You want to turn a product photo into an Amazon listing. You open an AI image tool, upload the photo, and type "make this look professional." The result has a weird background, harsh lighting, and your product looks worse than before.
"Make this look professional" does not tell the AI anything useful. It needs to know about the background, the lighting, the composition, and the style. But you don't want to learn photography. You just want the photo.
Shorthand codes fix this. They are short commands that start with a forward slash: /amazon listing, /linkedin photo, /menu photo. Think of them as presets for prompts. You type one code and the AI fills in the rest. You can also call them slash commands, shortcut commands, or prompt shortcuts. They all mean the same thing.
The AI interprets each code and expands it into full art direction. Results can vary slightly each time, but the overall style stays consistent.
Regular Prompt vs Shorthand Code
Here is the same goal done two ways. The goal: turn a watch photo into an Amazon listing.
Input Image
| Regular prompt (55 words) | Shorthand code (2 words) |
|---|---|
Take this watch photo and place it on a pure white background. Use soft studio lighting from the upper left. Center the watch with equal padding on all sides. Shallow depth of field with focus on the dial. Clean, minimal, Amazon listing style. High resolution. |
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Same result. The regular prompt requires knowledge of lighting, composition, and e-commerce photography. The shorthand code requires nothing.
Here is another example. The goal: turn a selfie into a LinkedIn headshot.
Input Image
| Regular prompt (48 words) | Shorthand code (2 words) |
|---|---|
Transform this selfie into a professional LinkedIn headshot. Use clean studio lighting. Replace the background with a neutral dark color. Keep the face sharp and well-exposed. Professional business attire. Head and shoulders framing. Subtle skin retouching. |
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And one more. The goal: turn a food photo into a menu shot.
Input Image
| Regular prompt (50 words) | Shorthand code (2 words) |
|---|---|
Create a professional menu photograph of this dish. Use soft natural light from the window side. Place the dish on a clean wooden table. Shallow depth of field with focus on the main ingredient. Warm, appetizing colors. Top-down or 45-degree angle. |
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Every time, the shorthand code gives you the same style in 2 words instead of 50.
How to Use Codes with Your Own Photos
Input photo
Result with /fitness poster
- Go to PhotoGPT's image editor
- Upload the photo you want to edit
- Type the shorthand code in the prompt box
- Click generate
- If the result isn't right, add a few words after the code to adjust
For example: /fitness poster, darker background, more contrast
The code sets the base style. Your words add the specifics.
You can also use codes with text prompts instead of photos. Type a description and add a code: a man doing deadlifts in a gym /fitness poster. The AI applies the same style to the generated image.
Some codes work better with certain types of photos. /cutaway and /explodeview work best with product photos. /linkedin photo and /hairstyle tryon work best with face photos. /luxury listing works best with property photos. Match the code to what's in your photo for the best results.
10 Everyday Prompts You Can Use
Copy any of these, upload your photo, and paste the prompt into the image editor. Each one stacks a few codes to control the shot type, lighting, and style.
1. A Friendly Profile Photo
/eyelevel /mediumshot /softlight /35mmUse this when you need a clean, professional photo for LinkedIn, your resume, or any profile where you want to look approachable.
Generate the given reference image into a clean professional profile photo, /eyelevel /mediumshot /softlight /35mm, realistic skin texture, simple background, square image, no text, no logo, no extra people.2. A Cinematic Travel Photo
/wideframe /goldenhour /cinematic /35mmUse this to turn a regular vacation photo into something that looks like it belongs in a travel magazine.
Generate the given reference image into a cinematic travel photo, /wideframe /goldenhour /cinematic /35mm, warm natural colors, realistic location, vertical social image, no text, no logo.3. A Luxury Product Photo
/producthero /packshot /softlight /luxuryadUse this when you sell something and want it to look premium for your store or ads.
Generate the given reference image into a luxury product photo, /producthero /packshot /softlight /luxuryad, clean studio setup, premium lighting, accurate product shape and color, square image.4. A Stylish Food Photo
/closeup /softlight /beautyshot /35mmUse this to make a plate of food look good enough for a menu or a food post.
Generate the given reference image into a stylish food photo, /closeup /softlight /beautyshot /35mm, rich colors, realistic texture, restaurant-style lighting, vertical image, no text, no extra objects.5. A Luxury Hotel Room Interior
/wideangle /goldenhour /cinematic /architecturaldigestUse this for Airbnb listings, hotel photos, or any space you want to show at its best.
Generate the given reference image into a luxury hotel room interior, /wideangle /goldenhour /cinematic /architecturaldigest, elegant furniture, warm ambient lighting, premium materials, realistic shadows, clean modern styling.6. A Night View
/night viewUse this to turn a daytime scene into a moody night view with city lights and atmosphere. The code and the prompt are the same here, one word does all the work.
7. A Cinematic Car Poster
/lowangle /cinematic /rimlight /beautyshotUse this to make a car or bike photo look dramatic and expensive.
