Guide
AI food photo generator
An AI food photo generator creates a new photo of a dish or drink from your description, with no kitchen, props or camera. It suits concepts, mood boards, blog images and social posts. If a photo is meant to show a real dish customers will order, such as on a menu or a delivery app, use a photo of the actual food.
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Your first 3 images are free, no account needed
Food photo angles and the aspect ratio for each
Choose the angle first, then the frame that fits it: overhead and flat lay shots at 1:1, a 45-degree view at 4:5, side views of stacks, loaves and drinks at 4:5, 3:4 or 3:2, macro close-ups at 1:1, and wide, moody scenes at 16:9. Put the angle at the start of the prompt, as in “Overhead photo of…” or “Side view of…”.
| Angle | Ratio and size | Suits | Real example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead or flat lay |
| Round plates, bowls and tables with several dishes, seen from straight above | |
| 45 degrees |
| Bowls and plated dishes, where you want the rim and the food inside in one view | |
| Side view |
| Tall stacks, layers and sliced loaves, where height or the cut face is the point | |
| Side-on, for drinks |
| Glasses, where ice, layers and garnish show through the side | |
| Macro close-up |
| The texture of one ingredient: droplets, seeds, crumb or sugar | |
| Wide, moody scene |
| Blog headers and banners, with the dish in low light and room around it | |
| Studio backdrop |
| One dessert or dish on a plain color, easy to place on a page |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Sizes are the native output at each ratio. For the shapes each social platform uses for posts, Stories and carousels, see AI images for social media.
AI food photo prompts with real results
A food prompt that works names the angle, the dish and what is on it, the surface and the light, roughly in that order. Each of the ten prompts below is shown with the real image it made, the style and ratio used, and a note on what the model added that the prompt didn't ask for.
Ratio 1:1
Overhead and flat lay
Shoot from straight above when the food is round or flat, or when several dishes share the table. Open the prompt with the angle, then list each item you want to see.
Words that set it up
- “Overhead photo of”
- “Overhead flat lay of”
Overhead
Spaghetti from above
Prompt
Overhead photo of a bowl of spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil on a linen tablecloth, a fork beside the bowl, soft daylight
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 1:1
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- A speckled bowl of spaghetti with roasted cherry tomatoes and ribbons of basil on creased linen, in daylight from a window at the top left. The fork rests on a small side plate next to the bowl.
- Not in the prompt
- Small balls of mozzarella and grated cheese on the pasta, a glass of water with a spoon standing in it, a dish of chili flakes and a napkin.
- Worth knowing
- If the dish has to match a recipe, list every topping and check the result for ingredients you didn't ask for.
Overhead
Breakfast flat lay
Prompt
Overhead flat lay of a breakfast table with a granola bowl with berries, a glass of orange juice, toast with jam and a small vase of flowers, nothing else on the table, soft daylight
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 1:1
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- Everything on the list: granola with yogurt and berries, two slices of toast with jam, a glass of orange juice and a small vase of wildflowers, on a worn wooden table in soft daylight.
- Not in the prompt
- A spoon in the granola, a butter knife on the toast plate and a linen coaster under the juice. This is our second render of the prompt; the first one added more.
- Worth knowing
- The prompt doesn't say what the table is made of, so the surface is the model's choice. Name one if it matters.
Ratio 4:5
45-degree angle
A 45-degree view is close to what a diner sees when looking down at a plate. It shows what is inside a bowl and the side of the bowl at once, and a 4:5 frame leaves room for the counter in front.
Words that set it up
- “45-degree view of”
45-degree
Grain bowl at 45 degrees
Prompt
45-degree view of a grain bowl with roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, avocado and herbs in a speckled ceramic bowl on a stone counter, natural window light
- Style
- Editorial
- Ratio
- 4:5
The Editorial style adds: “editorial magazine photography, refined composition, natural tones”
- What came back
- A speckled ceramic bowl of mixed grains with roasted sweet potato, roasted chickpeas, half an avocado, kale and herbs, on a pale stone counter by a window. From this angle you see both the rim and everything inside.
- Not in the prompt
- Cherry tomatoes, two spoonfuls of a pale sauce and seeds in the bowl, plus a glass of water with lemon, a fork on a striped napkin, a small dish of seeds and pots of herbs on the windowsill.
Ratios 4:5 · 3:2
Side view: stacks and loaves
Put the camera level with the food when its height or its cut face matters: a stack, a layer cake, a sliced loaf. A tall subject fits 4:5, and a long one fits 3:2.
