AI portraits that actually look real? Well… that’s a bit tricky. Not just textures, fancy lighting, or cinematic lenses. It’s the little things—pose, expression, even the vibe of the room—that make your brain accept it as a real person.
I tried three different prompts with the same young Pakistani man. Each one has its own mood. First, a cozy indoor scene, playful and warm. Then, a calm outdoor lifestyle moment. Finally, a high-fashion architectural shot.
Along the way, you’ll notice small details—lighting, posture, clothing, tiny cultural cues—that completely change the feel. And keeping the face consistent across all three? Super important. Otherwise, it doesn’t read as the same person.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make AI portraits feel alive, this is a good start.
Prompt 1: Cinematic Indoor Portrait: Playful and Warm
Red LED lights… yeah, they wash the background softly. Gives warmth. Depth. Skin tones? Totally fine. Ceiling fan spinning slowly. Curtains swaying a bit. Nothing dramatic, really—but somehow, it makes the room feel lived-in. You get it? That little stuff matters.
The subject leans lightly on his hand. Soft smile. One eye winking just slightly. Subtle. Approachable. You almost feel like he might say something any second.
Clothing? Black kurta, patterned dupatta casually draped. Nothing flashy. Nothing costume-y. Just personal, modern, believable. Cinematic lighting and that crisp 85mm lens effect? Makes it feel intimate. Like… you could almost reach out and tap him on the shoulder. And yes, that smile? You can picture it in real life. That’s the vibe we’re going for.
Use the uploaded reference image for the face; it must remain exactly the same with no changes to bone structure, facial proportions, or skin tone. Do not beautify or alter identity in any way.
Ultra-realistic cinematic portrait of a young South Asian man, early-to-mid 20s, medium warm brown skin tone, thick wavy tousled messy voluminized black hair falling naturally over the forehead with soft curls, slightly messy yet stylish. He has a well-groomed full beard and mustache, sharp jawline, subtle cheekbone definition, and a playful confident expression, one eye gently closed in a wink, the other eye relaxed and expressive, natural dark brown eyes. He is smiling softly, leaning his face against his hand in a casual pose, conveying charm and warmth. Wearing a black kurta-style shirt with a blue and white patterned traditional stole/scarf (dupatta) draped over his shoulders, featuring geometric motifs and paint-splatter textures. A small stud earring visible in one ear.
Shot indoors in a modern bedroom environment with a deep red ambient LED cinematic lighting, red light softly washing the background and ceiling, creating dramatic contrast with natural skin tones. Ceiling fan visible above, soft curtains in the background, shallow depth of field with creamy bokeh.
Lighting: cinematic soft key light from front, subtle rim light separating subject from background, realistic skin subsurface scattering, natural shadows.
Camera: 85mm portrait lens, f/1.8, ultra-sharp focus on face, professional DSLR look, cinematic color grading, teal-and-red color balance.
Quality: 8K resolution, ultra-high detail, hyper-real skin texture, visible pores, fine facial hair strands, realistic fabric folds, HDR, photorealistic, cinematic mood, RAW photo look, masterpiece, studio-quality realism.
Prompt 2: Outdoor Lifestyle Portrait: Calm and Approachable
Outside now. White chair. Cup of tea on the table. Legs crossed comfortably. Blue shalwar kameez, collar slightly open. Thin silver necklace. Black shawl draped casually.
It’s calm. Relaxed. Very human. Nothing over the top. Face is exactly the same as the reference—that continuity matters. Tiny shifts break the illusion. And honestly, sometimes ordinary moments feel the most alive.
Use the uploaded reference image for the face; it must remain exactly the same with no changes to bone structure, facial proportions, or skin tone. Do not beautify or alter identity in any way.
Use my face and create a pic of a stylish Pakistani man with same messy voluminized hair and trimmed beard, wearing a blue shalwar kameez (2 buttons open), a thin silver male necklace, and a black shawl draped on his shoulders. He is sitting in a white chair with a white table in front and tea on the table, sitting outside his home with legs crossed comfortably and a cute smile. Keep the face 100% the same as in the reference image.
Prompt 3: High-Fashion Architectural Portrait: Confident and Sophisticated
Wide pale stone steps. White stucco and marble building behind. Sculpted greenery on either side. He stands relaxed. Hands lightly touching. Confident, but not stiff. Black shalwar kameez under a creamy textured sweater vest. Black shoes finishing the look. Subtle. Sophisticated. Not trying too hard.
Lighting is bright, natural daylight. Shadows falling naturally. Textures pop—the knitwear, the stone, the crisp architecture lines. It gives a luxurious, high-fashion vibe.
Environment + posture + outfit = personality. Same face, but totally different mood. You almost feel the sun, faint sounds, the space around him. That’s what makes it read as real.
Use the uploaded reference image for the face; it must remain exactly the same with no changes to bone structure, facial proportions, or skin tone. Do not beautify or alter identity in any way.
An ultra-detailed, photorealistic portrait of a handsome young Pakistani man with the same face, messy voluminized hair and trimmed beard, wearing a black shalwar kameez, a creamy white textured V-neck sweater vest, and black shoes. He stands with style on wide pale gray stone steps leading up to an imposing modernist white stucco and marble facade, flanked by meticulously sculpted topiary trees in heavy black planters. The lighting is bright and high-contrast natural daylight, using cinematic global illumination to highlight the rich texture of the knitwear and smooth stone architecture. The atmosphere is sophisticated and high-fashion, capturing a relaxed luxury moment. Photorealistic, ultra-detailed, 85mm lens, f/1.8, shallow depth of field, sharp focus on eyes, volumetric daylight, hard shadows, global illumination, unreal engine 5, octane render, 16k resolution, cinematic lighting.
Conclusion
Three moods: playful indoors, calm outdoors, confident in luxury. Tiny choices—pose, expression, clothing, little cultural cues—make it feel alive. Not just pixels.
One thing to remember: realism comes from thinking like a storyteller. Imagine the moment. Imagine the personality. Imagine the space. Technical details? Sure, they matter, but they’re secondary.
Do it right, and AI-generated portraits can feel convincingly human. Not perfect. Not artificial. Just… real enough that your brain accepts it.
Try Google Gemini Here:
This blog post and AI prompts were created by Shahbaz Ahmad.
Follow me on TikTok @Dudefrompak for more ready-to-use prompts.
📢 Join Our WhatsApp Channel
Get daily AI photo editing prompts, tools, and tips directly on your phone.
Join Now on WhatsApp 🚀
