photo-direction

name	photo-direction
description	Commercial photography direction for AI image generation — Peter Belanger aesthetic, OpenAI gpt-image-1 prompt engineering, studio lighting configurations, product photography
allowed-tools	Read, Bash

Photo Direction Skill

Commercial product photography in the Peter Belanger tradition, engineered for AI generation via OpenAI gpt-image-1. This skill covers prompt construction, lighting configuration, and creative direction for brand-quality imagery.

The Peter Belanger Aesthetic

Peter Belanger photographed Apple products for over a decade. His visual signature:

• Neutral, seamless backgrounds (white, off-white, light grey) — the background has no opinion
• Studio lighting that reveals material quality: texture, gloss, translucency, weight
• Zero unnecessary props — the product is the complete subject
• Perfect geometry — parallel lines are parallel, curved surfaces are smooth arcs
• Retouching that removes without erasing — imperfections removed, character retained

This aesthetic communicates: precision, confidence, and premium quality without effort.

Prompt Construction Template

Every image generation prompt follows this deterministic structure:

Commercial product photography of [SUBJECT DESCRIPTION],
[LIGHTING SETUP], [BACKGROUND],
[ANGLE AND COMPOSITION],
[SURFACE/MATERIAL DETAILS],
[MOOD/EMOTIONAL REGISTER],
studio lighting, high resolution, professional retouching,
sharp focus, no lens distortion, no watermark

Minimum required fields: SUBJECT, LIGHTING SETUP, BACKGROUND, ANGLE

Lighting Configurations (Deterministic)

Studio Clean (Default)

large softbox key light at 45 degrees camera left,
silver reflector fill camera right, subtle rim light from behind,
seamless white background

Use for: General product, tech, consumer goods

Apple Overhead

large overhead diffusion panel, near-specular highlight on top surface,
minimal shadow pool beneath product, pure white background

Use for: Devices, packaging, flat products viewed from above or 3/4

Luxury Shadow

hard side light from camera right, deep shadow on camera left,
controlled shadow gradient on seamless dark grey or black background

Use for: Watches, jewelry, premium spirits, high-end cosmetics

Warm Window

large soft window light simulation from camera left,
warm fill reflector, soft natural shadow, light warm neutral background

Use for: Food, lifestyle products, organic/natural brands

Tabletop Flat

overhead diffused light panel, nearly shadowless,
flat lay perspective, clean white or coloured surface

Use for: Packaging, stationery, fashion accessories, multi-product arrangements

Product Macro

ring flash or close-proximity softbox, extreme macro perspective,
sharp on subject centre with peripheral blur, neutral background

Use for: Texture emphasis, material quality, detail shots

Angle Reference

Angle	Use
Front elevation (0°)	Labels, flat faces, UI screens
Hero 3/4 (30° horizontal, 15° vertical)	Most products — shows depth and form
Overhead flat	Flat lay, top-of-box, tablet
Low hero (ground level 3/4 up)	Power, scale, automotive, shoes
Close detail	Texture, material, craftsmanship
In-use lifestyle	Product being used, hands optional

Background Palette

Name	Prompt phrase	Context
Pure white	seamless pure white background	Apple-style, maximum contrast
Studio white	soft off-white seamless background	Slightly warmer, approachable
Platinum grey	light neutral grey seamless background	Premium, versatile
Charcoal	dark charcoal seamless background	Luxury, dramatic
Warm cream	warm cream linen surface, neutral background	Organic, food, wellness
Gradient white	white to light grey gradient background	Added depth without distraction

API Parameters (Deterministic)

model: gpt-image-1
quality: high    # always
size:
  square: "1024x1024"       # social grid, product detail
  landscape: "1536x1024"    # hero, banner, LinkedIn
  portrait: "1024x1536"     # story, mobile, vertical ad

Prompt Variation Strategy

Always generate 3 variants per brief:

1. Hero shot — primary composition, full product
2. Detail shot — close-up on the key feature or material quality
3. Context variant — slight prop or environment hint (never competes with product)

Quality Checklist

Before submitting a prompt to the API:

• Lighting configuration is one of the named presets (or explicitly specified)
• Background is from the background palette (or explicitly justified)
• Subject is described with material/texture/color specifics
• Angle is explicitly named
• "Professional retouching, sharp focus, no lens distortion" is appended

Common Rationalizations

Rationalization	Reality
"Generic prompt will work fine"	Generic prompts produce generic images. The structured format exists because lighting + angle specificity is what separates stock-looking from campaign-quality.
"The background doesn't matter"	The background is a brand decision. Neutral ≠ no choice — it's a deliberate choice.
"I'll generate one and see"	Always generate 3 variants. The first is rarely the best. The brief deserves options.
"I don't need to specify lighting"	Unspecified lighting produces flat or inconsistent results. Lighting is the first decision in any photography.