Midjourney Prompt Guide: From Basics to Pro-Level Images

Midjourney v7 produces stunning images, but only if you speak its language. This guide covers the prompt structure that consistently produces professional results, plus battle-tested templates you can copy and adapt.

Prompt Structure

A well-formed Midjourney prompt has four parts:

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

Example:
Portrait of a female cyberpunk character, digital art style by
WLOP and Artgerm, neon lighting with rim light from the side,
cinematic composition --ar 2:3 --stylize 250 --v 7

The Parameters That Matter

Parameter	What It Does	Recommendation
`--ar <w>:<h>`	Aspect ratio	2:3 for portraits, 16:9 for landscapes, 1:1 for social media
`--stylize <0-1000>`	Artistic flair vs prompt accuracy	100-250 for realistic, 500-750 for artistic
`--chaos <0-100>`	Variation between the 4 images	0 for consistency, 30-50 for exploration, 80+ for wild ideas
`--weird <0-3000>`	Unconventional/experimental results	0 for normal, 500+ for creative/abstract
`--no <element>`	Negative prompt	`--no text, watermark, signature, blurry`

10 Battle-Tested Prompt Templates

1. Professional Portrait

Portrait of a [age] [gender] [profession], [setting], soft natural
lighting, shot on 85mm f/1.4, shallow depth of field, professional
headshot style --ar 2:3 --stylize 150

2. Product Photography

[Product] on a [color] backdrop, product photography style, studio
lighting with soft shadows, clean and minimal, shot with macro lens,
commercial photography --ar 1:1 --stylize 100

3. Logo Design

Minimalist logo for [company/type], vector style, flat design,
[specific symbols/elements], [color palette], white background,
suitable for app icon --ar 1:1 --stylize 50

4. Architectural Visualization

[Building type] architecture, [style] design, golden hour lighting,
photorealistic 3D render, wide-angle lens, surrounded by [environment],
architectural photography --ar 16:9 --stylize 200

5. Food Photography

[Dish name], overhead flat lay, natural window lighting, styled with
[props/herbs], shallow depth of field, food photography, appetizing,
vibrant colors --ar 4:5 --stylize 100

6. Fantasy Landscape

Epic fantasy landscape, [specific features], concept art by [artist
reference], atmospheric lighting with god rays, cinematic composition,
8K ultra detailed --ar 16:9 --stylize 500

7. UI/UX Mockup

[App type] mobile app design, clean UI, modern minimal interface,
[color scheme], glassmorphism style, Dribbble featured, dark mode,
figma design --ar 9:16 --stylize 80

8. Character Design

[Character description], character design sheet, multiple views
(front, side, back), [art style], clean linework, flat colors,
concept art, turnaround reference --ar 16:9 --stylize 200

9. Isometric Illustration

Isometric illustration of a [scene/room/building], [color palette],
clean vector style, 3D isometric view, detailed interior, pastel
colors, soft shadows, illustration --ar 1:1 --stylize 150

10. Cinematic Scene

[Scene description], cinematic shot, [lighting description], movie
still from [reference director/film], anamorphic lens, film grain,
color graded --ar 21:9 --stylize 300

Pro Tips

Use artist references sparingly. One or two references sharpen the style. Three or more create visual chaos.
Describe what you want, not what you don't want. Use --no for 1-2 things max. Focus on positive description.
Vary one thing at a time. When experimenting, change one parameter at a time so you know what caused the difference.
Save your best prompts. Good prompts are assets. Build a personal library organized by category.