Midjourney is the most powerful image generation tool available to non-designers — but the learning curve is steeper than most people expect. Type "a beautiful landscape" and you'll get something generic. Understand how the prompt language works and you get images that look like they came from a professional studio.
This guide covers the fundamentals, the key parameters, and 10 starter prompts you can use immediately.
How Midjourney Reads Your Prompt
Midjourney treats your prompt as a set of instructions about three things: the subject, the style, and the technical parameters. The more specific you are about each, the more control you have over the output.
A basic Midjourney prompt has this structure:
[subject] + [setting/context] + [style] + [lighting] + [parameters]
Example: "Portrait of a young woman, golden hour light, outdoor café, photorealistic, shallow depth of field, Fujifilm X100V --ar 2:3 --v 6"
The Key Parameters You Need to Know
--ar (aspect ratio) — Controls image dimensions. --ar 1:1 is square. --ar 16:9 is landscape/widescreen. --ar 2:3 is portrait. Match this to where you'll use the image.
--v 6 — Always use the latest version. Version 6 is dramatically better than earlier versions for photorealism and detail.
--style raw — Produces more photographic, less stylised outputs. Useful when you want realistic imagery rather than the default "Midjourney look."
--no [things to exclude] — The negative prompt. Use it to remove things that keep appearing. "--no text, watermarks, people" removes those elements.
Style References That Work Every Time
Adding a style reference transforms a generic image into something intentional. These consistently produce strong results:
- Photography style: "shot on [camera model]" e.g. "shot on Hasselblad 500C"
- Art direction: "in the style of [era/movement]" e.g. "Bauhaus design aesthetic"
- Lighting: "golden hour", "blue hour", "Rembrandt lighting", "overcast diffused light"
- Colour mood: "muted earth tones", "high contrast black and white", "warm analog film tones"
10 Starter Prompts
1. Product photography
[PRODUCT DESCRIPTION], clean white studio background, soft diffused lighting, professional product photography, sharp focus, commercial quality --ar 1:1 --style raw --v 6
2. Portrait
Portrait of [DESCRIBE SUBJECT], golden hour light, shallow depth of field, candid, shot on Fujifilm --ar 2:3 --style raw --v 6
3. Landscape
[LANDSCAPE TYPE] at [TIME OF DAY], [WEATHER/MOOD], dramatic sky, matte painting quality, epic scale --ar 16:9 --v 6
4. Fantasy character
Fantasy [CHARACTER TYPE], [ARMOUR/CLOTHING DESCRIPTION], [SETTING], dark fantasy illustration, painterly, dramatic lighting --ar 2:3 --v 6
5. Interior design
[ROOM TYPE] interior, [DESIGN STYLE], [MATERIAL PALETTE], warm ambient lighting, architectural photography, designed by [FAMOUS DESIGNER STYLE] --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6
6. Logo concept
Minimal logo design for [BRAND TYPE], [COLOR PALETTE], vector style, white background, professional, geometric --ar 1:1 --v 6
7. Food photography
[DISH NAME], [SURFACE: marble/wood/slate], natural side lighting, food photography, styled, close-up, appetising --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6
8. Concept art environment
[ENVIRONMENT: space station/forest temple/futuristic city], establishing shot, concept art, cinematic, matte painting, [MOOD] atmosphere --ar 16:9 --v 6
9. Abstract art
Abstract [STYLE: geometric/fluid/expressionist] artwork, [COLOR PALETTE], [TEXTURE: smooth/layered/rough], fine art, canvas texture --ar 1:1 --v 6
10. Brand lifestyle
[BRAND MOOD] lifestyle photograph, [SCENARIO], [PERSON TYPE], [SETTING], [COLORGRADE: warm/cool/neutral] --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6
The Most Common Beginner Mistakes
Too vague: "a beautiful forest" produces a generic forest. "Ancient redwood forest, morning mist, shafts of light through canopy, landscape photography, shot on Phase One" produces something specific and stunning.
Conflicting styles: Don't ask for "photorealistic watercolour" — they cancel each other out. Pick one primary style.
Forgetting aspect ratio: The default is square. Always add --ar to match your intended use.
No lighting descriptor: Lighting is the single biggest factor in how professional an image looks. Always include it.
Browse Promptzio's Image AI prompt library for 20 ready-to-use Midjourney prompts across photography, illustration, design, and concept art.