A Photo Avatar lets you bring a still image to life! Simply upload a photo, and we’ll transform it into a dynamic, animated version that lip-syncs perfectly to your script. With natural expressions and realistic movements, it feels like the person in the photo is actually speaking. It’s a fun, engaging way to make your content stand out.
🛎️ Note: Photo Avatars can only be created from human-like faces - i.e. if the character has human features [eyes, mouth, etc.]. The best output will always be human characters, but other human-like outputs may be successful with trial and error.
Photo Avatar Limits by Plan:
| Free | Creator | Team+ |
Photo Avatar Slots | 3 | 10 | Unlimited |
Looks Per Slot [Photo + Video Avatar Combined] | 300 | 300 | 300 |
Training | N/A | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Looks Generations | 40 Looks per calendar month | 400 Looks per calendar month | Unlimited |
Add Motions | 3 Motions per calendar month | 100 Motions per calendar month | Unlimited |
⚠️ Important: On Free or Creator tiers, deleting a Look does not restore the used slot, as the image has already been generated.
Upload Your Own Photo Avatar
Go to the Avatars tab, choose Photo Avatar, and select Upload.
Generate an AI Photo Avatar
If you don't have a photo you'd like to use or want to create a completely new character, try out the generative feature! Just select the Photo Avatar tab, then click Generate. Here, you can type in a prompt and watch the photos generate in no time! Just make sure to press Save to keep them in your Photo Avatar catalogue.
Photo Avatar Prompting Best Practices
Creating effective AI image prompts is essential for generating high-quality, visually appealing, and accurate images. A well-crafted prompt ensures the AI understands your expectations and produces the desired output. This guide outlines best practices for crafting detailed and specific AI image prompts.
Structure of a Strong AI image prompt
A strong AI image generation prompt should follow four key components in this order:
Image type: Specify the kind of image you want (e.g., photo, product shot, illustration)
Main Subject: Clearly describe the central focus of the image (e.g., product, person, animal, object)
Background scene: Provide context by describing the setting (e.g., studio, canyon, city street)
Composition style: Add modifiers to describe mood, lighting, and aesthetic (e.g., natural lighting, warm tones, ultrarealistic)
You can also define the orientation (landscape, portrait, square) and style (realistic, cinematic, vintage, cyberpunk, etc.).
Example Prompts:
Basic: "A product shot of a car on a road."
Improved: "A product shot of a luxury car parked on the side of a road, next to a canyon with a flowing river, in elegant, natural lighting."
Basic: "A photo of a plant on a table."
Improved: "A photo of a succulent in a ceramic pot, placed on a wooden table in a minimalist room with soft natural lighting and warm tones."
Tips for Prioritizing Details
AI gives greater emphasis to the earlier parts of a prompt. To ensure the most important elements are prioritized:
1. Start with the image type and main subject
2. Follow with the background scene and composition style
3. Add extra modifiers at the end to refine the output
Example:
"A photo of a golden retriever playing in a sunny park, surrounded by blooming flowers, with vibrant colors and natural lighting."
Using Iterative Prompting
AI image generation is an iterative process. Start with a basic prompt and refine it gradually to achieve the desired output. Add or adjust modifiers to tweak mood, lighting, or composition, and generate multiple outputs to select the best.
Steps for iterative prompting:
Start simple: "A photo of a cat on a sofa."
Add more details: "A photo of a white Persian cat lounging on a plush gray sofa in a modern living room, surrounded by indoor plants, with soft natural lighting."
Refine further: "A photo of a white Persian cat lounging on a plush gray sofa in a modern living room, surrounded by indoor plants, with soft natural lighting and warm tones."
Prompt Starters
Unsure where to start? Here are a few sample prompts to get you going!
Realistic Photo Sample Prompt
"A product shot of [product] on a [surface type] in a [studio setting], [composition style]."
Illustrative artwork sample prompt
"A flat illustrative artwork of [main subject] in [background], [composition style]."
Interior design sample prompt
"A photo of [object] in a [specific room], surrounded by [furniture and decor], [composition style]."
Common Photo Avatar Prompt Issues and Solutions
Below are suggestions for how to improve the most common issues our users face when generating images and avatars.
Mismatch between prompt and output
Ensure prompts are detailed and structured. Avoid vague language and include specific modifiers.
