🏴‍☠️ Stop Making Plastic AI Images

You can trick ChatGPT into taking photos that look like they were shot on a $10,000 DSLR camera just by changing a few words in your prompt.

Most people struggle with AI images that look glossy, fake, or distorted, even after adding words like “photorealistic” or “4k.” A Reddit guide pinpoints the real issue: your virtual lens choice. If you don’t specify a lens, models often default to a wide-angle look that flattens scenes and warps faces.

By forcing the AI to simulate telephoto lenses, you activate more realistic optical behavior: compression, depth, and natural separation.

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The Physics of Virtual Lenses
The guide says many models behave like a generic 35mm wide-angle lens by default. This creates two common “AI tells”: facial distortion (the selfie effect) and weak background separation. People can look pasted onto a sharp, flat background.

The key is that the model understands optical compression. When you specify a telephoto focal length (roughly 85mm–600mm), backgrounds appear pulled closer and more cinematic. Pairing longer lenses with wide apertures also creates real-looking bokeh and fixes unflattering face geometry without fake HDR tricks.

Three Levels of Telephoto Mastery

1. Match focal length to the subject
   You can’t pick random numbers; each range creates a different vibe.

• 85mm–135mm (Portrait Zone): Ideal for people and fashion. Flattering facial geometry, with busy backgrounds turning into soft light orbs.

• 200mm–300mm (Street & Automotive Zone): Strong compression. Background pedestrians become abstract shapes; for cars, skylines look larger and more powerful.

• 400mm–600mm (Wildlife & Sports Zone): The National Geographic/ESPN feel. Action looks isolated, crowds become a smooth wall of color, and distractions fall away.

2. Aperture and distance matter
   Typing “200mm lens” alone won’t do it. Add a wide aperture (like f/2.8 or f/1.4) to signal intentional background blur.

Also add distance cues like “shot from far away,” “distant shot,” or “from a distance.” Telephoto framing implies the camera is physically farther from the subject, and these keywords help the model render depth correctly. Avoid conflicting terms (don’t ask for wide-angle and telephoto-style bokeh in the same prompt).

3. The Telephoto Stack Template
   The guide offers a reusable prompt framework to hit all the triggers. Define Subject, Location, Light, Lens/Aperture, Distance, and Atmosphere in order.

• Start with the action: [Subject doing action] in [location].

• Set the camera: Shot on a [85mm/200mm/etc.] telephoto lens, [f/1.4 to f/5.6].

• Set the distance: From far away, distant shot.

• Define the look: Strong background compression, shallow depth of field, creamy bokeh.

• Refine the focus: Tack-sharp eyes, natural color, subtle atmospheric haze.

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Example prompt:

“Candid street photo of a woman in a trench coat walking in NYC, shot on a 200mm telephoto lens, f/2.8, extreme background compression, background is a wash of bokeh city lights, sharp focus on eyes, authentic film grain.”

Captain’s Takeaway
Prompt engineering often means translating real-world craft into text. Use photography principles to direct the model instead of fighting randomness.

Check out the full post to see the ten distinct examples and copy the prompts directly!

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