How to Write Effective Prompts for Midjourney

Want to turn your ideas into amazing pictures? Midjourney can do that. It’s an AI tool that creates images from the words you type. 

This guide from the Cabina.AI team will show you exactly how to write best Midjourney prompts. You’ll learn full Midjourney prompt structure: which settings to use, helpful shortcuts, and real examples you can copy and adjust right away. Whether you’re creating images for work, social media, or just playing around, this Midjourney prompt structure tips has you covered.

Midjourney Prompt Structure Guide

Every Midjourney prompt has three main parts, and they need to appear in a specific order:

1. Text Prompt (Your Description)

This is where you describe what you want to see. You can keep it simple or add details about subject, medium, environment, lighting, color, mood, and composition. Think of this as talking to someone who will paint exactly what you say.

Example: “a modern coffee shop interior, natural lighting, wooden tables, plants on shelves”

2. Image Prompts (Optional Visual References)

You can include image URLs to guide Midjourney by showing it visual examples of what you want. This is helpful when words alone can’t capture your vision. Just paste the image link at the start of your prompt.

3. Parameters (Technical Controls)

Parameters are tools added at the end of your prompt that customize how images generate. They always start with two dashes (–) and control things like image size, style, and quality.

The correct order looks like this:

[image URL] [text description] --parameter value

Writing Simple But Powerful Prompts

Let’s start with the best practices for Midjourney prompts that work for 90% of situations.

Start with What Matters Most

Short prompts let Midjourney default style fill in gaps, while detailed prompts give you more control. Begin by identifying your main subject: the person, object, or scene you want to see.

Use Specific and Descriptive Words

The AI responds better to clear and descriptive language: if you want a castle in a sunset setting, say it directly. Instead of “nice weather,” say “bright sunny day.” Instead of “old building,” say “abandoned Victorian mansion.”

Be concrete. “Blue car” becomes “navy blue sports car.” “Pretty flowers” becomes “pink cherry blossoms in full bloom.”

Add Context Layer by Layer

Build your prompt like you’re painting a picture with words:

• Medium. Is it a photo, painting, illustration, or 3D render;
• Environment. Where is this happening? Indoors, outdoors, in space;
• Lighting. Soft sunlight, neon glow, dramatic shadows, studio lights;
• Colors. Vibrant, muted, pastel, black and white, specific color names;
• Mood. Happy, mysterious, calm, energetic, nostalgic;
• Composition. How should the main subject be framed? Close-up, wide shot, from above, or as a portrait.

Example progression:

Basic	“a dog”
Better	“a golden retriever puppy”
Best	“a golden retriever puppy playing in autumn leaves, golden hour lighting, warm tones, joyful mood, close-up shot”

Advanced Midjourney AI Prompt Tips

Once you’re comfortable with basics, these techniques will level up your results.

Banned Words

Midjourney has a strict content policy designed to prevent the creation or distribution of harmful material. These rules apply to every user and are enforced by a dynamic list of Midjourney banned words that is constantly updated.

Camera and Photography Terms

For photorealistic images, use real camera terminology: “shot on Canon EOS 5D”, “85mm lens”, “shallow depth of field”, “bokeh effect”, “golden hour photography.”

Avoid Negative Language

AI works like a child: if you say “don’t think about pink elephants,” that’s exactly what appears. Instead of “no dark colors,” say “bright vibrant colors.” Instead of “avoid blurry,” say “sharp focus, high detail.”

Use Commas Wisely

While you can use commas to organize thoughts, the Midjourney Bot might not reliably interpret them. Keep sentences natural and flowing rather than making long lists separated by commas.

Artist and Style References

Mentioning art styles or movements helps Midjourney understand the aesthetic you want: “Art Deco style,” “Cyberpunk aesthetic,” “watercolor painting,” “Studio Ghibli style,” “film noir lighting.”

Essential Parameters Explained

Parameters give you precise control over your images. Here are the most useful ones:

--ar (Aspect Ratio)

Aspect ratio is the width-to-height ratio of an image, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. This matters when you need images for different platforms.

• –ar 1:1 – Square (Instagram posts)
• –ar 16:9 – Wide (presentations, YouTube thumbnails)
• –ar 9:16 – Vertical (Instagram stories, phone screens)
• –ar 5:4 – Slightly wider than square

Example: /imagine a mountain landscape at sunset –ar 16:9

When you’re using Midjourney in Cabina AI, hit the settings button to tweak resolution and seeds.

--s (Stylize)

The Midjourney Bot is trained to favor artistic color, composition, and forms. The stylize parameter controls how much artistic interpretation the AI adds. Values range from 0 to 1000.

