Photorealistic surfaces, studio lighting, and polished commercial output. 2 credits / gen
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Model Guide · Seedream 4.0
Seedream 4.0 — Photorealistic AI Image Generator
Seedream 4.0 is built for commercial photography. It delivers studio-quality product shots, editorial portraits, and polished lifestyle images from compact, visual-first prompts. Whether you're generating product hero shots for an e-commerce listing, creating fashion editorial content, or building a brand mood board, Seedream 4.0 gives you consistent, high-resolution output without a photographer or studio setup.
Best for product ads & hero visuals
Short visual prompts, sharp results
Consistent lighting & composition
No watermarks
Best fitProduct photography, editorial portraits
Prompt styleShort, visual, material-specific (< 30 words)
Output qualityUp to 4K resolution
Alt modelGPT Image 2 for photo editing tasks
Complete Seedream 4.0 guide
How to Create Photorealistic Images with Seedream 4.0
One practical system for choosing the right subject detail, material, lighting, composition, and output settings—then turning them into repeatable commercial images.
01 · Capabilities and prompt structure
Build the Photograph Before You Add Style
Seedream 4.0 is strongest when the prompt describes a photograph as a set of visible decisions, not a list of vague quality words.
01Core StrengthsStudio-quality consistency
Seedream 4.0 excels at commercial and editorial visual work. Its training on studio photography datasets makes it the most reliable model for tasks where consistent lighting, material detail, and clean composition matter most.
- Photorealistic textures: skin, fabric, metal, ceramic, glass, liquid — rendered with natural detail and accurate light interaction
- Commercial studio lighting: key light, fill, rim separation — all controllable through prompt vocabulary
- Sharp product detail: clean shadow falloff, consistent edge definition, e-commerce-ready backgrounds
- Editorial portraits: natural skin tone, depth of field control, professional framing
- Reliable aspect ratios: 1:1, 3:2, 9:16, 16:9 — all output cleanly without cropping artifacts
02Prompt Formula & TipsSpecificity beats length
Seedream 4.0 performs best with the formula: [Subject] + [Material/Texture] + [Light Source] + [Surface/Background] + [Camera/Mood]
Keep prompts under 30 words. Specificity beats length.
Material vocabulary that works
- Surfaces: marble, travertine, dark oak, brushed steel, warm concrete, raw linen
- Finishes: matte, satin, glossy, frosted, hammered, etched
- Fabrics: raw silk, cashmere, denim, velvet, linen
Lighting keywords
- “warm side light from left” — commercial product depth
- “soft window light” — flattering for portraits
- “even studio lighting” — clean professional output
- “golden hour” — warm atmospheric outdoor scenes
- “rim lighting” — product isolation with edge separation
Avoid
- Prompts over 40 words (reduces output clarity)
- Abstract emotion words (“beautiful”, “amazing”) — describe visual properties instead
- Mixing multiple conflicting styles in one prompt
02 · Seedream 4.0 prompt templates
Start With a Proven Prompt, Then Change One Visual Variable
These compact prompts cover the highest-value commercial use cases. Keep the structure stable while changing the subject, surface, or light.
01
Product Photography
02
Editorial Portrait
03
Lifestyle & Scene
04
Creative & Campaign
03 · Prompt anatomy
How Every Prompt Term Shapes the Final Photo
This product example shows why each term exists, what visual property it controls, and what becomes less predictable when it is removed.
premium ceramic bottle, matte glaze, warm side light, travertine surface, 85mm editorial product photoPremium ceramic bottle
Defines the object and category. Removing “ceramic” often produces generic plastic or glass packaging.
Matte glaze
Controls highlight behavior. Without the finish, reflections can become glossy and inconsistent.
Warm side light
Creates depth and a directional shadow. “Studio light” alone gives less predictable shape definition.
Travertine
Anchors the product in a specific commercial environment instead of an undefined backdrop.
85mm editorial
Reduces wide-angle distortion and signals a polished campaign-style composition.
04 · Output settings
Match Aspect Ratio and Quality to the Final Placement
Choose the destination before generating. Native composition protects product margins, body proportions, copy space, and detail better than cropping afterward.
| Use case | Aspect ratio | Quality | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace hero image | 1:1 | 1K draft → HD final | Square framing leaves balanced product margins across listing grids. |
| Editorial product banner | 16:9 | HD final | Wide composition creates usable copy space beside the subject. |
| Fashion portrait | 2:3 | 1K test → HD final | Portrait framing preserves body proportion and editorial crop options. |
| Story or vertical ad | 9:16 | HD final | Generate vertically rather than cropping important details afterward. |
| Flat lay collection | 3:2 | 1K or HD | Landscape space supports several products without crowding. |
Model comparison
Seedream 4.0 vs GPT Image 2 vs Nano Banana
Choose the model that matches the job before you generate.
| Feature | Seedream 4.0 Best for photos | GPT Image 2 | Nano Banana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best use case | Text-to-image generation | Editing uploaded photos | Stylized illustration |
| Needs uploaded photo? | Optional (reference) | Yes (recommended) | Optional |
| Prompt length | Short (< 30 words) | Long instructions OK | Medium, character-focused |
| Output style | Photorealistic | Photorealistic / Edited | Stylized / Illustrated |
| Background removal | No | Yes | No |
| ID photo generation | No | Yes | No |
| Character consistency | No | No | Yes |
| Commercial product shots | Best | Good | No |
| Speed | Fast | Medium | Fast |
Use case showcase
What You Can Create with Seedream 4.0
Six commercial photography directions, each powered by a short visual prompt.
Seedream 4.0
E-commerce product shot
“premium glass bottle, marble surface, side lighting”
Seedream 4.0
Editorial fashion portrait
“woman, soft window light, editorial fashion, warm tones”
Seedream 4.0
Luxury skincare flat lay
“skincare products, pastel background, diffused studio light”
Seedream 4.0
Campaign hero visual
“bold color blocks, typography space, minimalist composition”
Seedream 4.0
Architecture interior
“modern living room, warm evening light, Scandinavian design”
Seedream 4.0
Street style portrait
“outdoor portrait, golden hour, candid, film grain aesthetic”
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Seedream 4.0
Seedream 4.0 is specifically tuned for commercial photography and editorial work. Unlike general-purpose models, it consistently delivers accurate material textures, studio-quality lighting, and sharp product detail from short prompts. It's the go-to model when you need output that looks professionally shot, not obviously AI-generated.
Keep prompts under 30 words for best results. Seedream 4.0 is trained on commercial photography descriptions, which tend to be concise and visual. Describe the subject, material, light source, surface, and camera style. Avoid abstract or emotional language — use specific visual vocabulary instead.
Yes. Seedream 4.0 handles both product and portrait photography. For portraits, specify natural expression, light direction, and background type. Example: "professional portrait, woman in her 30s, soft window light from left, warm skin tone, shallow depth of field, editorial style." Avoid prompts with more than one person unless you want a lifestyle scene.
Yes. You can upload a reference image to guide composition, lighting, or style direction. Seedream 4.0 uses the uploaded image as a visual reference rather than editing it directly. For direct photo editing (background removal, retouching), use GPT Image 2 instead.
Seedream 4.0 supports five aspect ratios: 1:1 (square, ideal for social media), 3:2 (landscape, photography standard), 2:3 (portrait), 9:16 (vertical video/stories), and 16:9 (widescreen/banner). Select the ratio in the generator settings before generating.
Use the same structural formula for every prompt in a series: same surface description, same lighting direction, same camera style. Example: all prompts in a skincare product series should include "soft diffused light, clean marble surface, editorial lifestyle" to maintain visual consistency across all SKU images.