Studio Ghibli films captivate viewers worldwide with their unique, magical style. Beautiful landscapes, fantastic creatures, and incredible attention to detail have made productions like “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” or “Howl’s Moving Castle” achieve cult status. What if you could bring this magic to your own photos? Thanks to new ChatGPT features, it’s now possible! In this article, I’ll show you how to transform ordinary photographs into images inspired by Studio Ghibli’s style.
Why has the Ghibli style become an internet hit?
In recent days, social media has been flooded with photos transformed into Ghibli style. This trend quickly gained popularity for several reasons:
- Nostalgia – for many people, Ghibli films are part of their childhood and growing up, so seeing themselves or their loved ones in this style evokes strong emotions
- Unique aesthetics – Miyazaki and his team’s characteristic style is instantly recognizable and visually extremely attractive
- Technology accessibility – new AI models have made photo transformation easy and accessible to everyone
How to transform your photo in ChatGPT
Step 1: Prepare an appropriate photo
Before starting the transformation, choose a photo that will work well in Ghibli style:
- Photos with a clear foreground and background work best
- Photographs taken outdoors, especially in nature, give the best results
- Photos with good lighting, neither too dark nor overexposed
Step 2: Get access to ChatGPT with image generation feature
To transform photos, you need:
- An account with access to ChatGPT Plus (paid version) or ChatGPT Enterprise
- Access to the latest model version (GPT-4o) that supports visual features
Step 3: Upload the photo and provide appropriate instructions
- Start a new conversation in ChatGPT
- Click the attachment icon (paperclip) and upload your chosen photo
- In the text field, type an instruction, for example:
- “Transform this photo into Studio Ghibli style”
- “Process this photo to look like a scene from a Studio Ghibli film”
- “Convert this photo to animation in Hayao Miyazaki’s style”
Step 4: Refine the effect with additional guidance
If the first result isn’t fully satisfactory, you can ask for modifications:
- “Add more elements characteristic of Studio Ghibli, like flying creatures in the background”
- “Change the color palette to be more saturated, like in ‘Spirited Away'”
- “Adjust the lighting to resemble the golden hour, as in many scenes from Ghibli films”
Tips for achieving the best results
- Draw inspiration from specific films – if you have a favorite Studio Ghibli film, you can ask for a transformation specifically in its style
- Experiment with seasons – Ghibli films often showcase the beauty of all seasons, so it’s worth trying to transform photos from different seasons
- Don’t fear fantastic elements – ask for magical creatures, flying objects, or other fantasy elements to be added
- Keep it simple – overly complicated photos may not give satisfactory results
Examples of successful transformations
Ghibli style works best with the following types of photographs:
- Portraits in nature
- Landscapes, especially with water elements
- Architectural photos, especially of old buildings
- Pet photographs (which can be transformed into cute Ghibli creatures)
Ethical aspects and limitations
Remember a few important issues:
- Always respect copyright – don’t publish transformed photos belonging to others without their consent
- Inform your audience that the image was created with AI assistance
- Be aware that generated images may contain imperfections
More than just Ghibli – other styles to try
Once you’ve mastered the Ghibli transformation, you can experiment with other styles:
- Pixar style
- Disney film style
- Styles of other famous animators
- Various artistic periods (Impressionism, Cubism, etc.)
Original photo:
Ghibli:
Disney style:
The Simpsons:
Lego:
Grand Theft Auto:
South Park:
Transforming photos into Studio Ghibli style is a fascinating way to add a touch of magic to everyday photographs. Thanks to new ChatGPT features, this process is accessible to everyone. Experiment, play with different styles and settings, and you’ll certainly create stunning images that evoke the nostalgia and charm of Hayao Miyazaki’s films.