OpenMontage/skills/creative/image-provider-usage.md

Image Provider Usage for OpenMontage

How to choose between image generation and stock providers, and how to use each effectively. Supplements the existing image-gen-usage.md (which covers FLUX prompting in depth).

Provider Landscape

Generation Providers (AI creates the image)

Tool	Provider	Cost	Speed	Best For
flux_image	FLUX 2 Pro via fal.ai	~$0.03-0.05	~5-10s	Photorealism, general purpose, workhorse
openai_image	GPT Image 1 (OpenAI)	~$0.01-0.17	~5-15s	Complex instructions, text in images, multi-element
recraft_image	Recraft V4 via fal.ai	~$0.04-0.25	~5-10s	Logos, SVG vectors, brand assets, text rendering
local_diffusion	Stable Diffusion (local)	Free	~30s+	Offline, privacy, free
image_gen	Multi (legacy, deprecated)	Varies	Varies	Deprecated — use image_selector or per-provider tools

Stock Providers (search and download existing images)

Tool	Provider	Cost	Speed	Best For
pexels_image	Pexels	Free	~2-5s	High-quality photography, color filtering
pixabay_image	Pixabay	Free	~2-5s	Large library, category filtering, illustrations

Selector

Tool	Purpose
image_selector	Routes to the best available provider based on preference and availability

Provider Selection by Scene Type

Scene Type	Primary Provider	Why	Fallback
Real-world photo (city, nature, people)	pexels_image	Real photos > AI for realism	pixabay_image → flux_image
Technical diagram	diagram_gen	Structured, editable	flux_image with diagram prompt
Abstract/conceptual illustration	flux_image	AI excels at custom concepts	openai_image
Logo or brand asset	recraft_image	SVG support, text accuracy	openai_image
Image with text/labels	openai_image	Best text rendering (GPT Image 1)	recraft_image
Complex multi-element composition	openai_image	Best instruction following	flux_image
Hero image (key visual)	flux_image	Highest visual quality	openai_image
Thumbnail	flux_image or recraft_image	Needs to be eye-catching	—
Budget/free project	pexels_image or pixabay_image	Free, immediate	local_diffusion
Offline/air-gapped	local_diffusion	No network needed	—

Cost-Quality Tradeoff

PRODUCTION PATH: Premium
├── Hero images: flux_image ($0.05/img)
├── Supporting visuals: flux_image ($0.03/img)
├── Text overlays: openai_image ($0.04/img)
├── B-roll stills: pexels_image ($0.00)
└── Total for 10 images: ~$0.35

PRODUCTION PATH: Standard
├── All generated: flux_image ($0.03/img)
├── B-roll stills: pexels_image ($0.00)
└── Total for 10 images: ~$0.25

PRODUCTION PATH: Budget
├── All stock: pexels_image + pixabay_image ($0.00)
├── Diagrams: diagram_gen ($0.00)
└── Total: $0.00

PRODUCTION PATH: Offline
├── All generated: local_diffusion ($0.00)
├── Diagrams: diagram_gen ($0.00)
└── Total: $0.00 (but slower, lower quality)

Using the Image Selector

For most cases, use image_selector and let it route:

# The selector finds the best available provider
result = image_selector.execute({
    "prompt": "aerial view of a modern data center",
    "preferred_provider": "auto",  # or "flux", "pexels", etc.
    "output_path": "assets/images/scene-3.png"
})

Override with preferred_provider when you know which provider is best for the scene type. Use allowed_providers to restrict to free or local options:

# Budget mode: only free providers
result = image_selector.execute({
    "prompt": "server room interior",
    "allowed_providers": ["pexels", "pixabay", "local_diffusion"],
    "output_path": "assets/images/scene-3.jpg"
})

Consistency Across Mixed Sources

When mixing stock and generated images in the same video, visual consistency is the challenge.

Strategy: Color Grade Everything

Apply the playbook's color grading LUT to both stock and generated images in the compose stage. This unifies the look. The color_grade enhancement tool handles this.

Strategy: Match Playbook Style in Prompts

When generating images, always prepend the playbook's image_prompt_prefix. When searching stock, use the playbook's color names in search filters (Pexels supports color filtering).

Strategy: Avoid Mixing Styles Within a Scene

Don't use a stock photo for one element and an AI illustration for another in the same scene. Keep each scene internally consistent — all stock or all generated.