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A reference image tells holala the look you want. Your product image says what to render; the reference says how it should feel — the scene, the pose, the lighting, the color tone. It’s the fastest way to steer a result without writing a prompt.
A reference is optional. Most templates run fine on your product image alone. Add a reference only when you have a specific look in mind — a scene, a mood, a lighting style you want to match.

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What a reference controls

Think of the reference as a mood board, not a copy target. holala reads the atmosphere from it and applies that feel to your product. It does not paste your product into the reference photo, and it does not swap in the reference’s product. A good reference carries one clear idea: a single scene, a single lighting setup, a single color story. When you hand it one clean signal, you get a clean, brand-consistent result.

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Good vs. weak references

A strong reference
  • One clear style or atmosphere
  • Shows the exact lighting and color tone you want
  • Same product category as yours
  • Clean, uncluttered composition
  • High resolution, sharp, full frame
A weak reference
  • Busy scene with competing subjects
  • A different product category than yours
  • Mixed or contradictory lighting
  • Low resolution or blurry
  • Cropped, or several products in one frame
Category match matters more than people expect. A reference in the same category as your product (bag → bag, sneaker → sneaker) gives the model the right proportions and context to work from.

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Three types of reference

Different jobs call for different references. Pick the one that matches what you’re trying to steer.
Controls where the product sits — the setting, surface, and props around it.Use a scene reference when you want your product placed in a specific environment: a marble countertop, a sunlit café table, a soft studio sweep. holala borrows the setting and mood, then drops your product into a result that matches it.
Common reference mistakes
  • Busy scenes — multiple subjects confuse the model about what to echo.
  • Category mismatch — a furniture reference for a lipstick pulls the result off. Keep the category the same.
  • Contradictory lighting — a reference lit three different ways gives no clear signal to follow.
  • Low res, cropped, or multi-product — the same quality bar as your product photo applies here. Blurry or cropped references produce blurry, off-frame direction.
  • Expecting a copy-paste — the reference guides atmosphere; it does not transplant your product into it, nor its product into your result.

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Next steps

Prepare your product image

The reference only helps if your product photo is clean. See the input prep rules for the required product image.

How credits work

Every generation costs credits. More variations and higher resolution cost more — plan before you generate.