By Phil Gee · AI Academy, Southport
For years, AI image tools felt like they needed a secret handshake. "Hyperrealistic 8K masterpiece, cinematic, trending on ArtStation..." Who talks like that? Nobody I know, and certainly not the business owners I train.
Nano Banana 2 is different. It understands plain English, so you can describe what you want the way you'd brief a human designer. No technical codes, no magic words. Here are six simple things that get the best results.
1. Use the 4-part prompt
Don't dump a random pile of keywords. Tell it four things:
- The subject: who or what is the main focus
- The setting: where it is
- The style: a photo, a flat graphic, a watercolour
- The mood and lighting: warm afternoon light, soft shadows
Put it together in a sentence or two. For example: "A candid photograph of a warm, modern coffee shop at golden hour. A barista pours latte art behind a wooden counter, with soft lights glowing in the background." That's it. Job done.
2. Put your words in quotation marks
Older AI image tools turned lettering into alien gibberish. Nano Banana 2 can write text you can actually read. Put the exact words in quotation marks, then say where they go and what the font should feel like.
For example: "A minimalist coffee bag on a marble counter with the words 'ARCH ROASTERS' printed across the front in a bold, modern font." It's handy for posters, product mock-ups and social media graphics.
3. Edit it like a chat
If the image comes back 85% right, don't start again and roll the dice. Just talk to it:
- "Keep everything the same, but swap the red mug for a white one."
- "Change the daytime background to an evening street with shop lights."
- "Zoom out a bit so we can see the whole table."
This is a real time-saver, and it's where the tool starts to feel like working with a designer rather than fighting with software.
4. Give it a reference photo
You can upload a photo and tell it what to do with it. Add a clear headshot and say "put this person in a boardroom wearing business clothes." Upload a shot of your product and ask for that exact item in a brand new scene. You get consistency instead of a random lookalike.
5. Say the shape up front
If you know where the image is going, say so in your prompt. It saves you cropping and redoing things later.
- 16:9 for website banners and YouTube thumbnails
- 9:16 for phone screens and Stories
- 1:1 for regular social media posts
6. Use real-world references
Nano Banana 2 is built on Gemini's wider knowledge, so it already understands what you mean by "1970s Polaroid look", "modern Nordic interior" or "a step-by-step diagram of how a bicycle pump works". You don't have to spell out every detail.
The bottom line
You don't need to learn a new language to get good images. Describe it clearly, tell it the shape, then tweak it by chatting. If you run a small business and keep putting off social media graphics because they eat your time, this is a great place to start. Pick one image you actually need this week and have a go.
Want a hand getting set up? Book a free chat with me and I'll show you how to use it for your own business, in plain English.