Midjourney Prompting Guide 2026: Master AI Image Generation in 10 Minutes

Creating breathtaking AI images with Midjourney starts with mastering the art of prompting. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your technique, this guide will transform you from prompt novice to AI art expert.

By the end of this guide, you’ll understand exactly how to structure prompts, which parameters to use, and how to achieve consistent, professional results every single time.

Understanding Midjourney Prompt Structure

A Midjourney prompt follows this basic structure:

/imagine [subject] [style] [composition] [lighting] [parameters]

Let’s break down each component and why it matters.

The Core Components of Great Prompts

1. Subject (What)

The subject is the main focus of your image. Be specific and descriptive.

❌ Weak: a woman ✅ Strong: an elegant woman in her 30s with auburn hair in a loose bun, wearing a vintage emerald dress

Pro tip: Lead with your most important element. Midjourney gives more weight to words at the beginning of your prompt.

2. Style (How)

Style dictates the artistic approach, medium, or aesthetic.

Popular style modifiers:

• Art movements: “impressionist,” “art nouveau,” “cyberpunk,” “vaporwave”
• Mediums: “oil painting,” “watercolor,” “digital art,” “pencil sketch,” “3D render”
• Artists: “in the style of Studio Ghibli,” “Alphonse Mucha inspired,” “trending on ArtStation”
• Photography: “shot on Hasselblad,” “35mm film,” “cinematic,” “documentary style”

Example:

portrait of a jazz musician, oil painting in the style of Edward Hopper, 
warm palette, dramatic brushstrokes

3. Composition (Perspective & Framing)

Control how your subject is presented.

Composition keywords:

• Distance: close-up, extreme close-up, medium shot, full body, wide shot, aerial view
• Angle: eye level, low angle, high angle, bird’s eye view, worm’s eye view
• Framing: centered composition, rule of thirds, symmetrical, Dutch angle
• Focus: shallow depth of field, bokeh, tack sharp, soft focus

Example:

close-up portrait, shallow depth of field, rule of thirds composition, 
subject slightly off-center

4. Lighting (Mood & Atmosphere)

Lighting dramatically affects mood and quality.

Lighting techniques:

• Time of day: golden hour, blue hour, midday sun, moonlight, twilight
• Quality: soft lighting, hard lighting, diffused, dramatic shadows
• Direction: backlit, side lighting, rim lighting, three-point lighting
• Style: cinematic lighting, studio lighting, natural light, neon glow

Example:

golden hour lighting, warm backlight creating a halo effect, 
soft shadows, sun flare

5. Quality & Detail Boosters

Add these phrases to enhance overall quality:

• “highly detailed"
• "8K resolution"
• "professional photography"
• "award-winning"
• "trending on ArtStation"
• "octane render” (for 3D-style images)
• “photorealistic"
• "hyperrealistic”

Essential Midjourney v7 Parameters

Parameters are added at the end of your prompt with double dashes.

Core Parameters

--ar (Aspect Ratio)

• --ar 16:9 - Landscape, great for wallpapers
• --ar 9:16 - Portrait, perfect for phone screens
• --ar 1:1 - Square, ideal for social media posts
• --ar 3:2 - Classic photography ratio

--stylize or --s (Artistic Interpretation)

• Range: 0-1000 (default: 100)
• --s 0 - Literal interpretation of your prompt
• --s 100 - Balanced (default)
• --s 250 - More artistic and aesthetic
• --s 750 - Highly stylized, may deviate from prompt

--chaos or --c (Variation)

• Range: 0-100 (default: 0)
• --c 0 - Predictable results
• --c 50 - Moderate variation between images
• --c 100 - Wildly different results

--weird or --w (Experimental)

• Range: 0-3000
• Adds unconventional, quirky aesthetics
• Great for surreal or abstract art

--quality or --q (Rendering Time)

• --q .25 - Faster, draft quality
• --q .5 - Balanced speed and quality
• --q 1 - Full quality (default)

--style (Version-specific styles)

• --style raw - More photographic, less artistic interpretation
• --style cute - Softer, more whimsical aesthetic

Advanced Parameters

--no (Negative Prompts) Remove unwanted elements:

a modern kitchen --no clutter, dishes, people

--tile Creates seamless patterns for textures and backgrounds.

--video Generates a video of your image generation process.

10 Proven Prompt Templates

Copy and customize these battle-tested templates:

1. Portrait Photography

portrait of [subject], [expression], shot on [camera] with [lens], 
[lighting type], [background], shallow depth of field, professional photography, 
8K resolution --ar 2:3 --s 150

Example:

portrait of a female scientist in her lab, confident expression, shot on Sony A7IV 
with 85mm f/1.4, soft window lighting, blurred laboratory background, 
shallow depth of field, professional photography, 8K resolution --ar 2:3 --s 150

2. Fantasy Character

[character description], [clothing/armor details], [environment], 
fantasy art, highly detailed, dramatic lighting, [art style], 
trending on ArtStation --ar 9:16 --s 250

Example:

elven archer with silver hair and emerald eyes, leather armor with intricate 
leaf patterns, ancient forest with glowing mushrooms, fantasy art, highly detailed, 
dramatic side lighting, digital painting style, trending on ArtStation --ar 9:16 --s 250

3. Architectural Visualization

[building type], [architectural style], [materials], [time of day], 
[weather conditions], architectural photography, shot on [camera], 
ultra-detailed, 8K --ar 16:9 --s 100

Example:

modern minimalist house, clean lines and large glass windows, concrete and wood materials,
golden hour sunset, clear skies, architectural photography, shot on Canon R5, 
ultra-detailed, 8K --ar 16:9 --s 100

