Introduction
In the rapidly evolving world of generative AI, the tools are only getting more powerful — but so too is the skill in creating the right prompt. One standout in the recent wave is Google’s Gemini ecosystem (especially its image-generation/ editing branch sometimes referred to by its feature name Nano Banana) which has become hugely popular for viral, share-worthy visuals.
Prompts that work in early days sometimes become stale. So in 2025 we see new prompt trends shaped by social media, viral reels, and cross-cultural style shifts. I’ve identified top 5 trending prompt “types” for Gemini (image-oriented) that you can apply immediately — and each prompt type includes the full prompt template + tips for customizing.
Why this matters: If you’re creating content for YouTube Shorts about online earning (as you are), leveraging trending visual styles via Gemini AI can help you create thumbnails, intros, or visuals that pop, get attention, and drive engagement. So this article doubles as inspiration and tactical blueprint.
Top 5 Trending Prompt Types for Gemini AI
Cinematic, dark, and luxurious portrait of a young boy sitting confidently on a black leather sofa in a dimly lit room. He is wearing a black suit with a slightly open white shirt, holding a glass of water in his hand. His other arm rests casually on the backrest. A crystal chandelier hangs above, casting warm light that creates elegant reflections. On the wall behind him is a framed artwork of a hooded figure with a skull face. The atmosphere is moody, sophisticated, and dramatic, with deep shadows and rich contrast, emphasizing power and elegance. Don’t change the face 100 percent reserved.
Why it works:
Retro aesthetics evoke emotion and familiarity.
Style palettes (neon, sepia, film grain) provide striking visuals.
Social media loves “then-vs-now” or “what I’d look like in the 80s” posts.
Tips for customization:
Change decade: “1970s disco”, “1990s grunge”, “1960s Hollywood black-and-white”.
Adjust background: vintage mall, arcade, classic car, vinyl record store.
Keep face unchanged so the algorithm knows to retain identity.
Use lighting and textures (grain, film, glow) to enhance style.
Use case for you:
This prompt can make a compelling thumbnail for a video: e.g., “If I time-travelled to the 80s using AI” or “How to become viral with retro visuals via Gemini”.
Create a 16K ultra-realistic cinematic portrait of a boy with a slim toned body, in a new stylish attitude modeling pos showing calmn power, confidence, and charm. He is wearing a red shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a fitted black vest, black tie, black trousers, and black leather gloves, reflecting a classy secret agent or elite professional look. Change the camera position to a slightly elevated angle, waist up shot, with the subject turning slightly to the left, one shoulder forward, resting a hand lighly on a nearby chair or table, lying on a confident smirk and intense gaze toward the near. Maintain DSLR-quality realism, with soft cinematic lighting highlighting his facial contours and silm physique. Add shallow depth of field for realistic bokeh, the background shows a blurred upscale library or office with warm metallic and wooden textures enhancing the high-end cinematic tone.
Would you like me to use this text to try and generate an image or help you refine the prompt further? keep my face 100% same at.
Why it works:
The contrast between casual selfie and polished editorial is powerful.
People post these for profile photos, for branding, for social media boosts.
Gemini’s improved image-generation capabilities make it feasible without a photo studio
Tips for customization:
Swap outfit: velvet blazer, leather jacket, silk dress, bold accessories.
Change lighting: high key (bright), low key (dark & moody).
Use props/background: penthouse, studio, luxury car, runway.
Ensure face remains the same — helps preserve identity.
Use case for you:
You could generate a series of thumbnails (for your Shorts) showing yourself as a high-fashion figure — this could build brand identity and visual consistency.
---
3. “AI Polaroid / Instant-Film Nostalgia”
This prompt type layers the retro look further: making the result look like a Polaroid photo, film grain, white border, instant-camera mood. It’s trending heavily in image-editing/aesthetic reels.
Why it works:
Social media loves nostalgic effects.
Polaroid style automatically signals “special moment” or “memories”.
It stands out vs. standard digital crisp images.
Prompt template – copy and customize:
> “Convert the uploaded image of [name] into a vintage Polaroid-style photograph: white border, film-grain texture, slight blur and fading of colours. The subject is hugging their younger self (two versions of same person, side-by-side) in the style of a 1990s birthday snapshot, warm sunset glow behind them, casual clothing. Look: candid, warm, nostalgic. Face unchanged. Ultra-realistic but with analog film aesthetics.”
Tips for customization:
Use “younger self” / “future self” versions.
Background: backyard, old school corridor, festival scene.
