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

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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: 8 October 2026

Step by step

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
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
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
Save a character
Create a character once (4 credits) and write its @handle in any prompt to keep the same face.
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 75 starter credits for images and video. Free accounts can make video on Seedance 2 Fast and Seedance 2.0 Mini at 480p, queued and rate limited. A plan adds every video model, 720p and above, and no queue. The cost is shown before every generation.

Open the image studio Create a free account

Short answer

Step by step

Start with the subject

Add the setting, light and framing

Use references

Save a character

Pick the size and format