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Introduction

Prompt engineering is the skill of crafting effective text descriptions to guide AI models in creating the content you envision. This guide covers best practices, techniques, and examples for all types of AI generation on Zoice.

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Why Prompts Matter

Precision

Better prompts = more accurate results

Efficiency

Save time with fewer iterations

Quality

Achieve professional-grade outputs

Creativity

Unlock AI’s full creative potential

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Universal Prompt Principles

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1. Be Specific

❌ Vague: “A nice landscape” ✅ Specific: “A serene mountain lake at sunset with reflection, surrounded by pine trees, golden hour lighting”

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2. Use Descriptive Language

❌ Generic: “A person” ✅ Descriptive: “A professional woman in her 30s with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a navy blazer, confident smile”

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3. Include Style Keywords

❌ Missing Style: “A car” ✅ With Style: “A red sports car, professional automotive photography, studio lighting, high detail, 4K”

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4. Specify Quality

❌ No Quality Terms: “A flower” ✅ With Quality: “A vibrant red rose, macro photography, sharp focus, detailed petals, professional quality, high resolution”

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Image Generation Prompts

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Basic Structure

[Subject] + [Action/Pose] + [Environment] + [Style] + [Lighting] + [Quality]

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Example Breakdown

Subject: Professional headshot of a businesswoman
Details: Mid-30s, confident smile, navy blazer
Environment: Modern office background, slightly blurred
Style: Corporate photography
Lighting: Soft natural window light
Quality: High resolution, sharp focus, professional

Full Prompt: "Professional headshot of a businesswoman in her 
mid-30s with confident smile, wearing navy blazer, modern office 
background slightly blurred, corporate photography style, soft 
natural window lighting, high resolution, sharp focus, professional"

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Power Keywords for Images

  • High quality, high resolution, 4K, 8K
  • Detailed, sharp focus, crisp
  • Professional, masterpiece
  • Ultra detailed, intricate
  • Professional photography
  • Studio lighting
  • Natural light, golden hour
  • Bokeh, shallow depth of field
  • Macro, wide angle, telephoto
  • Oil painting, watercolor, acrylic
  • Digital art, concept art
  • Pencil sketch, ink drawing
  • Anime, cartoon, comic book
  • Photorealistic, hyperrealistic
  • Dramatic, cinematic, epic
  • Peaceful, serene, calm
  • Vibrant, colorful, bright
  • Dark, moody, mysterious
  • Warm, cozy, inviting

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Video Generation Prompts

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Video-Specific Elements

[Scene] + [Action/Movement] + [Camera Work] + [Lighting] + [Style] + [Duration Context]

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Camera Movement Keywords

Camera Angles

  • Close-up, wide shot, aerial view
  • Low angle, high angle, eye level
  • Over-the-shoulder, POV

Camera Movements

  • Pan left/right, tilt up/down
  • Dolly in/out, tracking shot
  • Orbit, crane shot, zoom

Motion Types

  • Slow motion, time-lapse
  • Smooth, handheld, steady
  • Dynamic, static, flowing

Transitions

  • Fade in/out, cut
  • Dissolve, wipe
  • Seamless, smooth

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Video Prompt Examples

Aerial drone shot flying over misty mountain valley at sunrise, 
camera moving forward and descending slowly, golden light breaking 
through clouds, cinematic color grading, smooth camera movement, 
epic landscape, 4K quality, professional cinematography

Close-up shot of smartphone rotating on white pedestal, camera 
orbiting smoothly around product, studio lighting with soft shadows, 
professional commercial style, clean minimalist background, slow 
motion rotation, high quality, detailed

Ocean waves gently rolling onto sandy beach, camera static at 
low angle, soft morning light, peaceful atmosphere, natural colors, 
continuous gentle motion, serene coastal scene, high detail, 
beautiful composition

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Voice Generation Prompts

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Text Formatting for Voice

Use punctuation to control pacing:
Period (.) - Brief pause
Comma (,) - Short pause  
Question mark (?) - Rising intonation
Exclamation (!) - Emphasis and energy
Ellipsis (...) - Longer pause, trailing off
Em dash (—) - Dramatic pause

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Advanced Techniques

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Negative Prompts

Specify what you DON’T want: 
Positive: Beautiful sunset landscape, vibrant colors, peaceful
Negative: People, buildings, vehicles, text, watermarks, low quality

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Weighted Keywords

Emphasize important elements: 
(Professional photography:1.5), businessman in suit, 
(sharp focus:1.3), office background, natural lighting

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Prompt Chaining

Build complex prompts in layers: 
Base: A modern kitchen
+ Details: White cabinets, marble countertops, stainless appliances
+ Lighting: Bright natural light from large windows
+ Style: Interior design photography, professional
+ Quality: High resolution, sharp, detailed, 4K

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ “A nice picture” ✅ “Professional landscape photography of mountain lake at sunset”
❌ “Bright sunny day with dark moody atmosphere” ✅ “Bright sunny day, cheerful atmosphere” OR “Overcast day, moody atmosphere”
❌ “A cat and dog and bird and fish in a house with garden and pool and…” ✅ “A cat and dog playing together in a sunny garden”
❌ “A portrait” ✅ “Professional portrait photography, studio lighting, high quality”

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Prompt Templates

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Template Library

[Age/gender] [ethnicity] person, [hairstyle], [clothing], 
[expression], [pose], [background], [lighting type], 
professional portrait photography, high quality, sharp focus

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Model-Specific Tips

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For Fast Models (Nano Banana)

  • Keep prompts focused and clear
  • Use straightforward descriptions
  • Emphasize key elements
  • Include quality keywords

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For Premium Models (Imagen 4 Ultra)

  • Add more detail and nuance
  • Include complex lighting descriptions
  • Specify fine details
  • Use advanced style references

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For Video Models (Veo)

  • Always include camera movement
  • Describe action clearly
  • Specify duration context
  • Include motion type

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Practice Exercises

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Exercise 1: Improve This Prompt

Before: "A dog"
After: "Golden Retriever dog sitting in green meadow, happy 
expression, tongue out, sunny day, natural lighting, professional 
pet photography, shallow depth of field, high quality"

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Exercise 2: Add Missing Elements

Incomplete: "City skyline"
Complete: "Modern city skyline at blue hour, illuminated skyscrapers 
reflected in calm river, dramatic purple and orange sky, long 
exposure photography, professional cityscape, high detail, 4K"

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Resources & Next Steps

Image Models

Explore image generation models

Video Models

Learn about video models

Text to Image

Start generating images

Text to Video

Create your first video

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Tips for Success

Remember: Prompt engineering is a skill that improves with practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment, iterate, and learn from your results!

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Quick Checklist

  • ✅ Specific subject description
  • ✅ Style keywords included
  • ✅ Lighting/atmosphere described
  • ✅ Quality terms added
  • ✅ Clear and focused
  • ✅ No contradictions
  • ✅ Appropriate length
Save your successful prompts! Build a personal library of prompts that work well for different use cases.