Generate the given reference image into a cinematic car poster, /lowangle /cinematic /rimlight /beautyshot, dramatic lighting, premium reflections, realistic vehicle details.8. A Stylish Streetwear Look
/fullbody /streetstyle /urbanlight /lookbookUse this for casual outfit photos with a clean city vibe.
Generate the given reference image into a stylish streetwear look, /fullbody /streetstyle /urbanlight /lookbook, modern outfit styling, clean city background, realistic face and clothing, vertical social image, no text.9. A YouTube Thumbnail Photo
/closeup /centerframe /hardlight /highcontrastUse this when you need a bold, expressive shot that grabs attention in a feed.
Generate the given reference image into a professional YouTube thumbnail photo, /closeup /centerframe /hardlight /highcontrast, expressive face, sharp details, bold creator lighting, clean background, eye-catching composition, no text, no logo.10. A Cinematic Night Portrait
/closeup /nightlight /neon /bokehUse this to turn an evening photo into a moody portrait with glowing city lights behind you.
Generate the given reference image into a cinematic night portrait, /closeup /nightlight /neon /bokeh, dramatic face lighting, glowing city background, realistic skin texture, moody atmosphere, vertical social image, no text.The Full List of Shorthand Codes
Here are 100 shorthand codes organized by what you want to achieve. Each code starts with a forward slash and works with uploaded photos or text prompts.
Product and E-commerce
Turn any product photo into a listing, ad, or catalog shot.
/white background- Clean white background product shot/lifestyle shot- Product in a real-life setting/amazon listing- Amazon-style product listing photo/product ad- Advertisement-style product photo
Content Creation
Make thumbnails, covers, and posters for your content.
/youtube thumbnail- YouTube video thumbnail/course banner- Online course banner image/creator poster- Content creator promotional poster/reel cover- Instagram reel cover image/thumbnail- General thumbnail for any platform
Personal Branding
Create professional headshots and branding photos.
/linkedin photo- Professional LinkedIn headshot/podcast cover- Podcast cover art/founder portrait- Founder or CEO portrait/speaker poster- Speaker promotional poster/profile photo- Social media profile photo
Food and Restaurant
Turn food photos into menu shots, posters, or ads.
/menu photo- Professional menu food photograph/food poster- Food promotional poster/restaurant ad- Restaurant advertisement/premium lighting- Premium food lighting setup
Fashion and Clothing
Turn clothing photos into catalog, runway, or streetwear shots.
/fashion catalog- Editorial fashion catalog style/runway look- Runway model style/ecommerce model- E-commerce model wearing the product/streetwear shoot- Urban streetwear photography
Real Estate and Property
Turn property photos into luxury listings or ads.
/luxury listing- Luxury real estate listing photo/interior redesign- Redesigned interior view/night view- Evening or night property view/property ad- Property advertisement
Interior Design
Turn room photos into design showcases or listings.
/modern interior- Modern interior design/luxury room- Luxury room design/magazine cover- Interior design magazine cover/airbnb listing- Airbnb-style listing photo
Advertisement
Create ad creatives, billboards, and campaign visuals.
/ad creative- Ad creative design/billboard mockup- Billboard mockup/instagram ad- Instagram ad design/premium campaign- Premium campaign visual
Jewellery
Turn jewellery photos into luxury catalogs or festive ads.
/luxury catalog- Luxury jewellery catalog style/model wearing- Model wearing the jewellery/festive background- Festive-themed jewellery background/ecommerce photo- E-commerce jewellery photo
Travel
Turn travel photos into cinematic shots or postcards.
/cinematic travel- Cinematic travel photography/postcard look- Postcard-style travel photo/vlog thumbnail- Vlog thumbnail/sunset background- Sunset background
Wedding and Events
Turn couple photos into wedding shoots or invitations.
/royal wedding- Royal wedding style photo/prewedding shoot- Pre-wedding photography/invitation cover- Wedding invitation cover/album poster- Wedding album poster
Fitness and Health
Turn gym photos into fitness posters or supplement ads.
/fitness poster- Fitness promotional poster/supplement ad- Supplement product ad/athlete portrait- Athlete portrait/gym lighting- Gym-style lighting
Beauty and Salon
Turn face photos into hairstyle previews or beauty ads.
/hairstyle tryon- Hairstyle preview or try-on/makeup look- Makeup look photo/beauty ad- Beauty product ad/salon poster- Salon promotional poster
Cars and Vehicles
Turn car photos into posters, showroom ads, or racing scenes.
/car poster- Car promotional poster/showroom ad- Showroom advertisement/racing scene- Racing scene photo/luxury background- Luxury car background
Product Visualization
Show the inside, structure, or components of a product.
/cutaway- Show internal structure of a product/explodeview- Show all parts separated and floating/360view- 360-degree rotation view/anatomy- Component breakdown
Product Packaging
Turn product photos into packaging designs and mockups.
/box mockup- Product box packaging design/label design- Product label mockup/premium packaging- Premium packaging design/shelf display- Retail shelf display mockup
Local Business Ads
Create posters, offer banners, and festival sale ads.
