Midjourney is extraordinary — but most people only scratch the surface. The difference between a mediocre output and a jaw-dropping one often comes down to three things: specificity, camera language, and knowing what NOT to include.
1. The Cinematic Portrait Formula
The single most effective structure for portrait photography prompts is: subject + lighting type + lens + mood + style reference.
close-up portrait of [subject], [lighting], shot on [camera] with [lens], [mood], [aesthetic], --ar 2:3 --v 6 --style rawAlways include a specific lens (85mm, 35mm, 50mm). This alone shifts the result from "AI-looking" to "camera-realistic".
2. The Landscape Depth Trick
Flat landscapes happen when you forget foreground interest. Add "leading lines, foreground detail, depth of field" and Midjourney suddenly understands perspective.
epic mountain landscape at golden hour, foreground wildflowers, leading path into valley, dramatic clouds, god rays, 8K, National Geographic --ar 16:9 --v 63. Controlling the Style with Artist References
One of the most underused techniques is combining two artist styles. This creates unique aesthetics that feel fresh rather than derivative.
- "in the style of [Artist A] and [Artist B]" — blends both aesthetics
- "inspired by [Film] cinematography" — imports a colour grade
- "trending on ArtStation, concept art" — adds professional polish
4. The Negative Prompt Stack
Your negative prompt is as important as your positive one. Always start with this base stack and add to it.
--no watermark, text, signature, blurry, out of focus, low quality, pixelated, compression artifacts, ugly, deformed5. Aspect Ratio as a Creative Choice
Most beginners leave --ar at the default 1:1. But aspect ratio is a creative decision — it shapes the mood of the entire image.
- --ar 2:3 — portrait, editorial, fashion
- --ar 16:9 — cinematic, landscape, wallpaper
- --ar 1:1 — social media, product shots
- --ar 9:16 — mobile, Reels, Stories
6–10: The Full List
The remaining five formulas — architectural interior, product photography, fantasy character, abstract texture, and food photography — follow the same principle: specificity wins. Browse the full prompt library on Comsilo to see all 10 with real output previews.
The best way to learn Midjourney prompting is to reverse-engineer prompts that produced images you love. Comsilo makes this easy — every prompt includes a breakdown of exactly what worked and what failed.
