Nano Banana Workflows: Generation, Editing & Blending

Nano Banana supports three primary workflows. Understanding each helps you choose the right approach for your project.

1. Pure Generation: Creating from Scratch

What it is: You describe an image in text, and Nano Banana creates it entirely from your description. This uses the model's reasoning phase to plan the composition.

When to use:

• Creating product mockups with text
• Generating marketing posters or promotional graphics
• Designing infographics or diagrams
• Visualizing concepts or ideas that don't exist in photos
• Creating illustrations or stylized artwork

Workflow Steps

Effort Level: Low → Medium

• Initial prompt: Moderate effort (need to be specific and detailed)
• Iterations: Usually 2-5 refinements through conversation
• Typical time: 5-10 minutes for a final result

Best Practices

Do:

• Be specific about subject, style, and composition
• Include context about intended use (LinkedIn, print, website, etc.)
• Describe lighting and mood
• Mention technical details if relevant (text placement, colors)

Don't:

• Use vague adjectives ("beautiful," "cool," "nice")
• Try to be too detailed about things you want the model to decide
• Assume the model knows recent trends without describing them
• Ask for multiple variations at once

Example Prompt

Create a professional LinkedIn headshot mockup of a woman in her 30s
wearing a navy blazer and white blouse, soft gray background with subtle
shadows, warm studio lighting, magazine-quality photography, suitable for
corporate website

2. Image Editing: Transforming Existing Photos

What it is: Upload your own photo and ask for conversational edits. Nano Banana modifies it while preserving the original's core.

When to use:

• Enhancing professional headshots
• Changing backgrounds in photos
• Modifying lighting or atmosphere
• Adjusting clothing, accessories, or styling
• Removing or adding objects
• Creating variations of existing photos
• Professional enhancement and retouching

Workflow Steps

Effort Level: Very Low

• Photo upload: 1 minute
• Initial request: 1-2 minutes (just describe what to change)
• Iterations: Usually 1-3 refinements
• Typical time: 5-15 minutes total

Best Practices

Do:

• Use clear, high-quality source photos
• Specify what to preserve ("Keep my expression and pose")
• Reference the current state ("The lighting is too harsh")
• Ask for natural, incremental changes

Don't:

• Upload low-resolution images
• Make contradictory requests
• Try to completely transform the person/subject
• Expect perfection—you may need post-processing for precision

Example Request

Change the background to a clean white studio. Keep my expression and pose
exactly the same. Professional headshot style.

3. Multi-Image Blending: Combining Photos

What it is: Upload 2-3 separate images plus a text description to blend them into one cohesive composition.

When to use:

• Placing yourself into vacation photos
• Blending multiple people into one portrait
• Creating photo composites
• Combining different locations or scenes
• Family photos with people from different shoots
• Artistic photo compositions

Workflow Steps

Effort Level: Medium

• Image preparation: 2-5 minutes (choosing and uploading)
• Composition description: 2 minutes
• Iterations: Usually 1-2 refinements
• Typical time: 10-20 minutes total

Best Practices

Do:

• Use high-quality source images
• Describe how images should interact ("Person in foreground, vacation backdrop behind")
• Specify lighting consistency ("Warm sunset lighting across all elements")
• Mention perspective and positioning ("looking at the scenic view")

Don't:

• Upload very different quality levels (mix of professional + phone photos)
• Try to blend more than 3 images
• Use extremely different lighting conditions
• Expect pixel-perfect alignment without refinement

Example Request

Blend these three photos: my portrait, my friend's portrait, and a beach
sunset backdrop. We should both be standing on the beach in the foreground,
looking at the sunset together. Consistent warm lighting and natural
expressions. Single cohesive photo.

Quick Comparison

Choosing Your Workflow

Ask yourself:

Do you have existing photos?

• Yes, one → Use Editing
• Yes, multiple (2-3) → Use Blending
• No → Use Generation

What's your main goal?

• Create something new → Generation
• Improve/transform existing photo → Editing
• Combine multiple photos → Blending

How much refinement can you do?

• High tolerance for iteration → Generation (most refinement cycles)
• Need results quickly → Editing (fastest workflow)
• Moderate refinement needed → Blending

Ready to start? Explore each workflow in depth through the Prompting Guide and see real examples.