/poster ad- Local business poster ad/offer banner- Sale or offer banner/local business ad- Local business advertisement/festival sale- Festival sale promotional image
Festival and Cultural
Create festive looks for Diwali, weddings, and Navratri.
/diwali look- Diwali festive look/wedding look- Wedding festive look/navratri outfit- Navratri outfit photo/royal portrait- Royal-style portrait
AI Avatar
Turn your photo into a cyberpunk, business, anime, or 3D avatar.
/cyberpunk avatar- Cyberpunk-style avatar/business avatar- Professional business avatar/anime look- Anime-style transformation/3d character- 3D character version
Business Documents
Extract tables, create spreadsheets, and summarize bills from photos.
/extract table- Extract table from image/make excel- Convert to Excel format/summarize bill- Summarize bill or receipt/clean data- Clean up data from image
Camera, Lighting, and Style
Control the shot type, lighting, and overall mood. These work best stacked with a main code.
/eyelevel- Camera at eye level/mediumshot- Medium shot framing, waist up/closeup- Close-up shot on the subject/fullbody- Full body shot/wideframe- Wide cinematic frame/wideangle- Wide angle lens look/centerframe- Subject centered in frame/lowangle- Shot from below for drama/softlight- Soft, diffused lighting/hardlight- Hard, direct lighting/goldenhour- Warm sunset lighting/rimlight- Edge lighting around the subject/nightlight- Night scene lighting/neon- Neon color glow/bokeh- Blurred background lights/highcontrast- Strong light and shadow contrast/35mm- Classic 35mm film look/cinematic- Film-style color grading/beautyshot- Polished beauty-style shot/producthero- Hero product shot/packshot- Clean catalog packshot/luxuryad- Luxury advertisement style/architecturaldigest- Magazine interior style/fashioneditorial- Fashion magazine editorial/lookbook- Fashion lookbook style/streetstyle- Street fashion photography/urbanlight- Urban city lighting
If you can't find a code for your exact use case, pick the closest one and add a few descriptive words after it. The AI is flexible enough to work with combinations of codes and plain text.
How to Combine Codes
You can stack codes to get more specific results. The first code sets the main style. The second adds setting, lighting, or format.
Good combinations:
/white background /amazon listing- Clean Amazon product shot/luxury catalog /festive background- Festive jewellery catalog/cinematic travel /sunset background- Travel photo at sunset/modern interior /magazine cover- Interior design magazine cover/menu photo /premium lighting- Premium menu food photo
Rules:
- Use 1-2 codes, 3 maximum
- First code sets the main style
- Second code adds setting, lighting, or format
- Don't mix codes that give conflicting directions
What not to do:
/white background /sunset background - The first code asks for white, the second asks for sunset. The AI doesn't know which one you want. Pick one.
When Things Go Wrong
The code doesn't seem to work
Check the spelling. Some codes are two words: /amazon listing not /amazon. The AI might still guess what you mean, but the result won't be as precise. Use the exact spelling from the list above.
The result doesn't match what you expected
Generate 2-3 versions and pick the best one. You can also add detail after the code: /amazon listing, slightly warmer light, centered with a soft shadow.
The result looks weird or distorted
You might be using the wrong code for the image type. /cutaway is for product photos. /hairstyle tryon is for face photos. Match the code to what's in the photo.
You used too many codes and the result is confusing
Stick to 1-2 codes. More codes means more conflicting instructions. The AI tries to follow all of them and the result gets muddy. Pick the one that matters most and add detail with plain words.
The code works but you want to tweak it
Add text after the code. Example: /menu photo, darker mood, rustic wooden table, top-down angle.
Where to Start
Don't know which code to try first? Pick your category:
- You sell products online:
/white background,/amazon listing,/lifestyle shot - You create YouTube or social content:
/youtube thumbnail,/profile photo,/reel cover - You're in real estate:
/luxury listing,/interior redesign,/airbnb listing - You do food photography:
/menu photo,/food poster,/premium lighting - You're building your personal brand:
/linkedin photo,/founder portrait,/podcast cover - You're in fashion:
/fashion catalog,/runway look,/streetwear shoot - You run a restaurant:
/menu photo,/restaurant ad,/food poster - You're a jewellery brand:
/luxury catalog,/model wearing,/festive background - You design packaging:
/box mockup,/label design,/premium packaging - You run a local business:
/poster ad,/offer banner,/local business ad
Once you find codes that work for your use case, save them. You'll use the same 3-5 codes for most of your editing.
Shorthand codes cover the 80% of edits that follow known patterns. Product listings, headshots, menu photos, real estate listings, thumbnails. For these, two words replace sixty. For the 20% that need something truly custom, write a regular prompt.
Pick one from the list above. Upload a photo to PhotoGPT. Type the code. See what comes back. PhotoGPT also offers presets for specific visual styles, which work alongside shorthand codes and give you even more control over the final result.