Low-quality images
Add terms like "high resolution," "sharp focus," or "ultrarealistic" to emphasize clarity.
Artifacts or distortions
Use terms like "clean rendering" or "artifact-free." Refine iteratively to reduce distortions.
Inconsistent style
Clearly state the desired style (e.g., realistic, cinematic, vintage) and avoid mixing multiple styles.
Lighting issues
Add lighting details like "natural lighting" or "warm tones" for better results.
Missing details
Include "highly detailed" or "intricate" to ensure key elements are included and accurate.
Incorrect details
Be specific about every element in your prompt and refine it iteratively if the output includes errors.
Unrealistic objects
Use terms like "realistic" or "lifelike" to guide the AI toward plausible renderings.
Bad cropping
Include framing instructions such as "wide shot," "mid-range" or "close-up" to control how the subject is positioned in the frame.
Unnatural poses or expressions
Specify "natural pose" or "authentic emotion" to improve realism.
Creating Videos with Your Photo Avatar
Next, head over to the Create Video tab and select Avatar Video. Choose your desired video orientation, then go to Avatars and select Photo Avatar. Pick your preferred photo avatar and add it to your work board.
From here, head to the Script tab to write what you'd like your photo avatar to say. For more details on scripts, check out this Script article. You can also choose a 'Voice' for your photo avatar in the script section - more details on Voices can be found in this Voice article.
Finally, you can add visual elements or text to make your video even more dynamic by navigating to the Text and Element tabs.
Motion Photo Avatar
You can now enhance your photo avatar with short motion videos, making your Studio creations more dynamic with both photo avatar and camera movement. To add motion, click the three dots on your photo avatar and select Add Motion. This will generate a new 10-second video version of your photo avatar, which you can use in Studio just like any other video avatar.
Limits by Plan:
Free Plan: Add motion to up to 3 photo avatars/times per calendar month.
Creator Plan: Add motion to up to 100 photo avatars/times per calendar month.
Team + Enterprise Plans: Unlimited motion photo avatars.
You have two motion styles to choose from: consistent or expressive:
Consistent Motion: Adds subtle motion for reliable results and higher usability.
Expressive Motion: Adds bold, dynamic motion that aligns closely with the prompt,
but with a higher error rate.
Motion Photo Avatar Prompting Best Practices
Use clear and direct descriptions
Avoid abstract or conceptual phrasing and instead use concrete descriptions.
❌ A person attempting to bypass security on a computer
✅ A person rapidly typing lines of code on a computer screen.
Avoid conversational or command-based prompts
Generative video models interpret clear, visual descriptions better than conversational phrases or commands.
❌ can you please make me a video about a cat walking away from her kittens?
✅ a cat walking away from her kittens
Similarly, avoid direct commands:
❌ add snow to the image
✅ snow covering the field from out of frame
Use Positive Phrasing
Negative prompts (what shouldn’t happen) are not well-supported and may result in unintended effects.
❌ The scene remains unchanged. No motion. An empty sky.
✅ Fixed camera. The shot stays steady. A bright, cloudless sky.
Prompt Keywords
Keywords can help achieve specific styles or effects in your output. Ensure your keywords align with the overall context of your prompt.
For instance, keywords about skin texture are more relevant for close-up shots, while a wide-angle scene might benefit from environmental details.
Experiment with the following categories to refine your prompts:
Mood: Stunning, radiant, delicate, striking, glamorous
Lighting: Warm lighting, natural lighting, cold lighting, dark aesthetic
Position: Centered, off to the side, on the left, on the right
Detail: Highly detailed, intricate, ultrarealistic
Angle/Viewpoint: Close-up, headshot, 3/4 shot, wide shot, low angle shot, high angle shot
By incorporating clear descriptions, positive phrasing, and cohesive keywords, you can craft prompts that consistently deliver high-quality results.
Let's break it down further below.
Expressive Motion Photo Avatar Prompting Best Practices
Basic Prompt Formula
To generate effective image-to-video content, structure your prompts as:
Main Subject in the First Frame + Motion/Change
Main Subject in the First Frame: The AI recognizes characters, objects, and environmental details based on the input image.
Motion/Change: Describes how the subject or environment evolves within the video.
Example Prompt: A confident business professional in a modern office + Smiling as they nod and begin speaking naturally.
