Enamel Pins, Impressionism And More: Four New Images Styles And Prompts To Try In ChatGPT

ChatGPT users can turn ordinary photos into early-2000s portraits taken with a bright flash, 1970s film photos, Impressionist paintings, and enamel pin designs by using a single text prompt.

OpenAI released ChatGPT Images 2.5 on September 8, 2026. The company says the model follows requested visual styles more consistently and does a better job of keeping people and other subjects looking like they do in the reference photos users upload.

Early hands-on tests also found that it was faster than the previous version and better at keeping people's and pets' appearances the same. This is important when changing a photo's style, because older models often changed people's faces.

Here are four styles to try, with a prompt for each.

Y2K Photo With Flash

This style copies the look of digital camera photos from the early 2000s. It uses a strong flash, slightly overexposed skin, and a grainy finish.

Prompt: "Turn my uploaded photo into a Y2K flash portrait: harsh on-camera flash, slightly overexposed skin, dark background falloff, digicam grain, baby tee and low-rise jeans. Keep my face and identity unchanged. 4:5 portrait."

1970s Portrait

This style uses the warm, faded colours often seen in photographs taken on film in the 1970s.

Prompt: "Restyle my photo as a 1970s portrait: warm Kodachrome fade, fine film grain, feathered hair, earth-tone backdrop, soft side light. Keep my exact face and expression. Head-and-shoulders, 4:5."

Impressionism

This style turns a photograph into a painting inspired by Claude Monet and other Impressionist artists. They focused on light and mood rather than small, sharp details.

Prompt: "Repaint this photo as an Impressionist oil painting in the style of Claude Monet: loose visible brushstrokes, dappled sunlight, soft blended colours, hazy edges. Keep the subjects and composition recognisable."

Enamel Pins

This style turns a person, pet, or object into artwork that looks like a collectible pin worn on clothing. It uses thick outlines and shiny blocks of colour.

Prompt: "Turn my uploaded photo into an enamel pin: simple flat shapes, bold gold metal outlines, glossy colour fills, tiny rivets, product-photo lighting on a pastel backdrop."

Tips for Better Results

Upload a clear, high-resolution photo. Choose one style for each request, because combining several styles can make the result less clear.

Ask the model to keep your face unchanged to help it preserve your appearance. Results can vary, so try adding follow-up instructions such as "make the flash harsher" or "use thicker outlines".