Colour tweaks: pastel fade, washed-out tones, high contrast.
Add text overlay: date, location, small caption.
Use case for you:
For your Shorts about online earning, you could use such a visual to show “Then vs Now” – you at start vs you now, but in a stylised Polaroid format. That draws attention to transformation story.
Cinematic editorial photograph of person holding up a burning newspaper, flames curling dramatically around paper edges. Newspaper headline reads bold text with modern typography, editorial style layout, featuring black and white images and quotes. Subject is dressed in sharp black suit. Dark background enhances fires glow, creating contrast with warm highlights on subjects clothing. Use the reference image for the face to maintain likeness. Ultra-detailed, high-contrast lighting, IMG_2034.CR2.
Get More
This prompt trend is highly relevant in South Asia and for global audiences looking for richly styled cultural-look content: sarees, traditional jewellery, heritage backdrops. We see many Indian audience posts using it.
Why it works:
Cultural pride + bold visuals = high engagement in certain markets.
Combining AI styling with tradition makes for fresh content.
Perfect for festivals, weddings, motives of identity.
Tips for customization:
Switch garment: lehenga, sherwani, kurta, kimono, hanbok – depending on cultural context.
Background: temple, heritage site, palace corridor, outdoor festival flooring.
Colours: mustard, teal, deep red, royal purple (these are often popular).
Add subtle jewellery, accessories for luxe feel.
Use case for you:
Since your location is Pakistan (Gujranwala, Punjab), you could adapt such a prompt to Pakistani cultural dress/traditional backdrop – making visually relevant content for your local & diaspora audience.
---
5. “Fantasy / Surreal Dreamscape”
A dramatic studio portrait of a young man (use uploaded reference for exact face and black cap) sitting on a wooden stool, holding an acoustic wooden guitar with a warm brown finish. He is wearing a classic black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark jeans, a subtle bracelet and ring. His face is slightly tilted downward, giving a calm and introspective mood. The background is solid black with moody cinematic studio lighting, highlighting his face, arms, and the guitar. Ultra-realistic, sharp details, high contrast, cinematic photography.
Negative Prompt: cartoon, anime, painting, illustration, blurry, low resolution, watermark, text overlay, distorted hands, busy background.
The last big trend is imaginative: taking your subject into a fantasy world – celestial, mythic, futuristic – and creating visuals that feel “wow”. This works especially well for thumbnails and viral image posts.
Why it works:
Our brains are drawn to the unexpected & surreal.
AI can produce visuals beyond what a regular camera photo can.
These stand out on feed and can support bold claims (e.g., in an earning-online video: “This is what your future self could look like…”).
Tips for customization:
Change theme: medieval fantasy (knight + dragon), cyberpunk cityscape, underwater kingdom.
Use dramatic lighting: rim lighting, backlighting, glow.
Ensure subject remains focal but immersed in surreal setting.
Good for thumbnails, cover images, etc.
Use case for you:
You could use such an image for “What my income-earning future self looks like” or “Level up: your future version” concept — a strong visual metaphor.
---
How to Use These Prompts Effectively (for YouTubers/Content Creators)
Since you create YouTube Shorts around online earning, here are tactical tips to maximise impact:
1. Choose the right prompt type for the message.
If your video is about “transformation” → use Decades Transformation or Polaroid style.
If it’s about “brand identity/self-image” → use Ultra-Cinematic or Ethnic Elegance.
If it’s aspirational → use Fantasy/Surreal.
2. Keep the face unchanged. Many prompt templates emphasise keeping the same face in the reference photo. This makes the resulting image feel authentic. (See above templates.)
3. Match your thumbnail + short title. The visual created from the prompt should align with the message. Example: if the visual is “me in 1980s”, the video title could be “What If I Started My Online Business in 1985?” – the alignment boosts click-through.
4. Use social-media friendly formats.
Optimise image size for YouTube, Instagram reposts.
Add minimal text overlay if needed (e.g., “2025 Earnings Vision”).
Use captivating colours & contrast.
5. Brand consistency. Use a consistent colour palette or style across your Shorts so your channel gets a recognizable “look”.
6. Experiment & iterate. Not all prompts will work equally for your audience. Test which style drives more engagement (views / likes / comments) and double-down.
7. Disclaimer / authenticity. Since you’re using AI generated self-images, it’s good to be transparent in your content (especially if you use for personal branding) so audience knows you used AI styling.