• Low values (0-250): More literal, follows your prompt closely
• Medium values (100-400): Balanced (default is usually 100)
• High values (500-1000): More artistic freedom, dramatic effects

Example: /imagine a coffee cup –s 750 (very artistic and stylized)

--c (Chaos)

Chaos adds creative variety to your generations. Higher chaos values (0-100) produce more unexpected and varied results. Use low chaos when you want consistent results, high chaos when you want creative surprises.

--q (Quality)

This adjusts rendering time and final image quality. Options are 0.5, 1 (default), or 2. Higher quality takes more time and uses more of your subscription credits.

--seed

Every Midjourney image receives a seed number. Use this parameter to create similar images. When you find an image you love, you can use its seed to generate variations that share the same starting point.

--no (Negative Prompt)

Use this to try removing elements from images, like “–no trees” for a natural landscape without trees. This works better for broad categories than specific details.

Commands Beyond /imagine

Midjourney offers helpful commands that go beyond basic image creation:

/describe – Reverse Engineering

Upload an image and /describe will generate text prompts that could create similar images. This is perfect when you see something you like but don’t know how to describe it.

/settings – Configure Defaults

This opens a menu where you can set your preferred version, quality, and style settings so you don’t have to type them every time.

/blend – Combine Images

Blend lets you upload two or more images without text to merge them together. It’s faster than using multiple image URLs when you just want to mix visuals.

Remix Mode – Iterate Variations

When you generate four images and like one but want to modify it slightly, Remix mode lets you change the prompt while keeping the same composition. It’s like saying “this, but make it blue” or “this, but at night.”

Midjourney Prompt Structure Best Practices by Category

Let’s look at real examples you can modify for your needs:

Portraits and Characters

portrait of a businesswoman in her 30s, confident expression, modern office background, natural window lighting, professional headshot style --ar 4:5

Landscapes and Environments

misty mountain valley at dawn, fog rolling through pine trees, soft purple and orange sky, peaceful atmosphere, wide cinematic shot --ar 16:9

Product Photography

luxury watch on marble surface, dramatic side lighting, black background, reflections on polished metal, commercial photography style --ar 1:1

Architectural Visualization

modern minimalist house exterior, large glass windows, surrounded by forest, sunset lighting, architectural photography, clean lines --ar 5:4

Abstract and Artistic Styles

flowing liquid metal shapes, iridescent colors, dark background, 3D render, futuristic abstract art --ar 9:16

Art Deco Style

Art Deco hotel lobby, geometric patterns, gold and emerald green color scheme, marble floors, elegant vintage lighting fixtures, 1920s luxury --ar 16:9

Cyberpunk Aesthetic

cyberpunk street market at night, neon signs in Japanese and English, rain-slicked pavement, food vendors, crowd of people with umbrellas, moody atmosphere --ar 16:9

Retrowave Style

retrowave sports car, pink and purple gradient sky, palm trees silhouette, grid floor, 1980s synthwave aesthetic, glowing neon lights --ar 16:9

Tips for getting the most out of Midjourney in Cabina. AI

Finally Tips for Better Results

As you use Midjourney more, these strategies will save you time.

Build a Personal Prompt Library

Keep a document of prompts that worked well. When you create something great, copy the exact prompt so you can reuse that formula.

Start Broad, Then Refine

Generate a batch with a simple prompt first. When you see which direction works, add details to refine it. Fewer details mean more variety but less control.

Use External Tools

AI Model in Cabina.ai and Prompt improver tool can help you write better prompts if you describe what you want in plain language. There are also prompt generator tools online that can spark ideas when you’re stuck.

Learn from the Community

Join Midjourney Discord channels or Reddit communities. Seeing other people’s prompts and results is one of the fastest ways to improve.

Dealing with Unwanted Elements

If random objects keep appearing, use the –no parameter to exclude them. If faces look weird, try adding “professional photography” or specific camera terms to improve quality.

Understanding Midjourney Default Style

Midjourney offers user-friendly features and powerful capabilities, with an interface that’s simple and clear. The AI tends toward artistic and beautiful by default. If you want something less stylized, use lower –s values or add “photorealistic” and “raw” to your prompt.

Working Within Platform Limitations

Midjourney has its limits. Tricky poses, getting text right, or arranging things exactly as you want can be tough. If you’re after something complicated, maybe create different parts separately and put them together in a photo editor.

Really getting the hang of Midjourney is all about playing around. You learn something new every time you try a prompt. Start with something easy, add one new trick at a time, and don’t worry about trying strange combinations – sometimes the coolest images come from the prompts you least expect.