Precise prompt formula
For enhanced control and dynamic results, add camera and atmosphere details:
Main Subject in the First Frame + Motion/Change + Camera Movement + Aesthetic Atmosphere
Camera Movement: Specify zoom, pan, tilt, or other camera actions.
Aesthetic Atmosphere: Adjust mood, lighting, and stylistic elements to match your creative vision.
Example Prompt: A confident business professional in a modern office + Smiling as they nod and begin speaking naturally + Subtle slow zoom-in to enhance engagement + Warm, professional lighting with a soft bokeh background for a polished and inviting look.
Consistent Motion Photo Avatar Prompting Best Practices
When using consistent motion, focus on describing movement rather than the scene itself. Over-describing the input image may lead to unintended results.
Example Prompt: Slight head tilt, occasional blinks, and a soft neon light flicker effect, with a gentle zoom-in.
Generating Different Looks
Interested in a Video Tutorial? Check out our Generating Looks tutorial below.
Look Styles
You can now choose from a variety of new Styles for your photo avatars. These styles are designed to help you customize and personalize your photo avatars to fit any style of image you need for your projects.
How to Generate a Style
To access styles from your Photo Avatar page, simply choose your preferred style then click Generate Looks. You can also use more accurate text prompts to specify any details you'd like your new looks to have.
Look Packs
Look Packs are curated collections of prompts that let you generate 20–30 high-quality looks at once of your photo avatar. These themed packs make it easy to achieve exceptional results without the trial-and-error of manual prompting.
Available packs include traditional themes like Office, Travel, Wellness, or fun themes like Black Tie, Superhero, and many more!
How to Generate a Look Pack
To access this feature, select Look Packs in the top of the selection box on your chosen photo avatar's homepage. Select your theme, then click Generate Pack. Please allow about 10 minutes per look pack to be completed.
🛎️ Note: Each look in your look pack counts as a look generation. Since the packs can be pretty large, free users might hit their plan limit after just two packs. Check the table above for the photo avatar plan limits.
Sound Effects for Motion Photo Avatars
Photo avatars that have been converted to an AI Video can now include Sound Effects that match the theme of your video.
For example:
Beach scenes feature wave sounds.
Forest scenes include ambient nature sounds.
How to Generate Sound Effects
To add sound effects to your Motion Photo Avatar Video, simply click into the video and click Add Sound Effects and wait for it to finish rendering! If you'd like to try a different soundscape, click back into the video and select Regenerate Sound Effects.
Upscaling Photo Avatars
Users can now upscale their motion looks to stunning 4K resolution and higher quality outputs.
Upscaling Thresholds by plan:
Free Plan: 2 upscales/day
Creator Plan: 10 upscales/day
Team + Enterprise Plans: Unlimited upscaling
How to Upscale a Photo Avatar
Click on the photo avatar you'd like to edit, then select Upscale. It's that simple! Please allow 10 minutes for the upscaling process to complete.
Product Placement
You can now generate Looks featuring your photo avatar alongside your product! This works for clothing, accessories, hand-held objects, and even larger items like furniture.
How to Add a Product
To get started, enter the Photo Avatar -> Generate Looks feature.
Input your prompt, and specify the desired orientation, pose, and style.
Upload clear images of your product: one of the product alone and another showing it in use (e.g., being worn or held). Refine your prompt to add dynamic motions to your generated looks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many photo avatars can I create?
The amount of photo avatars a user can create depends on their subscription. Free users can create up to 3 photo avatars, while Creator users can create up to 10. Both Team and Enterprise users have Unlimited photo avatar creations.
Why isn't my photo avatar speaking after I submit my video?
It's possible you uploaded your photo as an 'asset' instead of as a photo avatar. Ensure you are following the instructions above for proper photo avatar creation. If you followed the instructions above and are still not seeing the proper output, please reach out to [email protected] for assistance.
Why did my photo avatar fail / not succeed?
There are many reasons your photo avatar may have failed. See this article for a list of common failure reasons. If you still have questions, please reach out to [email protected] for a manual review.
Can I make a Photo Avatar of my dog, cat, mascot, etc.?
Photo Avatars can only be created from human-like faces - i.e. if the character has human features [eyes, mouth, etc.]. The best output will always be human characters, but other human-like outputs may be successful with trial and error.