Photoshop & NanoBanana: A Dynamic Duo

NanoBanana is Google’s latest generative AI model, designed to produce hyper-realistic imagery with remarkable fidelity to texture, lighting, and spatial coherence. Unlike earlier models that often struggled with fine detail or contextual consistency, NanoBanana excels at preserving the integrity of subjects while transforming their surroundings with artistic flair. It’s particularly adept at understanding nuanced prompts, making it a powerful tool for both imaginative creation and practical editing.

The integration of NanoBanana into Photoshop’s Generative Fill tool has transformed the way we can approach image manipulation. Users can now select areas of an image and describe what they want to appear, be it a misty forest, a futuristic skyline, or a vintage car; NanoBanana generates it with stunning realism. The results are not only visually compelling but also contextually aware, blending seamlessly with the original image. As far as club competitions go, we all know AI manipulation is a no-no, but where should we draw the line? Clearly, adding elements not in the original image using AI is not allowed; however, what about when it comes to things like masking and colour enhancement, for instance? Interesting times ahead indeed.

I have included an image of a yacht taken earlier in the year. I could have changed the colours of the sails manually in Photoshop, which would have taken me ages. Instead, I selected the whole image, then typed into NanoBanana, “Change the colour of the sails on the boat to a red, white, and blue theme, please” It’s always good to be polite, even to an AI. Judge for yourself the result obtained in seconds. Note how it has not altered the texture or lettering on the sails. Imagine trying to mask them!

There is, however, a small drawback. Ah, there always is, I hear you say.

At the moment, the resolution is pretty poor, a bit like the current Firefly AI-generated elements currently in Photoshop. There are ways to vastly improve both, but for now, rather than selecting the entire image, just draw a rectangular box selection over the area where you wish to make the edit in Photoshop. This will open the contextual bar. Make sure to change the AI engine from Firefly to NanoBanana and type in your prompt. No need to mess around with fiddly selection tools. Future versions, hopefully, will be of better quality.

Resolution improving software is out there if you want it to further enhance the edit, but for smaller areas, it’s a cinch.

This integration is currently available in Photoshop beta, allowing early adopters to experiment with the technology and provide feedback. The workflow remains intuitive: select, prompt, generate. But the results are anything but ordinary. As AI continues to evolve, integrations like NanoBanana in Photoshop signal a shift toward collaborative creativity where human imagination and machine precision work hand in hand.

Whether you’re a seasoned Photoshop user or a curious newcomer, the NanoBanana-Photoshop fusion invites you to reimagine what’s possible, and to do so with elegance, speed, and depth.