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Candlelight close-up portrait AI prompt
The moody extreme close-up everyone's posting — warm amber candlelight, one big creamy bokeh light, and loose hair strands falling across the face. Copy this free ChatGPT & Gemini prompt, upload your photo, and it keeps your own features.
About this prompt
This is a two-image, identity-preserving prompt. Unlike most prompts, it works from two attachments: the reference photo above sets the framing, lighting and mood (Image 1), and a clear photo of your face supplies the identity (Image 2). The wording repeatedly instructs the model to take nothing but photography from the reference and everything about the face from you — which is what stops the usual "blended stranger" result.
The look itself is a cinematic 85mm f/1.2 close-up: one eye tack-sharp, warm candlelight on the cheek, a big amber bokeh light behind, and loose hair strands drifting across the frame. It renders as a vertical 2:3, which suits both Instagram feed and Story crops.
How to use it
- Tap Copy prompt above.
- Open ChatGPT (image generation), Google Gemini or Nano Banana and paste it.
- Attach two images: the reference photo above as Image 1, and a clear photo of your own face as Image 2. Label them in the chat if your tool allows it.
- Generate at a 2:3 vertical ratio, and re-run once or twice for the sharpest eye and the closest likeness.
Upload your photo like this. For stronger facial accuracy, use a clear, unfiltered photo of yourself with your full face visible, neutral lighting, and no hair covering your eyes. The model can only preserve what it can clearly see — a dim, filtered or half-covered face is the single biggest cause of a poor likeness.
Tips for the best result
- Don't ask for beautifying. The prompt deliberately keeps pores, fine facial hair and small imperfections — that texture is what makes it read as a photograph rather than a render.
- One bokeh light only. If the background fills with multiple orbs, re-run — the negative prompt already guards against it.
- Check the eye. The visible eye should be the sharpest point with a clear catchlight. If it comes out soft, regenerate rather than sharpening afterwards.
- Keep the crop tight. If the model pulls back to a full centred face, remind it: extreme close-up, only the right side and centre of the face visible.
Want a different mood? Try the moody restaurant portrait or the red cinematic studio portrait. See every look in the Instagram trending AI photo prompts roundup, or browse the full AI photo prompts library.
Frequently asked questions.
What is the candlelight close-up portrait prompt?
Why does this prompt need two images?
How do I get the best facial likeness?
Does it work in Gemini as well as ChatGPT?
Is this AI photo prompt free?
Keep going
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