Words that set it up
- “Side view of”
- “shallow depth of field”
Side view
Pancake stack
Prompt
Side view of a tall stack of pancakes topped with blueberries, maple syrup dripping down the sides, on a white plate, soft morning light, shallow depth of field
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 4:5
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- A tall stack topped with a mound of blueberries, with syrup running down the front and pooling on a white plate. The kitchen behind is out of focus, as the prompt's “shallow depth of field” asks.
- Not in the prompt
- A dusting of powdered sugar over the stack, the berries and the plate, more blueberries around the base, a fork, a striped napkin and a glass of water.
- Worth knowing
- Look closely at drips: here the syrup runs down in two almost parallel lines, tidier than syrup tends to fall.
Side view
Sourdough loaf
Prompt
Rustic sourdough loaf with a crackled crust, two slices cut on a wooden board with a dish of butter, light dusting of flour, warm side light
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 3:2
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- A round loaf with a cracked, floury crust and an open crumb, on a worn wooden board with a dish of soft butter and a wooden spreader. Warm light comes from a window on the left.
- Not in the prompt
- The prompt asks for two slices, and the board holds three. A linen cloth, a bowl with a spoon and a plant sit in the soft background.
- Worth knowing
- When a prompt gives a number, count it in the result.
Ratios 3:4 · 4:5
Drinks
Photograph a drink from the side so that the ice, the layers and the garnish show through the glass. Name the glass, the color of the drink and one garnish.
Words that set it up
- “Side-on photo of”
- “in a coupe glass”
- “with a lemon twist”
Drinks
Iced coffee
Prompt
Side-on photo of an iced coffee in a tall glass with condensation and swirls of milk, on a marble café table, bright window light
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 3:4
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- A tall glass of iced coffee with milk swirling through it, ice at the top and fine condensation on the glass, on a round marble café table. The camera sits level with the glass, so the swirls show through the side.
- Not in the prompt
- A metal straw, a speckled coaster, a saucer with a spoon, a folded napkin, and a blurred street outside the window with people walking past.
- Worth knowing
- If people appear behind a drink or a dish, check them as closely as the food.
Drinks
Coral cocktail
Prompt
A coral-pink cocktail in a coupe glass with a lemon twist on a glossy surface, pastel peach backdrop
- Style
- Studio
- Ratio
- 4:5
The Studio style adds: “professional studio product photography, unbranded, soft diffused light, seamless backdrop, crisp detail”
- What came back
- A coupe glass of coral-pink cocktail with a curl of lemon peel on the rim, in front of a plain pastel peach backdrop. The glossy surface came back as white marble that reflects the stem.
- Not in the prompt
- Ice and a few small bubbles in the drink.
- Worth knowing
- Change only the backdrop color to match a campaign or a feed, and keep the rest of the prompt.
Ratio 1:1
Macro close-up
A macro prompt fills the frame with a single ingredient, so texture carries the picture. Against the dark background below, the red of the strawberry is the brightest thing in the square.
Words that set it up
- “Macro photograph of”
- “against a dark background”
Macro
Strawberry macro
Prompt
Macro photograph of a fresh strawberry covered in water droplets against a dark background, crisp detail
- Style
- Photorealistic
- Ratio
- 1:1
The Photorealistic style adds: “photorealistic photograph, natural lighting, sharp focus, high detail”
- What came back
- One strawberry fills most of the square, covered in water droplets, with its seeds and the green leaves at its top in sharp focus against a dark background.
- Not in the prompt
- The berry still hangs from its stem, with blurred leaves behind it, so it reads as fruit on the plant rather than fruit in a kitchen.
- Worth knowing
- To show a picked berry, say where it sits, for example on a slate board or in a small bowl.
Ratio 16:9
Moody, low light
For a dark, moody scene, name the low light and a plain dark background, and give the dish a wide 16:9 frame. That shape suits blog headers and banners.
Words that set it up
- “moody low light”
- “plain dark background”
Moody
Moody ramen
Prompt
A bowl of ramen with a soft-boiled egg, sliced pork and scallions on a dark wooden table, plain dark background, gentle steam rising, moody low light
- Style
- Cinematic
- Ratio
- 16:9
The Cinematic style adds: “cinematic film still, dramatic lighting, shallow depth of field, rich color grading”
- What came back
- A dark bowl of ramen with a halved soft-boiled egg, sliced pork and scallions on a worn wooden table. Thin steam rises into a dark, out-of-focus background, and the low light falls on the bowl and the edge of the table.
- Not in the prompt
- Nori, red chili threads, what look like bamboo shoots, and chopsticks on a rest. This is our second render; the first put the bowl in a noodle shop.
Ratio 1:1
Studio backdrop
With the Studio style on, the food sits on one plain color in soft light, with no table setting around it. Name the plate and the backdrop color, and keep props to one, such as a fork. See what the Studio style adds.
