Flux is one of the most powerful artificial intelligence image models. It is open source and widely available across a range of platforms, but wherever you use it the prompting is largely the same — adding to its value.
Built by Black Forest Labs, an AI startup formed by some of the team that developed the original Stable Diffusion image model, Flux comes in multiple versions starting with the tiny Flux Schnell and going up to the new Flux 1.1 Pro Ultra.
Creating AI images is easier than ever, but sometimes it helps to have a prompt for inspiration. These seven prompts are designed for Flux but will work with any model, including those in our best AI image generators guide.
Creating prompts for Flux
To get the most out of Flux — or any AI image generator — you need to define certain elements. For example, if you want a cartoon-effect then specify the animation or drawing style. If you want photorealism, then specify the camera.
I've come up with seven different prompts that should all produce a photo realistic image. In each, I've included a scene or situation as well as camera instructions.
All of the images I generated were done using Flux 1.1 Pro Ultra, the latest model from Black Forest Labs. I run them using an app I built for myself that lets me send multiple queries to specific models at once — in this cases using the FAL API.
The prompt for the lead image is: "A casual smartphone photo of a woman with flowing red hair, standing outdoors in natural daylight. Her skin has natural texture with subtle flaws like small blemishes or freckles visible, avoiding any overly smooth or "plastic" look. Her expression is relaxed and candid, with a slightly imperfect smile or neutral look, giving a sense of authenticity."
1. Golden Hour Market
This prompt should generate a picture of a bustling farmer's market. It will be bathed in the warm light of the setting sun and look as if it were taken using a Sony camera with a 35mm lens. You can adapt this by changing the camera or even time of day.
The prompt: "A photorealistic image captured on a Sony a7R IV with a 35mm lens at f/2.8, ISO 100, showcasing a bustling farmer's market during golden hour. The scene is filled with vendors arranging colorful produce, customers interacting, and warm sunlight filtering through a canvas awning, casting long shadows on the ground."
2. Urban Crossroads (Road Safety Poster)
I originally planned to just create a picture of a busy intersection but the result gave me the idea for a ‘public safety’ image, so I had Flux add the words "Look Up, Stay Safe." Feel free to adjust the text or even the background, maybe to an intersection where railroad tracks cross over a road.
The prompt: "Shot on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, this image captures a busy intersection in a modern city during rush hour. Cars, buses, and cyclists navigate the crosswalks, pedestrians rush by, and reflections of the surrounding skyscrapers glimmer in the windows of a passing yellow taxi. A prominent text element reading "Look Up, Stay Safe" is incorporated into the scene, perhaps on a billboard or a bus, serving as a road safety reminder."
3. Coffee Craft
I struggled to make this prompt work. I tried to capture a wider view of a barista working on a latte art project with a customer in the background. This failed so I tweaked the prompt to focus just on the latte.
The prompt: "A close-up shot captured with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and a 100mm f/2.8L IS USM macro lens, settings at f/4, 1/200 sec, ISO 400. The frame intimately captures a barista's weathered hands as they expertly craft a cappuccino. The focal point is the precise moment of milk pouring into the rich espresso, creating the initial swirls of the rosetta pattern. Wisps of steam dance upward from the polished La Marzocco machine in the soft background bokeh. Natural light streams in from a nearby window, catching the micro-droplets of steam and creating a gentle halo effect. The composition follows the rule of thirds, with the pour point positioned at the lower right intersection. Warm tones dominate, from the deep mahogany of the espresso to the creamy white of the steamed milk, while the stainless steel accents of the machine provide cool highlights."
4. Subway Stories
I love the candid nature of this image and am sharing the first image from the prompt. The idea is to get a seemingly endless Subway car.
The prompt: "Captured on a Google Pixel 8 with its Night Sight mode, this photorealistic image depicts a crowded subway car. Passengers are engrossed in their phones, books, and conversations, their diverse faces reflecting the multiculturalism of the city. Advertisements for upcoming movies and local businesses line the walls."
5. Park Yoga
This is probably the simplest image and one taken with a drone rather than a smartphone or DSLR. The idea is I'd gather an aerial view of a yoga class. You could change it to any other scene such as a boating lake or race track.
The prompt: "This image, taken with a DJI Mavic 3 drone, provides an aerial view of a yoga class in a park. Participants perform different poses on their mats, sunlight dappling through the leaves of the trees, and a modern cityscape visible in the distance."
6. Family Dinner (Recipe Book Cover)
The vision in my head for this was moire of a two-page setup with the title on the left but that wasn't working, so I went for one displaying the text on top. It worked to an extent, but it wasn't my favorite of the prompts. It is easily adaptable.
The prompt: "Shot on a Fujifilm X100V with its film simulation set to Classic Chrome, this image portrays a family gathered around a dinner table in a modern apartment, sharing a meal and engaging in conversation. Soft lighting from a pendant lamp above creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. The title "Family Feasts: Recipes for Everyday Gatherings" is subtly incorporated into the scene, perhaps as a book lying on the table or as a handwritten note on a chalkboard in the background."
7. ER Rush
I love the fact this actually looks like it is captured by a head mounted GoPro, taken in a situation not normally associated with a GoPro.
The prompt: "A photorealistic image captured on a GoPro HERO11 Black, showcasing the bustling scene of a hospital emergency room. Doctors and nurses attend to patients with a sense of urgency, medical equipment and monitors surround the beds, and worried family members wait anxiously in the background."
