Lesson Content

Structure reference vs. style reference.

Firefly may offer distinct reference modes for style and structure (verify current availability – features evolve). Where available: style reference guides aesthetic character (color, lighting, tone); structure reference guides compositional layout, framing, and spatial arrangement – where subjects are positioned, how space is divided, the general geometric organization of the frame. For controlling composition rather than aesthetic, structure reference is the appropriate tool.

Selecting effective composition references.

Effective composition references communicate a clear layout pattern: a three-quarter portrait composition reference communicates subject-to-frame relationship; a rule-of-thirds landscape reference communicates horizon positioning and space division; a close-up product detail reference communicates framing tightness and subject-fill. The reference image should have its compositional structure immediately legible – obvious framing, clear subject-to-space relationships, unambiguous spatial organization.

When to use composition reference.

Composition reference is most useful when: producing a series where all images should follow the same framing convention; adapting an established compositional style from an existing campaign to new generated content; or when text-based compositional direction alone doesn't consistently produce the intended framing. Text compositional language and composition reference are complementary – combining both produces the most consistent compositional control.

Combining style and structure reference.

When both aesthetic consistency and compositional consistency are required – particularly for a campaign image series – applying both style reference (color/lighting aesthetic) and structure reference (framing/composition) simultaneously provides the most comprehensive control over generation output. The combination approaches the control of working with a defined art direction brief: aesthetic, compositional, and subject direction all specified.