Words that set it up
- “seamless warm grey backdrop”
Studio
Chocolate cake slice
Prompt
A slice of layered chocolate cake on a matte grey plate with a small fork, seamless warm grey backdrop
- Style
- Studio
- Ratio
- 1:1
The Studio style adds: “professional studio product photography, unbranded, soft diffused light, seamless backdrop, crisp detail”
- What came back
- A tall slice of layered chocolate cake with frosting between the layers, on a matte grey plate with a small fork. The warm grey backdrop runs from the tabletop into the background with no visible edge.
- Not in the prompt
- Chocolate curls on top of the slice and a few crumbs on the plate.
- Worth knowing
- A plain backdrop leaves clean space around the food, so the image is easy to place on a page or in a post.
How these images were made
Every image in this section was generated on with nano-banana-lite through Moda's API, from exactly the prompt and style shown, with the same prompt-building code as our AI photo generator with no sign-up. The example images were resized for the web to 640 and 1280 pixels wide, cropped to the exact aspect ratio where needed and converted to WebP, without retouching; for every aspect ratio except 16:9 the 1280-pixel copy is larger than the image the generator returns. The ramen image also had a thin black border, which the model drew around the frame, trimmed from its edges before resizing.
AIPhoto-Generator is independent: a customer of Moda, not owned by or affiliated with Moda or Google.
Light, surfaces and props: words that help
Name one light and one surface in every food prompt, and name the props you want rather than leaving them open. The words below all come from real prompts on this site, each with what came back in its image.
Light
Name one light, with its color or direction if it matters.
soft daylight
Even window light from the edge of the frame, with soft shadows under the bowls.
Seen in: Spaghetti from above, Breakfast flat lay
soft morning light
Pale, gentle light: a hazy window glowing behind the pancakes, and window light falling across the latte from the side.
Seen in: Pancake stack, Latte art from above, on the prompts page
warm side light
Golden light from the left that catches the cracks in the crust and throws soft shadows across the board.
Seen in: Sourdough loaf
bright window light
A bright café window in the frame, lighting the glass from behind.
Seen in: Iced coffee
natural window light
Daylight from a window on the left, with the window itself in the picture.
Seen in: Grain bowl at 45 degrees
moody low light
Most of the frame falls to near black, and the light picks out the bowl, the egg and the edge of the table.
Seen in: Moody ramen
Surfaces
Say what the food sits on, and what it is made of.
linen tablecloth
Creased, natural linen with a visible weave.
Seen in: Spaghetti from above
walnut table
Warm brown wood with a strong grain.
wooden board
A worn, floury board, scuffed along its edge.
Seen in: Sourdough loaf
marble café table
A round white marble top with soft grey veins.
Seen in: Iced coffee
stone counter
A pale, pitted slab of stone with rough edges.
Seen in: Grain bowl at 45 degrees
glossy surface
White marble polished enough to reflect the stem of the glass.
Seen in: Coral cocktail
seamless warm grey backdrop
One even grey from the tabletop into the background, with no line where they meet.
Seen in: Chocolate cake slice
Props
List the props you want, each with a size or a place.
a fork beside the bowl
A fork resting on a small side plate, with a napkin the prompt didn't mention.
Seen in: Spaghetti from above
a dish of butter
A small dish of soft butter with a wooden spreader.
Seen in: Sourdough loaf
a small vase of flowers
A little ceramic vase of wildflowers at the back of the table.
Seen in: Breakfast flat lay
a lemon twist
A curl of lemon peel hooked over the rim of the glass.
Seen in: Coral cocktail
nothing else on the table
The listed food, juice and flowers, with only cutlery and a coaster beside them.
Seen in: Breakfast flat lay
Props you don't name can still appear. Water glasses, napkins and small side dishes turned up in most of the table scenes on this page. When you need a clear surface, list the props you want and end the list with “nothing else on the table”, as the breakfast flat lay prompt does.
Common AI food photo mistakes and how we fixed them
Common problems in AI food photos are things nobody asked for: extra props, text-like marks in the background, odd cutlery, piles of garnish or a plastic shine. Two of our own first renders went wrong in this way, and changing the words of the prompt fixed both.
The first renders aren't shown on this page, so they are described in words.
The ramen that landed in a noodle shop
First render
Our first render of the ramen prompt, with the Cinematic style, put the bowl inside a noodle shop, with signs on the wall carrying characters that looked like writing but weren't.
The fix
a dark wooden table, plain dark background
We changed the setting to these words and generated again. The new image has no legible signs or lettering: the bowl sits on worn wood in front of a dark, out-of-focus room.
