethereal]. Clothing and styling: [description showing
editorial fashion or conceptual styling]. Quality: Major international magazine
publication standard.

Create a portrait demonstrating maximum 85mm f/1.4 bokeh quality with subject
[description]. Background elements: [specific elements in background — trees,
city lights, flowers, string lights] rendered into smooth, circular bokeh balls.
Bokeh quality: Smooth, circular, no "cat-eye" or harsh polygon shapes —
high-quality prime lens bokeh. Depth transition: Focus falls perfectly on
eyes (near eye at maximum sharpness), transitions to soft background in
approximately [3-5] feet behind subject. Separation: Subject appears to
float against the background due to bokeh isolation. Light sources in
background: Rendered as perfect circles of various sizes. Skin: Sharp
with natural detail. Environment hinted at through bokeh character.
Color: Background colors desaturated into soft, pastel bokeh tones.

Create a portrait photograph taken during golden hour light of [subject]
in [outdoor location]. Light quality: Warm directional light from setting
sun at approximately 15-20 degrees above horizon. Color temperature: Very
warm — 4000-5000K, orange-golden tones in highlight areas. Rim light:
Subject backlit with golden edge lighting creating separation and glow.
Fill: Natural skylight providing cool-toned fill in shadow areas — this
warm/cool split is the golden hour signature. Background: [location
environment] rendered soft by 85mm compression and f/1.8 aperture. Sky:
Visible — graduated golden to blue. Expression: [natural, relaxed — golden
hour portraits feel informal and warm]. Color grading: Preserve warm tones,
slight warm-to-cool shadow treatment. Quality: Lifestyle photography at its
most beautiful.

Create a high-fashion editorial portrait with deliberate hard lighting of
[subject]. Lighting: Hard, directional light from [fresnel spot / bare strobe /
harsh window] creating strong shadows and edge definition. Hard light effect:
Visible shadow cast across face or background — dramatic contrast, not
flattering in commercial sense but powerful in editorial context. Fashion
subject: [clothing/styling description] that works with dramatic lighting.
Composition: [Tight / three-quarter / full-length] with strong pose. Background:
[Plain colored / textured / environmental]. Mood: [powerful / avant-garde /
fierce / intense]. Color treatment: Either clean color or high-contrast black
and white. Post-processing: Minimal or deliberate creative processing matching
editorial aesthetic. Quality: Vogue or fashion week backstage aesthetic.

Create a timeless black and white portrait of [subject] demonstrating mastery
of tonal photography. Technical: Converted to black and white with deliberate
tonal control — not simply desaturated. Skin tones: Luminous — specific skin
tones rendered beautifully in black and white using equivalent of color filtration.
Highlights: Protected and detailed — no blown-out areas. Shadows: Rich and
detailed — no crushed blacks unless deliberate. Tonal range: Full spectrum from
paper white to deep black with complete gradation between. Lighting: [Specific
lighting pattern] chosen for its three-dimensional modeling of the face.
Lens: 85mm equivalent. Depth of field: [Specified]. Composition: Classic,
confident framing. Reference quality: Comparable to Irving Penn, Yousuf Karsh,
or Platon's portrait work.

Create a soft glamour portrait of [subject] combining elegant lighting with
1940s-1950s Hollywood glamour aesthetic updated for contemporary photography.
Lighting: Butterfly lighting (high, centered key light creating the characteristic
shadow beneath the nose) — the classic glamour lighting pattern. Modifier: Large
beauty dish or softbox directly above camera. Eye light: Strong catchlights.
Diffusion: Very slight diffusion over lens simulating classic Hollywood glamour
soft focus — detail maintained but edges slightly softened. Hair light: Optional
separate hair light creating luminous hair detail. Background: Seamless [colors].
Color: Warm, flattering, classic photography aesthetic. Makeup: [glamorous/
natural/period-appropriate]. Expression: [classic old Hollywood / contemporary].
Depth of field: f/2.0 equivalent, focus on eyes.

Create a lifestyle portrait photograph of [subject] appearing spontaneous and
natural despite being professionally crafted. Environment: [specific relatable
setting — home office / café / outdoor / kitchen]. Activity: [Subject engaged
in natural activity — reading, coffee, working, laughing]. Light: [Window
natural light / soft ambient] giving authentic, non-studio quality. Composition:
Slightly imperfect, allowing white space, not rigidly centered. Expression:
Natural smile or absorbed concentration — not posed for camera. Color grading:
Clean, warm, lifestyle photography aesthetic — slight warm tones, open shadows.
Lens: 85mm equivalent maintaining subject separation. Bokeh: Moderate — enough
to separate from environment, not so much as to lose authentic feel. Quality:
Brand lifestyle photography for aspirational consumer brands.

Create a professional environmental headshot of [subject description and profession]
in their professional environment. Setting: [Office / studio / workshop / laboratory /
outdoor professional context] suggesting their field. Lighting: [Available
environmental light enhanced by natural light / subtle off-camera flash blending
with ambient]. Background: Professional environment visible but soft (85mm
compression + appropriate aperture). Subject: Confident, approachable, professional
expression. Framing: Head-and-shoulders or upper-body framing. Attire: [Professional
clothing appropriate to field]. Quality: Premium LinkedIn profile / corporate
website / speaker bio photography quality. Feeling: Professional but human —
approachable expert rather than corporate stock photo stiffness.