Headshot Generator
An AI-powered headshot generator built to experiment with the Gemini API and rapid prototyping in Cursor.
Stack: React 19 · Vite · Tailwind CSS · Express.js · Gemini Nano Banana
Why I Built This
I wanted a hands-on excuse to try Gemini Nano Banana, Google's image generation API, and see how far I could get using Cursor as my primary prototyping tool. A headshot generator felt like the right scope: small enough to finish in a weekend, concrete enough to actually be useful. Quick, fun, and a real test of both tools.
What I Did
- Built a React + Vite frontend with drag-and-drop photo upload and three style presets: Corporate Classic, Creative Professional, and Executive Portrait
- Wired up a lightweight Express backend to handle file uploads and proxy requests to Nano Banana
- Used Cursor throughout to accelerate prototyping: scaffolding components, debugging the API integration, and iterating on the UI
- Added side-by-side comparison and direct download so the output is immediately usable
The Result
- Working app that produces professional headshots from casual photos in seconds
- Got hands-on with Nano Banana's image generation capabilities and where it hits its limits
- Validated Cursor as a solid prototyping tool for full-stack side projects