> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.holala.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reference Images

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.

<Note>
  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.
</Note>

## 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.

## Good vs. weak references

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Column>
    <Icon icon="check-double" /> **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
  </Column>

  <Column>
    <Icon icon="xmark" /> **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
  </Column>
</Columns>

<Tip>
  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.
</Tip>

## Three types of reference

Different jobs call for different references. Pick the one that matches what you're trying to steer.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Scene / background">
    **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.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Pose">
    **Controls how the model or product is posed** — angle, stance, framing.

    Use a pose reference for model and on-model templates when you want a particular body position or camera angle. It guides the *posture and composition* of the shot, not the model's identity.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Style / lighting">
    **Controls the light and color grade** — direction, softness, and tone.

    Use a style/lighting reference to match a mood: warm golden-hour glow, hard editorial shadows, clean high-key white. It steers the *lighting and color treatment* of the final image.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Warning>
  **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.
</Warning>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Prepare your product image" icon="image" href="/input-uploads">
    The reference only helps if your product photo is clean. See the input prep rules for the required product image.
  </Card>

  <Card title="How credits work" icon="credit-card" href="/credits">
    Every generation costs credits. More variations and higher resolution cost more — plan before you generate.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>