How to Unlock The Art of Photorealism in Your Midjourney Prompts

In my last blog, I talked about the different elements that go into making a powerful prompt for photorealism in Midjourney. In this post, I’ll expand on that by sharing some key tips for crafting perfect Midjourney prompts, and the photography-based reasons behind why they’re so effective.

Midjourney is a powerful tool, but it can also be stubborn if it doesn’t understand your prompt. That’s why it’s important to be clear and concise in your instructions. Remember, Midjourney will only pay attention to the first 60 words, so make sure to pack a punch in that limited space!

As a traditional photographer, I’ve always been fascinated by the creative process. I love the idea of being able to control every aspect of an image, from the composition to the lighting to the mood. With Midjourney, I’ve been able to slow down and really think about the scenes I’m creating: the world they exist in, the equipment and parameters I’d like to play with. I can experiment with different lighting setups, camera angles, and even the laws of physics or time travel! (More on that later… I did mention I’m a WWII nerd, right?)

It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m excited to share it with you. In this post, I’ll show you how to craft the perfect prompt for photorealistic AI art. I’ll also give you some tips (with examples!) on how to use Midjourney prompts to experiment with different creative techniques.

Let’s get started.

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Tips to Elevate your Midjourney Prompts Game

Leverage Long Lenses for Isolation

Use long lenses such as 85mm, 100mm, or 200mm to isolate your portrait subjects and achieve a shallow depth of field. This technique ensures that the subject stands out and becomes more prominent, adding a sense of realism to the image. If used correctly, it will also compress the image, making any background elements seem larger and more prominent in your photo.

Use Wide Angle Lenses Creatively

On the flip side, I love using wide and ultra-wide angle lenses like 12mm and 24mm to give a photograph scale. Not only is it a must for cinematic landscape photography, it’s also really useful in tight spaces where you want to capture a large group.

Choose High-Quality Camera Models

Test a few specific camera models like Sony α7s, Nikon D850, Leica M11, or Hasselblad to produce high-quality images with realistic colors and precise details. Believe me, the camera make and models do matter.

Use Keywords for Authenticity

Incorporate keywords such as “candid,” “personal,” “high detail,” or “high definition” to recreate a natural and authentic look. These specifications contribute to the sense of realism, capturing genuine moments and emotions in high quality.

Employ Different Photography Styles

Think about the scene you’re trying to create and emulate the shooting style by using keywords like “commercial photography,” “studio photography,” “fashion photography,” “editorial photography” or “street photography.” For example, commercial photography will generally be brightly lit and super crisp, think about ad photos you would see online or in a magazine. Meanwhile, street photography will generally be a grittier capture that can be used to show a slice of life.

Experiment with Lighting

Employ dreamlike lighting or dramatic lighting to create depth and contrast in your images. The interplay of light and shadow enhances the realistic appearance. Consider using keywords like “dynamic lighting,” “hazy lighting” or “soft lighting” to bring your subjects to life. Read more about using lighting in your prompts in my previous blog post.

Aspect Ratio Considerations

When creating imagines for social media, you may want to prompt a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio. If you’re creating images involving landscapes, or horizontally aligned photographs, opt for 3:2 as the standard 35mm and DSLR aspect ratio. This will give your work a bit more authenticity. But if you’re going for a cinematic approach, use a 16:9 ratio, which is the standard HD video format. I’m guilty of usually defaulting to the latter but will prompt 3:2 for the purpose of this blog.

Photograph Characters in Their Environment

Create portraits that portray the essence of the subject’s character and personality by showcasing them in their natural environment. This technique establishes a deeper connection between the viewer and the subject. While you don’t always have to go too in depth with your settings, it can definitely be helpful if you have a particular scene in mind. Connection between the subject and the setting is key to give context and authenticity to your image.

Draw Inspiration from Master Artists & Iconic Photographers

Experiment with lighting techniques used by famous oil paint artists like Carravagio, Vermeer and Rembrandt. Atmospheric lighting can add a touch of classic artistry to your photo-realistic images. In addition, making reference to iconic photographers will add an extra layer of realism to your AI generated photographs. Consider experimenting with prompts including photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Robbert Capa, Man Ray and Dorothea Lange.

Use Truncated Sentences

Midjourney tends to do better with short, incomplete sentences separated by either commas or periods rather than long form paragraphs. The more direct the information, the better your result will be.

For instance, instead of writing something like: “Create an intimate portrait of a young woman sitting on a metal bench in a park on a sunny day. Use a Nikon D850 camera with a 85mm lens at F 1.2 aperture setting to blur the background and isolate the subject. The park should have autumn foliage and Halloween decorations in the background to add a natural and seasonal vibe to the image. Use dreamy lighting with soft sunlight falling on the subject’s face and dark hair. The image should be shot in high resolution and in a 3:2 aspect ratio. Use the Midjourney v5 with photorealism mode turned on to create an ultra-realistic image that captures the subject’s fun personality and natural beauty“

Prompt this instead: “portrait photography of young woman with dark hair sitting on a park bench. autumn setting. Halloween season. soft sunlight. high detail. nikon d850 85mm lens f/1.2 –v 5.2 –ar 4:3”

Explore Vintage Shooting Styles

High definiteion photographs are great, but emulating vintage style photographs can be really rewarding. Use retro cameras, or film specifications for a classic, gritty effect. Combine it with vintage timelines to bring the whole image to life. I often find myself using the 1940 Leica IIIc 35mm camera for WWII era photography, or noir style prompts. Additional wartime cameras that would be great in your Midjourney prompts are the Leica 35mm, Kodak 35 RF, Argus C and Contax III.

Midjourney Prompts and Examples

Let us know if you end up using one of my prompts! We’d love to see what you created. You can tag us on Instagram: @pink_horn_ai or @acsantos.

I hope these were helpful and inspired you to get creative with your Midjourney prompts. Stay tuned for more promptography blog posts from me as I continue to explore Midjourney.