4. Product Photography

[product] on [surface/background], [lighting setup], professional product photography,
commercial, clean composition, high-end, 8K resolution --ar 1:1 --s 50

Example:

luxury watch on marble surface, studio lighting with soft shadows, professional 
product photography, commercial, clean composition, high-end, 8K resolution --ar 1:1 --s 50

5. Concept Art

concept art of [subject], [style/mood], environment design, highly detailed,
cinematic lighting, [color palette], matte painting --ar 16:9 --s 300

Example:

concept art of a floating city in the clouds, solarpunk aesthetic, environment design,
highly detailed, cinematic lighting, warm golden and green palette, matte painting --ar 16:9 --s 300

6. Cinematic Scene

cinematic shot of [scene], [camera movement/angle], [lighting mood], 
film still from [genre] movie, directed by [director style], [color grading], 
anamorphic lens, 8K --ar 21:9 --s 200

Example:

cinematic shot of astronaut discovering alien ruins, low angle looking up, 
moody dramatic lighting, film still from sci-fi thriller, directed in the style of 
Denis Villeneuve, teal and orange color grading, anamorphic lens, 8K --ar 21:9 --s 200

7. Animal Photography

[animal] [action/pose], [environment], wildlife photography, shot on [camera] 
with [lens], [lighting], National Geographic style, award-winning, 8K --ar 4:3 --s 100

Example:

snow leopard mid-leap between mountain rocks, himalayan cliffs, wildlife photography,
shot on Nikon D850 with 500mm telephoto, natural lighting, National Geographic style,
award-winning, 8K --ar 4:3 --s 100

8. Abstract Art

abstract [concept/emotion], [color scheme], [style/technique], [composition style],
high contrast, [texture], digital art --ar 1:1 --s 500 --c 50

Example:

abstract representation of music and movement, vibrant blues and purples, 
flowing liquid style, dynamic composition, high contrast, smooth gradients, 
digital art --ar 1:1 --s 500 --c 50

9. Food Photography

[dish] presented on [plate/surface], [plating style], food photography, 
[camera angle], natural lighting, depth of field, professional culinary photography,
appetizing, 8K --ar 4:5 --s 100

Example:

gourmet chocolate cake slice presented on white porcelain, elegant plating with 
raspberry coulis, food photography, 45-degree angle, natural window lighting, 
shallow depth of field, professional culinary photography, appetizing, 8K --ar 4:5 --s 100

10. Landscape Photography

[landscape type], [time of day], [weather/atmosphere], [foreground elements],
landscape photography, shot on [camera], [composition technique], highly detailed,
8K resolution --ar 16:9 --s 150

Example:

mountain lake reflection, golden hour sunrise, morning mist rolling over water,
wildflowers in foreground, landscape photography, shot on Phase One, 
rule of thirds composition, highly detailed, 8K resolution --ar 16:9 --s 150

Advanced Techniques

Multi-Prompting with Weights

Control the importance of different elements using :: and weights:

hot:: coffee::2 cup::1

This emphasizes “coffee” twice as much as “cup” and “hot.”

Permutations for Batch Variations

Generate multiple variations efficiently:

a {red, blue, green} sports car --ar 16:9

This creates three separate images with different colors.

Image Prompts

Include image URLs to use as style or content references:

https://example.com/image.jpg a portrait in this style --s 200

Style References (—sref)

Use style reference images with more control:

portrait of a warrior --sref https://example.com/style-image.jpg --sw 100

--sw controls style weight (0-1000).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Being Too Vague

Bad: a cool landscape Good: mountain valley at sunset, dramatic clouds, alpine meadow in foreground, cinematic landscape photography

❌ Overloading with Contradictions

Bad: realistic cartoon anime photorealistic Good: Choose one style and stick with it

❌ Ignoring Aspect Ratio

Always specify --ar for your intended use case (social media, print, web, etc.)

❌ Using Too Many Parameters

Start simple, then add parameters one at a time to understand their impact

❌ Not Iterating

Use the 🔄 button to generate variations of promising results. Remix mode (/settings) allows prompt adjustments between variations.

Workflow for Consistent Results

1. Start Broad: Get the general composition right
2. Add Style: Layer in artistic direction
3. Refine Details: Add specific elements, lighting, mood
4. Adjust Parameters: Fine-tune with --s, --c, --ar
5. Generate Variations: Use 🔄 to explore options
6. Upscale & Polish: Select your favorite and upscale

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Quality Boosters: highly detailed | 8K resolution | award-winning | professional | photorealistic | sharp focus | masterpiece

Lighting: golden hour | soft lighting | dramatic shadows | rim lighting | volumetric lighting | cinematic lighting

Camera Settings: shallow depth of field | bokeh | f/1.4 | 35mm | 85mm | telephoto | wide angle

Styles: cinematic | fantasy art | concept art | digital painting | oil painting | watercolor | pencil sketch

Moods: dramatic | serene | mysterious | vibrant | moody | ethereal | atmospheric

Conclusion

Mastering Midjourney prompting is an iterative process. Start with these templates, experiment with parameters, and study images you love to reverse-engineer their prompts.

Remember:

• Lead with your main subject
• Be specific with style and lighting
• Use parameters purposefully
• Iterate and refine
• Study successful prompts

The more you practice, the more intuitive prompting becomes. Save your successful prompts, build a personal library, and continuously refine your technique.

Happy creating!

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For more AI image generation guides, check out our comparison of the best AI image generators and Stable Diffusion tutorials.