NanoBanana How-To: A Practical Guide to Google’s New Image Model
If you work with visuals—marketing, product, social, or just for fun—Google’s “NanoBanana” (the latest model available in Gemini’s image tools) is a powerhouse. It blends the speed of text prompts with precise, Photoshop-level edits, and it remembers context across turns so you can iterate naturally.
Below is a focused, WordPress-ready guide you can paste straight into your editor. It uses one image and keeps the workflow tight, so readers stay engaged and confident enough to try it today.
What is NanoBanana?
NanoBanana is Google’s upgraded image generation and editing model available inside Gemini. It can:
- Generate photorealistic or stylized images from text.
- Edit existing photos by adding, removing, or transforming elements.
- Keep characters and products consistent across multiple shots.
- Remix layouts, lighting, weather, and materials.
- Combine multiple input images into a single, coherent scene.
Sources for hands-on demos:
•https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/ai-studio-quickstart?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/ai-studio-quickstart?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Quick Start (5 Minutes)
- Open Gemini and start a new chat.
- Attach an image (optional) or type a prompt.
- Be specific: subject, action, background, lighting, mood, camera framing (example templates below).
- Generate (≈10 seconds).
- Iterate in the same thread: “Make it dusk,” “Change the dress to navy,” “Zoom in,” etc. Context carries forward.
One Image to Hook the Reader
Insert one before/after composite at the top of your post to demonstrate the “edit” power.
- Placement: Above the fold, under the H1.
- Alt text: “Photo edit with NanoBanana: original vs. edited color, lighting, and object changes.”
- Caption: “A single prompt changed lighting, outfit, and background—no manual masking.”
(Create your own before/after by uploading any portrait or product shot, then asking for specific edits—see “Edit Recipes” below.)
The 6-Point Prompt Formula (Copy/Paste)
Use this skeleton to get great results on the first try:
[Subject] + [Action] + [Background] + [Lighting] + [Mood] + [Camera/Style]
Example (portrait):
“An elderly woman smiling and knitting in a sunlit country living room, soft afternoon light through a window, warm and cozy mood, close-up portrait shot.”
Example (product):
“A running shoe, floating on a minimal set, studio hard light with crisp shadows, clean, premium mood, 45-degree angle, macro detail.”
Edit Recipes (Fast, Reliable)
These are the edits that consistently work well:
- Remove an element: “In this photo, remove the tree on the left and fill the background naturally.”
- Add a prop or wardrobe: “Add a red beanie that matches the scene; don’t change anything else.”
- Recolor accurately: “Change the door color to burgundy; keep the handle color unchanged.”
- Swap an object: “Replace the paper cup with a noodle-pack pouch that fits the hand and shadows.”
- Time/weather shifts: “Same location, convert to night with streetlights and window glow.”
- Angle variations (consistency): “Generate back view of the same person; then a drone top-down shot.”
- Style transfer: “Apply this illustration’s palette and brushwork to the attached portrait; keep composition.”
Tip: When editing, say what to keep (“don’t touch the desk; preserve skin tone”) as clearly as what to change.
Multi-Image Magic
Attach two or more images and instruct how they should fuse:
- “Combine the model photo with the deer photo so the deer faces the model; match lighting.”
- “Use this layout sketch to arrange modern furniture in a top-down 3D look.”
This is clutch for mockups, merch, packaging, and interior layouts.
Character & Brand Consistency
NanoBanana is unusually good at keeping faces, outfits, and logos consistent across images:
- Workflow: Start with one strong reference (a hero portrait or flagship product). Then request new angles, outfits, scenes, or lighting without re-uploading—stay in the same chat to preserve identity.
- For brands: Keep logo files handy, and instruct placement: “Apply this logo to the box (front-right), matte finish, correct perspective.”
From Stills to Short Videos (Optional)
You can take your first and last frames (before/after) and build a short clip using a video tool that accepts start/end frames—great for quick ads (e.g., car color shifting, food ingredients assembling). Keep shots simple; consistency from NanoBanana makes transitions feel clean.
Prompt Templates You Can Steal
Portrait edits
- “Same person, change outfit to medieval armor, keep face and angle consistent, studio rim-light.”
- “Evening version of this shot—warm indoor lighting, add window reflections, keep background layout.”
Product & advertising
- “This car: repaint to matte black, add hero lighting, output a clean ad composition with headline space at top.”
- “A deconstructed sandwich with ingredients levitating in order, sharp detail, white sweep background.”
Interiors & plans
- “Convert this floor-plan sketch into a photoreal top-down render with modern furniture placed logically.”
Stylization
- “Keep composition; render in Van Gogh ‘Starry Night’ palette with visible brush strokes, blue/yellow bias.”
Quality Tips (That Matter)
- Be explicit. Call out color, material, light direction, and what not to change.
- Iterate in short jumps. One decisive change per round yields cleaner control.
- Reference images win. Attach a style or palette you want; ask to “match composition and color.”
- Use negative guidance. “No flat background, no blur. Keep sharp texture.”
- Mind rights & ethics. Respect likeness, trademarks, and platform policies. Don’t remove or obscure attribution on generated images.
- Keep it legal. Avoid using celebrities or copyrighted characters in ways that could violate rights of publicity or IP.
One-Image Post Layout (Suggested)
- H1 (your title)
- Hero before/after composite (single image)
- Caption + alt text as above
- Intro paragraph (what & why)
- Quick Start section
- Edit Recipes (scannable bullets)
- Prompt Templates
- Quality Tips
- CTA: “Open Gemini and try one edit you need this week.”
Troubleshooting (When Results Miss)
- Too generic? Add specifics: material, light source, color code, angle.
- Identity drift? Stay in the same thread, include the original reference again, or mention “match previous subject’s face exactly.”
- Over-editing? Tell it to “change only X; keep everything else identical.”
- Harsh artifacts? Switch to a softer light description (e.g., “soft window light,” “overcast sky”) and regenerate.
FAQ
Is NanoBanana free?
Gemini offers free generations with visible AI attribution marks, plus paid tiers with higher limits. Check your account plan for current caps.
Can I use it for commercial work?
Yes—within the license terms of your plan and local laws. Be mindful of models’, celebrities’, and brands’ rights.
Do I need “perfect” prompts?
No. Start simple. NanoBanana responds well to natural language—then refine.
Credits & Further Learning
The walkthroughs and examples in this guide are informed by real demos and workflows shown here: