Midjourney Prompting Guide

Master the art of crafting effective prompts for Midjourney AI image generation.

This guide will help you create stunning AI-generated images with Midjourney by mastering prompt crafting techniques and understanding key parameters.

Understanding Midjourney

Midjourney is an AI image generation model that creates images from text descriptions. The quality and style of the generated images heavily depend on how well you craft your prompts.

Note:

Midjourney V6 introduces significant improvements in photorealism, accuracy, and coherence. The prompting techniques in this guide are optimized for V6 but work across all versions.

Key Prompting Components

1

Subject Description

Clearly describe your main subject. Be specific about what you want to see in the image. For example, instead of "a cat," try "a Persian cat with long, fluffy white fur sitting regally." Subject Description Example

2

Style and Medium

Specify the artistic style, medium, or technique. Examples: "oil painting," "digital art," "pencil sketch," "photography," "3D render." Style Example

3

Lighting and Atmosphere

Define the lighting conditions and mood. Example: "dramatic sunset lighting," "soft ambient light," "moody chiaroscuro." Lighting Example

4

Composition and View

Describe the camera angle, perspective, or composition. Example: "wide-angle shot," "close-up macro," "aerial view," "Dutch angle." Composition Example

Advanced Parameters

Aspect Ratio

Control your image dimensions using these aspect ratios:

  • --ar 1:1 - Square format (default)
  • --ar 16:9 - Widescreen landscape
  • --ar 9:16 - Portrait orientation
  • --ar 3:2 - Standard photography ratio

Aspect Ratio Examples --ar 16:9

Image Quality and Detail

  • --q 1 - Regular quality (faster)
  • --q 2 - High quality (slower)
  • --s 100-1000 - Control the level of detail (higher values = more detail)

Quality Comparison

Style Control

  • --style raw - Minimal artistic interpretation
  • --style 4a/4b/4c - Different aesthetic styles
  • --niji - Anime/illustration style

Style Examples

Prompt Structure Best Practices

  1. Basic Structure:
[Subject] [Action/Pose] [Environment], [Style], [Lighting], [Camera Angle] --ar [ratio] --q [quality]
  1. Adding Details:
[Main Element], [Material], [Color], [Size], [Additional Details], [Artistic Style], [Lighting], [Atmosphere]

Example Prompts

Portrait Photography

Professional portrait of a young woman, soft natural lighting, shallow depth of field, shot on Hasselblad, Kodak Portra 400 film simulation --ar 4:5 --q 2

Portrait Example

Fantasy Landscape

Mystical floating islands with waterfalls, ancient ruins covered in bioluminescent plants, ethereal atmosphere, golden hour lighting, epic wide shot, fantasy concept art --ar 16:9

Landscape Example

Product Visualization

Minimalist white ceramic coffee mug on marble surface, soft gradient background, product photography, studio lighting setup, commercial photography style --ar 1:1

Product Example

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  1. Overcomplicated Prompts: Keep prompts clear and focused
  2. Contradictory Terms: Avoid conflicting style descriptions
  3. Vague Descriptions: Be specific about important details
  4. Missing Key Elements: Include style and composition information

Tips for Better Results

  1. Start with basic prompts and iterate based on results
  2. Save successful prompts as templates
  3. Experiment with different parameter combinations
  4. Use reference images with --iw for style matching

Note:

Midjourney has content policies that prohibit certain types of images. Always review the guidelines to ensure your prompts comply with platform rules.

Version-Specific Features

V6 Capabilities

  • Enhanced photorealism
  • Better prompt understanding
  • Improved coherence
  • More accurate text rendering
  • Better handling of complex scenes

Best Practices for V6

  1. Use natural language descriptions
  2. Focus on detailed subject descriptions
  3. Leverage new style mixing capabilities
  4. Experiment with subtle parameter adjustments

Iterative Refinement

  1. Start with a basic concept
  2. Analyze the generated image
  3. Adjust parameters and descriptions
  4. Use variations to explore alternatives
  5. Refine based on preferred elements

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