# Held Prop > Pick up to 2 of 60 props for a subject to hold, such as a smartphone, a coffee cup, a book or a bouquet, and Nodaro adds how the prop is held to your prompt. Source: https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/held-prop The **Held Prop** picker puts an object in the subject's hands. You choose up to 2 props from its catalog, such as a smartphone, a coffee cup, a book, a guitar or a bouquet. Nodaro adds how the subject holds each prop to the prompt of every node you connect it to. The picker never calls a model, so it costs no credits. - Found in: Creative Controls › Scene - Output: text - API type: `held-prop` ## When to use it - Add context to a portrait: a briefcase reads as professional, a bouquet as romantic. - Put a product in someone's hand for commercial photography. - Direct the props of a storyboard. ## How to use it ### Add the picker Open the node picker and choose **Creative Controls › Scene › Held Prop**. ### Choose a prop Select the node and choose a prop in the settings panel. Each tile shows a photo of the prop, and the node card shows the same photo. The photos come with the app, so they appear on Nodaro Cloud and on self-hosted installs. ### Connect it Drag from the picker's output to the **Elements** input of a [Generate Image](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/image/generate-image) or [Generate Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/generate-video) node. You can also connect it to a [Text](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/automate/text) or [Prompt](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/automate/prompt) node to include the wording in a longer text. ### Run the image or video node The prop's wording is added to the end of the prompt when the connected node runs. Workflow: Person, Pose and Held Prop pickers feed the Elements input of Generate Image; the Held Prop picker holds two props. - Text → Generate Image (prompt) - Person → Generate Image (elements) - Pose → Generate Image (elements) - Held Prop → Generate Image (elements) ## Settings | Setting | What it does | | --- | --- | | **Held Prop (pick up to 2)** | The prop or props to add. The default is **Smartphone**. | | **Custom text (before)** | Your own words, added before the prop's wording. | | **Custom text (after)** | Your own words, added after the prop's wording. | | **Prompt hint** | **Full** describes how the prop is held in detail. **Compact** adds only the short phrase. See [Creative Controls](https://nodaro.ai/docs/guides/creative-controls). | To see the exact words the picker will add, switch the node to the **Prompt** or **Both** display mode. The settings panel shows the same text under **Will inject into prompt**. ## Hold two props To add a second prop, click the small **+** on the selected tile, then click a second tile. The tiles are numbered in the order you chose them. Click a number to go back to that one prop. Each prop adds its own wording. For example, **Book** and **Coffee Cup** add this text in **Compact** mode: ```text holding an open hardback book, cradling a ceramic coffee cup ``` ## What it adds to the prompt Each prop describes the object and the hand that holds it. For **Smartphone** it adds this text in **Full** mode: ```text holding a modern smartphone in one hand, screen lightly catching the ambient light, fingers wrapped naturally around the device ``` In **Compact** mode, it adds only `holding a smartphone`. ## Every held prop The catalog has 9 groups: Devices / Phones, Drinks, Smoking, Reading / Writing, Bags / Accessories, Floral / Nature, Instruments / Performance, Companions and Occupational. Search it or filter it by group. The words under each name are the term the picker adds in **Compact** mode. **Devices / Phones** - Smartphone: `holding a smartphone` - Phone Raised: `holding a smartphone raised at arm's length` - Polaroid Camera: `cradling a vintage polaroid instant camera` - Vintage Camera: `holding a vintage 35mm film camera` - DSLR Camera: `holding a dslr camera to the eye` - Video Camera: `shouldering a video camera` - Microphone: `gripping a handheld microphone` - Megaphone: `holding a raised megaphone` - Smartwatch: `raising a wrist to check a smartwatch` **Drinks** - Coffee Cup: `cradling a ceramic coffee cup` - Takeaway Coffee: `holding a paper takeaway coffee cup` - Wine Glass: `holding a