Nano Banana Pro: The end of "I have no images"

If you are still posting pure text in 2025, you are playing on hard mode.

The data is clear: engagement on text-only posts is throttling down. The feed favours the "stop scroll" - and nothing stops a scroll like a human face or a dense data visualisation.

But here lies the bottleneck for most operators: The "Empty Camera Roll" Syndrome.

Most of us have great ideas but terrible asset libraries. Our phones are full of screenshots and blurry receipts, not high-resolution lifestyle shots. In the past, this meant you had two bad options:

1. Hire a photographer (expensive/slow).
2. Use generic stock photos (brand suicide).

Enter Google’s Nano Banana model. It has effectively commoditised the "personal photographer."

Here is the 3-part toolkit to bypass the visual bottleneck and build a content library from zero.

Do not use AI to generate "art." Use it to generate assets. Here are the three specific workflows I use to compete visually without leaving my desk.

1. The "Identity Clone" (Style Transfer)

Describing a "vibe" to an AI usually results in hallucinations.

This workflow lets you steal the lighting composition from a high-budget photo and wrap it around your own likeness.

• Input A: A clear selfie (The Subject).
• Input B: A photo with your ideal lighting/vibe (The Reference).

“Act as an expert photographer. Create a highly detailed image that captures the exact lighting, camera lens, composition, and aesthetic of [Image B], but features the Subject from [Image A].”

2. The "Anti-Stock" Portrait

Most AI portraits look like plastic. Smooth skin kills trust because it triggers the "uncanny valley" effect. You must prompt for imperfection.

Use this prompt to generate "B-Roll" lifestyle shots for standard updates.

“Act as a cinematic portrait photographer. Place me in a [Insert Setting: e.g., Sunlit Coffee Shop]. Use an 85mm portrait lens with high-contrast, natural window lighting. Critical: Render realistic skin texture, including pores and slight imperfections. Avoid the 'smooth AI' look. Style me professionally for the setting.”

3. The "Professor" Visualisation

Turn your transcripts or messy notes into a "whiteboard" aesthetic that implies expertise.

• Step 1: Enable "Thinking" in your model settings.
• Step 2: Copy the full text of your document (CTRL + A) and paste it into the chat.
• Step 3: Use this prompt to visualise the data:

“Take the provided text and transform it into a professor's whiteboard image. Draw diagrams, arrows, boxes, and captions that explain the core logic visually. Use these colors to match my brand: [Insert Hex Codes]. Output dimension: 1080 x 1350.”

The barrier to entry for high-quality visuals has collapsed.

In 2024, having no photos was a valid excuse. In 2025, it’s a choice. Your audience creates a connection with you, not your text.

Stop letting an empty camera roll dictate your content strategy.

If you want more prompts like these, then click here for personal pictures or here for infographics.

Stay curious, stay human, and keep creating.

— Charlie