Writing Better Midjourney Prompts

Midjourney Basics

Midjourney generates images from text descriptions. The key is being specific about what you want while leaving room for artistic interpretation.

Basic prompt structure:

[subject], [style/medium], [lighting], [mood], [additional details]

Start with the Subject

Be specific about your main subject:

Vague: "a person"

Better: "a middle-aged woman with gray hair wearing a business suit"

Best: "a confident middle-aged woman CEO with short gray hair, wearing a navy business suit, standing in a modern office"

Specify the Style

Tell Midjourney what artistic style you want:

• "photograph" or "photorealistic"
• "oil painting" or "watercolor"
• "digital illustration"
• "3D render"
• "minimalist vector art"
• "pencil sketch"

Example: "a mountain landscape, watercolor painting, soft colors, dreamy atmosphere"

Control the Composition

Guide how the image is framed:

• "portrait shot" — head and shoulders
• "full body shot" — entire figure
• "wide angle" — expansive view
• "close-up" — detailed focus
• "bird's eye view" — from above
• "low angle" — looking up

Lighting Matters

Lighting dramatically changes the mood:

• "soft natural lighting"
• "golden hour sunlight"
• "dramatic studio lighting"
• "moody dark lighting"
• "bright and airy"
• "backlit silhouette"

Use Aspect Ratios

Add --ar to control dimensions:

• --ar 1:1 — Square (Instagram posts)
• --ar 16:9 — Widescreen (presentations, headers)
• --ar 9:16 — Vertical (stories, mobile)
• --ar 2:3 — Portrait orientation
• --ar 3:2 — Landscape orientation

Example: "modern office interior, minimalist design --ar 16:9"

Adjust Stylization

Use --stylize (or --s) to control artistic interpretation:

• --s 50 — More literal, closer to your description
• --s 100 — Default balance
• --s 250 — More artistic interpretation
• --s 750 — Maximum artistic freedom

Use Negative Prompts

Tell Midjourney what to avoid with --no:

• --no text — Avoid any text in the image
• --no people — Keep people out of the scene
• --no watermark — Clean image without marks

Reference Styles

Mention artistic styles or eras:

• "in the style of Art Deco"
• "Bauhaus design aesthetic"
• "1980s corporate photography"
• "modern Scandinavian design"
• "Japanese minimalism"

Quality and Version

• --quality 2 or --q 2 — Higher quality (takes longer)
• --v 6 — Use version 6 (or latest)

Example Prompts for Business Use

Professional headshot:

"professional business headshot, woman with warm smile, neutral gray background, soft studio lighting, photorealistic --ar 1:1"

Website hero image:

"modern tech startup office, diverse team collaborating, natural lighting, bright and optimistic mood, editorial photography style --ar 16:9 --no text"

Product mockup:

"minimalist product photography, white coffee mug on marble surface, soft shadows, clean aesthetic --ar 4:5"

Social media graphic:

"abstract geometric shapes, gradient from blue to purple, modern tech aesthetic, suitable for background --ar 1:1 --no text"

Iterate and Vary

• Use the variation buttons (V1-V4) to explore options
• Upscale (U1-U4) your favorites
• Remix mode lets you modify a prompt while keeping elements
• Pan and zoom to extend or adjust framing