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Guide · Images with Seedream

Seedream prompt guide: product shots, portraits and characters

How to write Seedream prompts for product shots, portraits and consistent characters, with references, sizes and the credit cost.

  • Up to 14 references
  • 1K, 2K, 4K
  • 4 images per batch

Short answer

Write the prompt in this order: subject, setting, light, framing and style. Add up to 14 reference images for the product or the face, and save a character to call it by its @handle. Each Seedream 4.5 image costs 2 credits at 1K, 2K, 4K.

Updated:

Step by step

  1. 1

    Start with the subject

    One clear sentence about what is in the picture: the product, the person or the scene. What you write first carries the most weight.

  2. 2

    Add the setting, light and framing

    Where it is (studio, kitchen, street), how the light falls (soft, backlit, golden hour) and the shot (close-up, top-down, medium shot).

  3. 3

    Use references

    Upload up to 14 images: the product photo, a face or a style. References pin down what text can't describe exactly.

  4. 4

    Save a character

    Create a character once (4 credits) and write its @handle in any prompt to keep the same face.

  5. 5

    Pick the size and format

    Sizes 1K, 2K, 4K and formats 1:1, 3:4, 4:3, 2:3, 3:2, 9:16, 16:9, 21:9. Generate up to 4 images per batch and keep the best one.

Example prompts

Swap the subject and keep the structure: subject, setting, light, framing, style.

  • Product

    Glass perfume bottle on wet stone, dark background, soft rim light, close-up, commercial photography.

  • Portrait

    Portrait of a woman in her thirties in a café, natural window light, medium shot, shallow depth of field, editorial style.

  • Character

    @your-character walking down a Tokyo street at night, neon signs, medium shot, cinematic look.

Common mistakes

Asking for too much at once: one idea per image works better.

Describing a face only in words when you want the same person in several images: use a reference or a saved character.

Seedream 5.0 Pro

Seedream 5.0 Pro takes up to 10 references and costs 2 credits at 1K and 3 at 2K.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Seedream image cost?

With Seedream 4.5, 2 credits per image at any size (1K, 2K, 4K). The studio shows the cost before you generate.

How do I keep the same face across images?

Save a character (4 credits) and write its @handle in the prompt, or add the same photo as a reference.

How many reference images can I use?

Up to 14 with Seedream 4.5.

Try it in the studio

New accounts get 10 starter credits for images. Video starts on the Creator plan, and the cost is shown before every generation.

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