Midjourney Prompt Guide: From Beginner to Pro

Midjourney is the most popular AI image generator for a reason - its artistic quality is unmatched. But getting consistently great results requires understanding how to write effective prompts.

Prompt Anatomy

Every Midjourney prompt has three parts:

[Subject Description] + [Style/Aesthetic Details] + [Parameters]

Subject Description

Be specific about what you want to see:

• ❌ "A cat" → ✅ "A ginger tabby cat sitting on a windowsill"
• ❌ "A city" → ✅ "An aerial view of a futuristic cityscape at sunset"

Style & Aesthetic

Define the visual treatment:

• Art style: watercolor, oil painting, digital art, photograph, 3D render
• Lighting: golden hour, dramatic lighting, soft ambient light, neon glow
• Mood: ethereal, moody, vibrant, minimalist, cinematic
• Camera: wide angle, macro, 35mm film, tilt-shift, drone shot

Parameters (Append at the End)

• --ar 16:9 - Aspect ratio (16:9, 3:2, 1:1, 9:16)
• --v 6 - Model version
• --style raw - Less Midjourney stylization, more literal
• --chaos 30 - More variation (0-100)
• --stylize 200 - How much artistic flair (0-1000)
• --no [item] - Exclude something from the image

Prompt Formulas That Work

Photography Formula

[Subject] + [Action/Pose] + [Setting] + [Lighting] + [Camera Details] + [Film/Lens Type]

Example: A jazz musician playing saxophone in a smoky underground bar, dramatic chiaroscuro lighting, shot on Kodak Portra 400, 85mm lens, shallow depth of field --ar 3:2 --v 6

Illustration Formula

[Subject] + [Art Style] + [Color Palette] + [Mood] + [Details]

Example: A cozy bookshop interior, Studio Ghibli style, warm autumn colors, soft watercolor textures, golden afternoon light streaming through windows --ar 16:9 --v 6

Logo & Design Formula

[Type of design] + for [brand/purpose] + [Style] + [Colors] + minimal/clean + white background

Example: A minimalist logo mark for a sustainable coffee brand, geometric, earth tones, clean lines, flat design, white background --v 6

Product Photography Formula

[Product] on [Surface] + [Background] + [Lighting Type] + product photography + high detail

Example: A luxury perfume bottle on a marble surface, soft gradient background, studio lighting with rim light, product photography, 8K detail --ar 4:5 --v 6

20 Ready-to-Use Prompts

1. Hero Image: A diverse team of professionals collaborating in a modern glass office, warm natural lighting, candid moment, editorial photography --ar 16:9 --v 6

1. Tech Abstract: Abstract visualization of neural networks, glowing cyan and purple nodes connected by light streams, dark background, futuristic, 3D render --ar 16:9 --v 6

1. Nature Epic: Ancient redwood forest with morning mist and sun rays piercing through the canopy, moody atmosphere, landscape photography, ultra-wide angle --ar 21:9 --v 6

1. Food Photography: Artisanal sourdough bread on a rustic wooden board, steam rising, morning kitchen light, shallow depth of field, editorial food photography --ar 4:5 --v 6

1. App Mockup Background: Soft abstract gradient background, pastel purple and blue tones, subtle geometric shapes, modern, clean, minimalist --ar 9:16 --v 6

Advanced Techniques

Image Weight with --iw

When using reference images, control how much influence they have with --iw (0.5 to 2).

Multi-Prompt with ::

Weight different parts of your prompt:

hot dog:: food --no animal: :  (emphasizes the food hot dog)
space:: galaxy --ar 16:9: : : : (emphasizes the space aspect)

Negative Prompting

Use --no to exclude unwanted elements:

Professional headshot portrait, studio lighting --no background objects, text, watermark

Common Mistakes

1. Too many subjects - Focus on one main subject
2. Contradictory styles - Don't mix "photorealistic" with "cartoon"
3. Ignoring aspect ratio - Choose the right ratio for your use case
4. Overly long prompts - Quality over quantity; 30-60 words is optimal
5. Not iterating - Use variations (V buttons) and remix to evolve your best results