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Google Gemini Image Prompting Guide

Gemini Image.
Standard, Pro, 4K-capable.

Google Gemini Image is the image-generation side of the Gemini family — three tiers (Standard at 1 credit, Pro at 3-6 credits depending on resolution), 1K/2K/4K output, 10 aspect ratios including 21:9 cinematic and 4:5 social-spec.

Google Gemini Image hero — Vietnamese coastal village at dawn

Overview

Google Gemini Image is the image-generation side of the Gemini family. Three model tiers from one tool: Standard (1 credit, Gemini Flash Image) for everyday work, Pro (3-6 credits depending on resolution) for hero shots, and a second Pro variant at slightly lower 1K/4K pricing.

Three resolution tiers (1K, 2K, 4K) — only Gemini Image among general models supports native 4K. Ten aspect ratios cover everything from cinematic 21:9 through social-spec 4:5 (Instagram portrait) to ultra-vertical 9:16. Standard tier is plenty for iteration; Pro for material-driven hero shots.

3

Model tiers

10

Aspect ratios

4K

Native max resolution

Key Features

Standard Tier at 1 Credit
Cheap, strong, fast

Standard Tier at 1 Credit

Gemini Flash Image — the Standard tier — runs at 1 credit per image and produces strong general-purpose output. It's the cheapest tier across PixelDojo's premium image models and surprisingly competitive on most subjects. Default starting point.

Pro Tier for Hero Shots
3-6 credits by resolution

Pro Tier for Hero Shots

Pro tier trades 1 credit for 3 (1K, 2K) or 6 (4K) in exchange for stronger fidelity — better skin texture, sharper material edges, more refined lighting. Use Pro for hero shots and material-driven scenes; Standard is plenty for iteration.

Native 4K Output
Only general model with true 4K

Native 4K Output

Pro tier supports native 4K — true 16MP output, not upscaled 2K. Most general image models max out at 2K or upscale internally. Useful for print-spec, very-large-format display, and any output where 4K compositing fidelity matters.

Stylized + Photoreal Range
Genre-switches cleanly

Stylized + Photoreal Range

Gemini Image commits to non-photo aesthetics (illustration, watercolor, pastel) cleanly when prompted. Same model that handles photoreal landscapes also produces strong storybook and editorial illustration without needing aesthetic-specific tooling.

Example Images

Each example shows the exact prompt that produced the result. Copy any prompt with one click.

Cinematic 21:9 Landscape

Cinematic 21:9 Landscape

Standard · 2K · 21:9 · 1 credit

Cinematic establishing shot of a misty Vietnamese coastal village at dawn, traditional fishing boats moored at the dock, lanterns still glowing in the soft pre-sunrise light, painterly photoreal, atmospheric

21:9 ultra-wide + cultural specificity + atmospheric anchor = strong cinematic landscape from Standard tier at 1 credit. Gemini Image composes 21:9 well — pictorial depth, strong horizon, atmospheric haze all read cleanly without needing Pro tier fidelity.

Documentary Portrait

Documentary Portrait

Standard · 2K · 3:4 · 1 credit

Editorial portrait of an elderly artisan ceramicist with weathered hands holding a freshly-thrown vase, soft warm afternoon studio light, clay dust on his apron, photoreal documentary style

"Documentary style" anchors the framing toward naturalistic composition over fashion-editorial setups. Weathered-hands / clay-dust specificity gives Gemini concrete texture targets. Standard tier holds up on documentary portraits — reach for Pro on fashion editorial.

Food Editorial Macro

Food Editorial Macro

Standard · 2K · 4:5 · 1 credit

Hyper-real macro of fresh pomegranate seeds spilling from a halved fruit onto a dark slate surface, droplets of juice catching cool side lighting, food editorial composition

4:5 is Instagram portrait-spec — the social-native ratio for vertical-feed posts. Pair with food-editorial composition language and Gemini Image renders fruit pulp, juice droplets, and slate surface texture cleanly. Crop-free output for the social channel.

Stylized Illustration

Stylized Illustration

Standard · 2K · 1:1 · 1 credit

Stylized digital illustration of a koi pond at twilight viewed from above, lily pads with bioluminescent flowers, two orange koi circling, soft pastel palette, dreamy storybook quality

Stylized work needs explicit medium ("digital illustration", "soft pastel palette", "storybook quality") to commit Gemini out of photoreal default. Top-down compositions ("viewed from above") work well — Gemini composes the layout convincingly.

Prompting Tips

Default to Standard tier

Gemini Flash Image (Standard, 1 credit) is the cheapest tier across PixelDojo's premium image models and surprisingly strong. Use it for iteration and most production work. Move to Pro only when you need the marginal extra fidelity on a hero shot.

4K only when you really need it

4K (Pro, 6 credits) is true 16MP — useful for print-spec or large-format display. For social, web, and most digital use, 2K is more than enough. Don't burn 6 credits on output that'll be downscaled to 1080px wide.

Use 4:5 for Instagram portrait

4:5 is the Instagram portrait spec (1080×1350) — the social-native ratio for vertical-feed posts that take up more screen space than 1:1. Generate at 4:5 for crop-free social output. Same recipe works for 5:4 horizontal Facebook posts.

Cultural and documentary subjects shine

Gemini Image handles cultural specificity ("Vietnamese coastal village", "Mongolian eagle hunter", "Tibetan monastery") with strong atmosphere and respectful realism. Documentary-style portraits also read well — use "documentary style" as an anchor.

Match medium to language

For stylized work, name the medium ("digital illustration", "watercolor", "pastel"), the tradition ("storybook", "editorial illustration"), and the palette. Gemini commits cleanly when the prompt does too — vague "stylized" produces photo-illustration hybrids.

21:9 for cinematic, 4:5 for social

21:9 reads cinematic — pictorial, horizon-driven. 4:5 reads social-native — Instagram portrait. 1:1 for square. 9:16 for vertical reels. Generate at the right aspect to match downstream channel rather than cropping later.

Settings Reference

SettingValuesNotes
Model tierStandard · Pro · Pro (FAL v2)Standard at 1 credit. Pro at 3-6 credits by resolution.
Resolution1K · 2K · 4KOnly Gemini Image supports native 4K among general models.
Aspect ratio1:1 · 2:3 · 3:2 · 3:4 · 4:3 · 4:5 · 5:4 · 9:16 · 16:9 · 21:9Ten presets including social-spec 4:5 and cinematic 21:9.
Output formatPNG · JPEG · WEBPPNG default. Pick by downstream use.
Pricing (Standard)1 credit any resolutionCheapest premium image tier on PixelDojo.
Pricing (Pro)3 cr (1K, 2K) · 6 cr (4K)Resolution-scaled. Reserve for hero shots.

FAQ

They're related — Nano Banana Pro is a separate tool that uses one of the Gemini Image Pro variants under the hood, with a focused workflow around the 'banana' aesthetic. Google Gemini Image gives you the full multi-tier surface (Standard, Pro variants) for general work; Nano Banana Pro is the streamlined product.