Black-and-white film noir portrait
A moody 1940s-style noir portrait of you with hard shadows and venetian-blind light. Upload a clear photo, paste this prompt into ChatGPT, Gemini or Grok, change the parts in brackets to suit you, and generate.
- Written for
- ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok
- You'll need
- A clear photo to upload
- Status
- Tested 28 Sep 2026 in Gemini app (web), Flash mode with built-in image generation
- Test settings
- Reference photo: an AI-generated picture of a fictional man (not a real person), made in Gemini for this test. Uploaded with the default copy text unchanged in a new Gemini chat. First result used; only converted to WebP.
- Variability
- Faces, poses and small details vary between runs; always compare the result with your own photo. Gemini adds a small sparkle watermark in the corner.
Prompt
Use the uploaded photo as the reference for the person. Preserve their recognisable face, natural skin tone, hairline and build as closely as the model permits; check the result against the reference. Scene: a dim detective's office with a wooden desk at night, cigarette-free haze in the air, a single desk lamp and a window with venetian blinds. Moment or Pose: three-quarter turn toward the window, chin slightly lowered, eyes looking just past the camera, one hand resting on the brim of a hat or the lapel. Clothing: a charcoal double-breasted suit with a fedora, period-correct 1940s tailoring. Light: one hard key light through the blinds casting striped shadows across the face and wall; deep blacks, no fill. Camera: 50mm lens, eye level, shallow depth of field, slight film grain. Style: classic black-and-white film noir still, high contrast, silver-gelatin tones. Format: vertical 4:5. Avoid: colour tints, changed face, plastic skin, extra fingers, text or watermarks, modern gadgets.
Customise
For example: detective's office with a wooden desk.
For example: a charcoal double-breasted suit with a fedora.
Fields start with illustrative values; replace them with your own facts. The prompt updates as you type. Copy prompt copies your version.
How to use it
- Open an external image tool listed above. The tested model, if any, is named in Status.
- Upload a clear reference photo of the subject. If it includes identifiable people, get their consent and check each face.
- Customise the fields, copy your version, paste it with the photo and generate.
- Compare the result with the reference. If a face, pose or detail changes, ask for one correction or try again; an exact match is not guaranteed.
How to use this prompt
- This prompt changes your own photo. Choose a clear reference photo, and get permission from people who can be identified.
- Upload the photo in the external AI app you chose. Fill Customise, press Copy prompt and paste the prompt with the photo.
- Compare the new picture with the original. Face, hands, clothes and pose can change. An exact likeness is not guaranteed.
Good to know
- Hard striped shadows can hide part of the face and weaken the likeness; regenerate or ask for softer blinds if needed.
- Use reference photos you have the right to use; get consent from identifiable people.
