How to keep a face in AI photo generation
Face lock in Nano Banana Pro: which reference to upload, vs GPT Image and Banana 2. For avatars and a still series.
How we checked
One portrait reference on Nano Banana Pro, Banana 2, and GPT Image 2. We scored the nose bridge and eyes, not “pretty”. For cards and avatars, not an influencer serial.
Table: face lock
| Model | Realism | Text | References | Price | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana Pro | Best lock | Not about signs | Face matches the still | Flagship | Hero frame |
| Nano Banana 2 | Draft | Mid | More slots | Cheaper than Pro | Shape search |
| GPT Image 2 | Detail edits | Stronger type | Instructions on the frame | See the rate | Label and fix |
See also
Keeping a face means the person on the output is the same person as on the reference — not “a similar looking model”. In NEIRON that job sits on Nano Banana Pro. GPT Image is better at following written edits; Flux is better at style than identity.
This page is the lock itself. Building a whole influencer series is a different guide. Product shots and avatars use the same lock, then go to the image hub or to video.
What to upload
- One clear portrait: eyes visible, no heavy filters, no group crop.
- Optional second still of the same person, same lighting family — not a celebrity lookalike.
- Write “keep identity, do not change facial features” plus the new scene: coat, street, studio. Do not ask for a new ethnicity or age.
Pro vs 2 vs GPT Image
Nano Banana Pro is the face lock for a hero still. Nano Banana 2 is cheaper for drafts and takes more references, but identity is looser. GPT Image 2 is the tool when you already like the face and need to change a label, a hand, or a background by instruction.
Nano Banana Pro · Nano Banana 2 · GPT Image · Nano Banana vs GPT Image
Check before you download
- Eyes and nose bridge vs the reference, not just “pretty”.
- Teeth and jaw if the person is smiling on the still.
- If you need a series, reuse the same locked still as the start of every new scene — do not chain output into output until the face melts.
Avatars: square crop after a locked portrait. Marketplace cards: lock the face, then rebuild the packshot lighting separately so the product does not inherit skin retouch.
Guide: Wildberries cards · Then animate the still · Image generator · Open the studio