See the final image and prompt: Moody ramenThe breakfast table with a book and a second pair of glasses
First render
Our first breakfast flat lay added an open book covered in tiny pseudo-text and a second pair of glasses, neither of which the prompt asked for.
The fix
nothing else on the table
We added these words after the list of items. The next render came back with a clean table: the granola, toast, juice and flowers, with only a spoon, a knife and a coaster beside them.
See the final image and prompt: Breakfast flat lay7 checks before you publish an AI food photo
Cutlery
Count the tines on every fork and follow each handle to its end. Look for cutlery in odd places, like the spoon standing in a glass of water beside our spaghetti.
Steam
Steam should be thin and rise only from hot food. Thick, smoky plumes, or steam over a cold dessert, give an image away.
Plastic-looking gloss
Sauces, glazes, fruit and chocolate should have small, uneven highlights. One smooth shine across everything looks like plastic.
Garnish overload
Herbs, seeds and sauce scattered over every surface make a dish look busy. Our spaghetti and grain bowl both came back with toppings their prompts didn't list.
Extra props
Compare the table with your prompt. Glasses, napkins and side dishes turned up in most of our results without being asked for.
Text on packaging
Jars, bottles, menus, boards and signs can carry invented lettering or brand-like marks. Leave packaging out of the prompt, or read every letter.
Counts
Count anything you asked for by number. Our sourdough prompt asks for “two slices”, and the board came back with three.
For giveaways that aren't specific to food, such as hands, garbled text and shadows that disagree with the light, see how to make AI photos look real.
When not to use AI food photos
Don't use an AI image to show a specific dish that people will order or buy. On a menu, a delivery listing or an ad for a particular item, people expect the photo to show what will arrive, so use a photo of the real food.
Good fits for AI food photos
- Concept and mood boards before a food shoot
- Headers and illustrations for articles about food in general
- Social posts about a season, an event or an idea
- Layout mockups for a menu, a website or packaging, replaced with real photos before launch
Use a photo of the real food
- Menu items and daily specials
- Delivery-app and marketplace listings
- Ads and promotions for a specific dish or product
- Recipe posts that show the result of your recipe
- Reviews, portion sizes and nutrition information
A photo on a menu or a delivery listing tells customers what will arrive, and platform and advertising rules can require it to show the actual item. The rules differ by platform and by country, so check the ones that apply to you before you publish.
Where an AI image could pass for a photo of a real dish, label it as AI-generated. Our realism guide explains how to label AI images clearly.
What this tool can't do for food photos
Each image is one PNG of about 1 megapixel, made from text alone: you can't upload or improve your own food photos, text on packaging is unreliable, and only your first 3 images are free.
- About 1 megapixel
- A square image measures 1024 × 1024 px and a 16:9 frame 1376 × 768 px. That is fine for websites, social posts and slides, but too small for large prints such as posters.
- No editing of your own photos
- There is no photo upload, so you can't edit, retouch, inpaint or upscale a photo of your own dish, and there are no reference images or seeds.
- Text on packaging
- Lettering on jars, bottles, menus and labels is unreliable with nano-banana-lite. Moda's own description of this model points to its higher tiers for “heavy in-image text”, so add any words afterwards in a design tool.
- A new image every time
- The same prompt gives a different result each time, with no seed to repeat one. Download the image you want to keep, because image links may expire.
- 3 free images
- Your first 3 images are free, with no account and no email, and they don't reset. After that, generating uses paid images from an image pack or the Pro plan. At busy times, free capacity for the whole site can run out. Each image usually takes about 5 seconds, longer when many people are generating. Need more images? See pricing.
Questions about AI food photos
AIPhoto-Generator can't photograph or edit your own dish, commercial use follows our Terms and the model provider's terms, and we don't add a visible watermark.
Can AI make a photo of my own dish?
No. AIPhoto-Generator works from text only, so it never sees your dish and can't edit a photo of it. It draws a new plate from your description, and the details will differ from what you serve. When an image has to show what you actually cook, take a photo of it.
Can I use AI food photos commercially?
We don't claim ownership of the images you generate. Commercial use is subject to our Terms of Service and the model provider's terms. The Terms forbid images that infringe trademarks or copyrighted characters, so keep brand names and logos out of food prompts.
Do the food images have a watermark?
We don't add a visible watermark, so any AI label on a food image is yours to add where it is needed.
Keep reading
- AI images for social mediaWhich aspect ratio to pick for posts, Stories and carousels, with real examples and notes on size and text.
- How to make AI photos look realWhy AI photos look fake, and nine prompt fixes shown with real results.
- AI photo promptsEvery prompt shown next to the real image it produced, with its style and aspect ratio.