stemmed glass of red wine` - Champagne Flute: `holding a champagne flute by the stem` - Martini Glass: `holding a classic martini glass` - Cocktail Glass: `holding a rocks glass with an amber cocktail` - Beer Bottle: `holding a brown glass beer bottle` - Water Bottle: `holding a reusable water bottle` **Smoking** - Cigarette: `holding a lit cigarette` - Cigar: `holding a lit cigar` - Vape Pen: `holding a slim vape pen` - Joint: `holding a hand-rolled joint` - Lighter: `holding a lit chrome lighter` **Reading / Writing** - Book: `holding an open hardback book` - Magazine: `holding a folded glossy magazine` - Newspaper: `holding a folded broadsheet newspaper` - Notebook: `holding an open lined notebook` - Pen: `holding a pen poised mid-write` - Marker: `holding a thick permanent marker` - Paintbrush: `holding a loaded paintbrush` - Chalk: `holding a stick of white chalk` **Bags / Accessories** - Handbag: `carrying a structured designer handbag` - Tote Bag: `carrying a canvas tote bag over one shoulder` - Briefcase: `carrying a hard-shell briefcase` - Umbrella: `holding an open black umbrella overhead` - Folding Fan: `holding an open hand-painted folding fan` - Parasol: `holding an open decorative parasol` - Locket: `holding an open vintage locket` **Floral / Nature** - Bouquet: `cradling a bouquet of fresh flowers` - Single Rose: `holding a long-stem red rose` - Sunflower: `holding a tall sunflower by the stem` - Leaf: `holding a large green leaf` - Apple: `holding a fresh apple in one palm` **Instruments / Performance** - Guitar: `holding a guitar slung across the body` - Violin: `holding a violin under the chin` - Saxophone: `holding a saxophone raised to the lips` - Drumsticks: `holding a pair of wooden drumsticks` - Sheet Music: `holding folded sheet music` **Companions** - Small Dog: `cradling a small dog in both arms` - Cat: `cradling a cat` - Plush Toy: `hugging a soft plush toy` **Occupational** - Katana: `holding a katana across the body` - Pointer Stick: `holding a telescoping pointer stick` - Gavel: `gripping a wooden gavel mid-strike` - Wine Bottle: `holding a wine bottle by the neck` - Lantern: `carrying a vintage handheld lantern` - Flashlight: `holding a flashlight raised forward` - Compass: `holding an open brass nautical compass` - Bow and Arrow: `drawing an archery bow with a nocked arrow` - Shield: `holding a raised medieval shield` - Work Gloves: `holding a pair of leather work gloves` ## Tips - **Match the pose to the prop.** Pair the picker with [Pose](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/pose), for example **Reading** with a book or **Talking on Phone** with a smartphone. - **Show how tightly it is held.** Use **Custom text (before)**, for example `clutched tightly`, or **Custom text (after)**, for example `with knuckles white`. - **Use Weapon for weapons.** The [Weapon](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/weapon) picker has 85 weapons with descriptions of their form. The Occupational group here has a few, such as **Katana** and **Bow and Arrow**, but it describes how they are held, for example `holding a katana across the body`. - **Use a separate object for the scene.** Held Prop describes what the subject holds. For an object elsewhere in the scene, use [Furniture](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/furniture) or an [Object/Props Asset](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/assets/object). ## Frequently asked questions ### What does the Held Prop picker do? It describes an object that the subject holds or carries, such as a smartphone or a bouquet. The description is added to the prompt of every image or video node it is connected to. It never runs a model. ### Does the Held Prop picker cost credits? No. Pickers only change the prompt. You pay only for the generation node that uses it. ### Can the subject hold two props? Yes. The picker accepts up to 2 props, for example a book and a coffee cup. Each prop adds its own wording to the prompt. ### Should I use Held Prop or Weapon? Use Held Prop for everyday objects that a person holds or carries. Use the Weapon picker for swords, bows, firearms and fantasy weapons. ### What is the difference between Full and Compact hint mode? Full describes how the prop is held in detail, for example the screen catching the light. Compact adds only the short phrase, such as holding a smartphone.