Retro cinematic portraits with a 1990s Hong Kong vibe are currently trending on Instagram Reels and aesthetic feeds.
These images capture nostalgia, urban textures, and moody lighting that social media users find captivating.
The combination of authentic newspaper-covered walls, dewy skin, and messy hair creates a visually striking, photorealistic look.
You can easily create this viral AI image for free using Google Gemini, even if you’re not a professional photographer.
The Viral Prompt (Google Gemini AI Image Prompt)
Create a photorealistic retro Hong Kong portrait with an authentic 1990s film look. Half-body shot of a young person leaning casually against a narrow wall covered in old yellowed Cantonese newspapers. The subject has long, messy hair with soft strands falling across the face, a gentle gaze, glossy lips, and dewy skin. The room is narrow and intimate, with natural moody light casting subtle shadows. The overall mood is nostalgic, cinematic, and urban. High quality, ultra-detailed, 8K resolution, realistic textures, cinematic lighting, shallow depth of field, professional photography style, vintage film color grading. Create an image in 9:16 aspect ratio.
Pose Variant 1: Leaning Slightly Forward, Hands in Pockets
Create a photorealistic retro Hong Kong portrait with an authentic 1990s film look. Half-body shot of a young person leaning slightly forward against a narrow wall covered in old yellowed Cantonese newspapers, hands casually in pockets. The subject has long, messy hair with soft strands falling across the face, a gentle gaze, glossy lips, and dewy skin. The room is narrow and intimate, with natural moody light casting subtle shadows. The overall mood is nostalgic, cinematic, and urban. High quality, ultra-detailed, 8K resolution, realistic textures, cinematic lighting, shallow depth of field, professional photography style, vintage film color grading. Create an image in 9:16 aspect ratio.
Pose Variant 2: Sitting on the Floor, Back Against Wall
Create a photorealistic retro Hong Kong portrait with an authentic 1990s film look. Half-body shot of a young person sitting on the floor, back leaning against a narrow wall covered in old yellowed Cantonese newspapers, legs slightly bent. The subject has long, messy hair with soft strands falling across the face, a gentle gaze, glossy lips, and dewy skin. The room is narrow and intimate, with natural moody light casting subtle shadows. The overall mood is nostalgic, cinematic, and urban. High quality, ultra-detailed, 8K resolution, realistic textures, cinematic lighting, shallow depth of field, professional photography style, vintage film color grading. Create an image in 9:16 aspect ratio.
How to Customize This Prompt
You can easily tweak the prompt to make it personal:
- Hair style/color: change to short hair, black, brown, or highlights
- Outfit: add a jacket, hoodie, or retro T-shirt
- Room details: switch newspaper wall to posters, graffiti, or magazines
- Mood/expression: soft gaze, serious, playful, or mysterious
Just replace these keywords in the prompt before generating the image.
How to Create This Image Using Google Gemini
Follow these 4 easy steps:
- Open Google Gemini on desktop or mobile.
- Paste the refined prompt provided above.
- Add “Create an image in 9:16 aspect ratio” at the end of the prompt.
- Generate the image and download your favorite version.
Your Instagram-ready Hong Kong retro portrait is ready to use.
Conclusion
This Hong Kong retro 1990s portrait is perfect for Reels, story highlights, and urban aesthetic feeds.
The combination of nostalgic newspaper walls, cinematic lighting, and messy hair makes it highly engaging and shareable.
Use this Google Gemini viral prompt, customize it slightly if desired, and showcase your creation on Instagram.
With the right caption and mood music, this AI portrait can easily capture attention and go viral