---
Bonus: Ready-to-Copy Prompts (5 more to explore)
Here are 5 extra prompts you can copy directly, tweak names/colors, and use with Gemini AI:
1. “A cinematic, vintage-toned photo featuring the same person from the reference image. The individual confidently leans slightly back against a railing, smiling while surrounded by a crowd of people holding smartphones and cameras, as if they are a celebrity. They wear round black sunglasses, a dark olive-green double-breasted blazer, and cream-colored trousers with their hands in their pockets. The style reflects 1960s-1970s paparazzi aesthetics with rich warm sepia tones and soft lighting. Ultra-realistic editorial-quality. Face identical.”
2. “Create an image of a young woman wearing a traditional red saree with golden borders, standing gracefully in front of a decorated temple gate. She has long flowing hair adorned with jasmine flowers, and is holding a diya in her hand. The lighting should be soft and spiritual, capturing the festive vibe of an Indian cultural celebration.”
3. “Turn my pet into a collectible plastic action figure next to its packaging. Ultra-realistic render, stylised toy-photography lighting, high resolution.”
4. “Generate an image of a girl walking confidently on a city street with tall buildings in the background. She is wearing a black leather jacket, high-waist ripped jeans, stylish ankle boots. Her sunglasses reflect the warm evening light and her hair flows naturally in the wind. The scene should feel bold, chic and urban with a golden-hour glow.”
5. “A rugged person riding a powerful dark brown horse at sunset. The person (same face as reference) has slightly wind-blown hair, dramatic pose, cinematic lighting, 4K ultra-realistic detail. Background: wide open plain, setting sun, warm orange and cool blue rim lights.”
You’re free to adjust names, colours, locations, lighting to match your brand or idea.
---
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Changing the face too much: If you change subject’s face identity in prompt (e.g., “make me look famous”), the result can be uncanny or less personal. Keep face unchanged when you’re using your own photo.
Too generic prompts: One reason some prompts don’t stand out is lack of style direction. Use specific lighting, lens, background, mood.
Ignoring composition: Even with AI, composition (pose, background, lighting) matters. Use “studio portrait”, “leaning”, “candid” language.
Ignoring platform formatting: If you use for YouTube/Instagram, be sure resolution, cropping, text overlay all work.
Over-editing (post-AI): The AI already gives you a styled image; avoid heavy manual edits that dilute the effect.
---
Why the Trend Now?
A few underlying factors make these prompt types popular in 2025:
The Nano Banana (Gemini’s image-edit/generation feature) has become more accessible and capable.
Social media algorithms favour high-impact visuals: strong composition + clear identity.
The user base is familiar with “normal selfies” so anything with a twist (retro, fantasy, culture) stands out.
Globalisation of styles: Indian subcontinent culture + western aesthetics + nostalgia = mash-up trends.
Prompt-engineering knowledge is spreading: people know how to ask for lens, lighting, texture details — so the results are better and more polished.
---
How You Can Leverage This for Your Channel
Since you are creating YouTube Shorts and have interest in “online earning”, here are specific ways you could apply:
Create a series such as “My AI Self in 1985 / 1995 / 2025” – use the Decades Transformation prompt.
Use an Ethnic Elegance prompt to build trust and authenticity if you’re targeting South Asian audience (Pakistan/India).
Use Fantasy/Surreal prompt for “vision board” content: e.g., “This is how I see my business success in 2028”.
Use Ultra-Cinematic prompt for “About Me” or channel trailer visuals — build a brand look.
Use Polaroid prompt for “Then vs Now” visuals: show humble beginnings vs current status, tie into earning-journey narrative.
You could even monetise visually by offering these AI-styled images as free downloads for your audience (with your branding), or use them as thumbnails to increase click-through.
---
Final Thoughts
The creative frontier with tools like Gemini is shifting from can you generate an image to how well you craft the prompt and use the result for meaningful impact. The five prompt styles covered here — Decades Transformation, Ultra-Cinematic Editorial, AI Polaroid Nostalgia, Ethnic Elegance, Fantasy/Surreal Dreamscape — represent what’s trending now in visuals on Gemini. The ready-to-copy templates and tactical tips mean you’re not just reading about it, you can act on it.
Given your content-creation goals (YouTube Shorts on online earning) you’re well-positioned to ride this visual trend. The key will be to align the visual style with your message, test what resonates, and keep your visuals consistent and high-quality.
If you like, I can generate 10 extra prompt templates (for you to copy + tweak) tailored specifically for your niche (online earning, branding, YouTube, social media) — would that be helpful?
Comments
Post a Comment