The Nano Banana of Google Gemini is transforming the basic selfie taking into something strange and shocking in an interesting way – half alive portraits that are trapped between dream and shadow. The pictures it gives us are caressed with weird accuracy: faces are lit by an airy, spectral light; the atmosphere behind them is filled with apparitions, with flickering lanterns, with the radiance of pumpkins smouldering in the dark. The internet is buzzing all over the world as people get ready to celebrate Halloween on the thirty-first of October – the most popular American holiday after Christmas – with this spooky union of art and algorithm.
It is the start of Halloweens, when the ancient ceremonies of awe and respect are reenacted once more, and even the contemporary world cannot but look back. Following are some AI prompts that have been able to stir the imagination of millions, each of them a little spell in itself, calling forth faces of the borderland between memory and invention, beauty and dread.
Trending AI Halloween Prompts Take Over the Internet
1. Mafia & Monsters
Among the stranger concepts being spread by the Internet users is that of the X user @fahabib91. It calls upon individuals to imagine a weird coalition between mobsters and creatures of the dark. The idea is threatening and ridiculous, a marriage of strength and anarchy, which is performed in the dark sides of the mind. Perhaps it is so attractive because the monstrous and the criminal are so natural at recognizing each other.
“8k Hyper-realistic, A cinematic photo of a man (keep it real face 100% from uploaded image) he is wearing mafia suits with black boots, sitting on a bean bag holding a cigar in a circle surrounded by famous horror movie villains: Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Chucky, Pennywise the Clown, and Ghostface. They all sit together in seats on a couch, as if casually talking and smoking a cigar.”
2. Half-Human, Half-Skull
A second vision, shared by @Samann_ai, is colder and more intimate. It demands a portrait half man, half skull – the living face yielding to the dumb architecture of death. The picture is disturbing but attractive, as though it tells some unspoken truth about the thin line between the presence and disappearance. It is not as much a picture as a silent face to face with the inevitable.
“Create an ultra close-up 3:4 portrait of (CHARACTER), centered, camera extremely near the face. Vertical split down the midline: left side living skin, right side realistic human skull (or swap sides if requested).
Premium black mood: deep matte black background, dramatic low-key lighting, soft Rembrandt key at 45°, crisp rim on hairline, high contrast, no visible backdrop. Living side: hyper-real pores, subtle peach-fuzz, hydrated highlights, calm neutral expression, closed lips, eye tack-sharp with catchlight. Skull side: museum-grade realism; sharp sutures, micro-pitting, hairline cracks, dark patina in cavities. Mix of decayed and intact bone: some teeth chipped and eroded, others clean and intact; patchy erosion on zygomatic and maxilla; deep shadow inside the eye socket.
Seam: perfectly aligned anatomy at nose bridge, philtrum and jaw; no displacement or double features.
Composition: symmetrical, forehead to chin fully in frame, no cropping of the chin or skull. Lens & focus: full-frame 90–105mm macro look, f/2.8, extremely shallow DOF—focus on the living eye and front teeth; ultra-sharp details.
Color & grade: cinematic photoreal, neutral skin tones, bone slightly warm; no colour cast. Styling notes (optional): (hair / crown / glasses / earrings) kept minimal and only on the living side; no text, watermark, border, blood or gore. Quality tags: hyper-realistic, ultra-detailed, masterpiece, high-res, editorial. Parameters: aspect ratio 3:4, close-up, head-and-chin in frame.”
3. Gothic Candlelight Portrait
The other experiment of @Samann_ai produces the vibe of the Victorian age. It envisages a portrait, illuminated only by the shaky light of a candle, each wave of which intensifies the atmosphere of sadness. The outcome is one that is both beautiful and sad, a figure trapped between light and darkness, between beauty and destruction. It is almost possible to hear a ticking of an invisible clock in that empty room.
“Create a hyper-real 3:4 portrait of (CHARACTER) seated upright on a high-back Victorian armchair upholstered in burnt-orange velvet, centered, hands gently folded. A Halloween skeleton stands just behind the chair on camera-left, resting one bony hand on (CHARACTER)’s shoulder. Dress (CHARACTER) in an elegant Halloween outfit that fits their persona (gothic tailoring and/or lace), with a black-and-orange palette and fine textures. Scene set in a moody dark room: black paneled walls, big spiderweb decor, warm string lights, carved pumpkins on the floor, and wrought-iron candelabras with tall candles. Lighting is cinematic low-key: soft candle glow, subtle rim light, shallow depth of field. Camera at eye level, ~85mm, f/2–2.8, crisp eyes, rich fabric detail, natural skin, clean hands. Wood floor and vintage side tables visible. Ultra-detailed, 8k photoreal, PBR materials, no motion blur. Aspect ratio 3:4, portrait framing.”
Google Gemini Nano Banana Spooky Prompts
Even Google has not been left behind in this inquisitive procession. The company posted a list of Halloween prompts in its Nano Banana model on the twenty-fourth of October. The concepts are light-hearted, but there is a hint of the discomfort of machines participating in old human traditions.
1. Turn Yourself into a Victorian Ghost
“Transform this person into a semi-skeletal spectral translucent Victorian ghost. Victorian clothing. Maintain existing pose and framing. ultra-realistic photograph. black and white Daguerreotype. wet plate photography. streaks. Stains.”
2. Star in a 90s-Style AI Horror Movie Poster
“Create a photo of me in a dream Y2K style portrait of me laying in shiny purple bedding as I hold a large 90s-style landline in a daydreaming pose. My long hair falls freely in loose curls. I wear delicate jewellery and gold chunky rings. The room behind me is girly with 90s-style posters that are licence-free. My makeup is simple yet glamorous with pink lip gloss. The photo should have a grainy 90s style with a light source like a lamp in a dimply lit room at night. A 90s photo album rests beside me with a disposable camera. A ghost in a bedsheet stands behind me staring at me, slightly transparent, with its body dimly lit, and it should be standing in the doorway of a dimly lit hallway. The background behind it should be slightly dark and ominous.”
3. Pet Costumes and Magic
“Turn my cat, Sunny, into a cartoon character wearing a wizard costume.”
“Dress my dog in different costumes for Halloween.”
