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Complete Midjourney Prompting Guide

Master Midjourney image generation with this comprehensive guide to prompts, parameters, and techniques

NanoBananaPrompt Team
January 13, 2025
5 min read

Mastering Midjourney: A Complete Guide

Midjourney is one of the most powerful AI image generation tools available. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to create stunning images.

Getting Started

Midjourney works through Discord. You describe what you want, and it creates images based on your description (prompt).

Basic command:

/imagine [your prompt]

Prompt Structure

A good Midjourney prompt follows this structure:

[Subject] + [Style] + [Composition] + [Lighting] + [Parameters]

Example

portrait of a wise old wizard, fantasy art style, close-up shot, dramatic lighting, highly detailed --ar 2:3 --v 6

Key Components

1. Subject Description

Be specific about what you want:

  • Vague: "a person"
  • Better: "an elderly woman with silver hair and kind eyes"
  • Best: "a 70-year-old woman with long silver hair in a braid, warm brown eyes, gentle smile, wearing a blue cardigan"

2. Style References

Specify the artistic style:

  • Art movements: "impressionist", "art nouveau", "cyberpunk"
  • Artists: "in the style of Studio Ghibli", "Greg Rutkowski style"
  • Mediums: "oil painting", "watercolor", "digital art", "photography"

3. Composition

Control the framing:

  • "close-up shot"
  • "full body portrait"
  • "wide angle landscape"
  • "aerial view"
  • "macro photography"

4. Lighting

Describe the lighting:

  • "golden hour lighting"
  • "dramatic shadows"
  • "soft diffused light"
  • "neon lighting"
  • "studio lighting"

Important Parameters

Aspect Ratio (--ar)

Control image dimensions:

  • --ar 16:9 - Wide landscape
  • --ar 9:16 - Portrait/vertical
  • --ar 1:1 - Square
  • --ar 2:3 - Portrait ratio
  • --ar 3:2 - Photo ratio

Version (--v)

Specify Midjourney version:

  • --v 6 - Latest version (most realistic)
  • --v 5.2 - Previous version
  • Use latest for best results

Style (--style)

Adjust the aesthetic:

  • --style raw - More photographic, less artistic
  • --style expressive - More artistic interpretation

Stylize (--s)

Control how "artistic" the result is:

  • --s 0 - Follows prompt closely
  • --s 100 - Default
  • --s 1000 - Very artistic interpretation

Chaos (--c)

Add variety and unexpectedness:

  • --c 0 - Default, consistent
  • --c 50 - Moderate variation
  • --c 100 - High variation

Quality Keywords

Add these for better results:

  • "highly detailed"
  • "8k resolution"
  • "professional photography"
  • "award winning"
  • "masterpiece"
  • "trending on artstation"

Example Prompts by Category

Portrait Photography

professional headshot portrait of a confident businesswoman, navy blue blazer, modern office background, natural lighting, sharp focus, shallow depth of field, professional photography, 50mm lens, 8k --ar 2:3 --v 6

Fantasy Art

epic fantasy landscape, floating islands in the sky, waterfalls cascading down, magical glowing crystals, dramatic sunset, fantasy art style, highly detailed, concept art, atmospheric, cinematic lighting, 8k --ar 16:9 --v 6

Product Photography

luxury watch on black velvet, studio lighting, commercial product photography, dramatic shadows, macro lens, highly detailed, reflections, professional advertising shot, 8k --ar 3:2 --v 6 --style raw

Character Design

cyberpunk street samurai, neon blue mohawk, leather jacket with LED circuits, futuristic katana, confident pose, character concept art, detailed character design, full body shot, neutral background, studio lighting, highly detailed, 8k --ar 2:3 --v 6

Advanced Techniques

Multi-Prompting

Use :: to separate concepts and assign weights:

sunset beach ::2 palm trees ::1 --ar 16:9

(Emphasizes sunset beach twice as much as palm trees)

Negative Prompting

Tell Midjourney what to avoid:

beautiful garden --no people, buildings, cars

Image Prompting

Upload an image as reference:

[image URL] garden in this style --ar 16:9

Remix Mode

Iterate on existing images with variations

Common Mistakes

  1. Too many details: Simpler prompts often work better
  2. Conflicting styles: Don't mix too many different art styles
  3. Wrong parameters: Check parameter syntax
  4. Ignoring aspect ratio: Use appropriate ratio for your subject
  5. Generic keywords: Be specific about what you want

Optimization Tips

Do:

  • Use specific, descriptive language
  • Include quality keywords
  • Specify artistic style clearly
  • Set appropriate aspect ratio
  • Iterate and refine

Don't:

  • Write essays (keep prompts focused)
  • Use contradictory terms
  • Forget important parameters
  • Give up after first try
  • Copy prompts without understanding them

Prompt Templates

Template 1: Portrait

[subject description], [clothing/styling], [background], [lighting type], [camera details], professional photography, highly detailed, 8k --ar 2:3 --v 6

Template 2: Landscape

[scene description], [time of day], [weather/atmosphere], [artistic style], cinematic lighting, highly detailed, 8k --ar 16:9 --v 6

Template 3: Product

[product description], [surface/setting], [lighting], commercial photography, professional, highly detailed, 8k --ar 3:2 --v 6 --style raw

Practice Exercise

Take this basic prompt and improve it:

a castle

Improved version:

medieval stone castle on a cliff overlooking the ocean, dramatic storm clouds, waves crashing below, fantasy art style, epic scale, cinematic lighting, highly detailed, concept art, 8k --ar 16:9 --v 6

Resources

  • Midjourney documentation
  • Community showcases
  • Prompt libraries
  • Style guides

Conclusion

Mastering Midjourney takes practice. Start simple, learn the parameters, study successful prompts, and iterate on your results. The key is being specific, understanding the parameters, and not being afraid to experiment.

Remember: the best prompt is the one that gives you the result you want. Use this guide as a starting point and develop your own style.