ChatGPT Can Now Turn Your Photos Into Studio-Quality Portraits—Step-by-Step Guide Goes Viral

ChatGPT is redefining digital creativity once again—this time by helping users generate studio-quality portraits using just a text prompt. Thanks to its integrated image generation capabilities, users can now create professional-looking photographs without a camera or a studio setup.

A viral Instagram reel by content creator demonstrates how powerful this feature can be. The reel showcases a stunning black-and-white close-up portrait—sharp, expressive, and deeply cinematic—all generated by AI.

🔥 The Prompt That Went Viral

Here's the exact prompt Ruiz Acosta used to generate his ultra-detailed portrait:

“Please generate a top-angle and close-up black and white portrait of my face, focused on the head facing forward. Use a 35mm lens look, 10.7K 4HD quality. Proud expression, water droplets on my face. Deep black shadow background – only the face is visible and appears ultra-sharp. 4:3 ratio, with a 1/5 processing depth effect.”

This request leverages visual styling elements such as camera angle, lens simulation, lighting effects, and image resolution to achieve a near-photo-realistic outcome.

🧠 Try These ChatGPT Prompts to Create Your Own AI Portraits

If you’re curious to try it yourself, here are a few expert-recommended prompts to get started with ChatGPT's image generation:

✅ Prompt 1 – Dramatic Cinematic Look

“Create a dramatic low-angle black and white portrait of my face with a confident expression. Use a cinematic 50mm lens effect, ultra-high-definition (10K), soft mist around the shoulders, and strong contrast lighting. The background should be completely black, and only the face should be in sharp focus. 4:3 ratio.”

✅ Prompt 2 – Moody Side Profile

“Generate a moody black and white side-profile portrait with a sharp focus on facial texture. Simulate a 24mm lens look, 4K resolution. Light rain on skin, subtle glistening effect, and soft shadows cast on a deep matte black background. Expression: calm and introspective. Use a 3:2 aspect ratio.”

✅ Prompt 3 – High-Contrast Close-Up

“Render a high-contrast, close-up monochrome portrait using a virtual 85mm lens effect in 8K. Face should be directly lit with soft tones on the forehead and cheeks. Add light smoke in the background fading into black. Emphasize fine facial details with crisp clarity. 1:1 aspect ratio.”

🎨 Tips to Personalize Your Portraits

Use emotional cues like "calm," "proud," or "introspective" to change facial expressions.

Adjust lens effects for different framing (35mm for portraits, 85mm for tighter detail).

Include artistic elements like rain, fog, shadows, or smoke for mood.

Modify resolution and aspect ratio depending on your platform (1:1 for Instagram, 16:9 for YouTube thumbnails).

💡 Final Thoughts

This viral use of ChatGPT shows just how far text-to-image generation has come. You no longer need fancy equipment to get stunning portraits—just the right words. Whether you’re a content creator, influencer, or digital artist, this tool is a game-changer for creative expression in 2025.