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Visual Diffusion Enginev6.1Midjourney Inc.

Midjourney Prompt Engineering Guide

The Visual Benchmark for Aesthetic Photorealism, Texture, and Cinematic Lighting

Midjourney v6.1 represents the gold standard in generative visual aesthetics. Unlike traditional text-to-image models that require extensive keyword padding, Midjourney excels when prompts specify precise photographic optics, historical film stocks, lighting setups, and composition ratios. Its parameter system allows micro-control over stylistic bias, grid randomization, style references, and character consistency.

Architecture:Latent Diffusion Model + Proprietary Aesthetic Tuning
Context / Res:Native up to 2048x2048 with 2x/4x HD Upscaling
Official Portal

Parameter & Token Syntax Cheat Sheet

Official parameter flags, modifiers, and delimiters recognized by the Midjourney engine.

Open Ruler Studio
Parameter / FlagNameAccepted ValuesDefaultDescription & Example
--v 6.1Model Version5.2, 6.0, 6.1, niji 66.1

Enforces Midjourney's latest model architecture featuring coherent anatomy and sharp text rendering.

--v 6.1
--ar <w:h>Aspect Ratio16:9, 9:16, 4:5, 3:2, 2:3, 21:9, 1:11:1

Sets horizontal-to-vertical frame dimensions. Essential for cinematic banners or vertical mobile framing.

--ar 16:9
--stylize <0-1000> / --sStylization Strength0 - 1000100

Controls Midjourney's artistic flair. Lower values (50-100) favor strict prompt accuracy; higher values (250-750) enhance artistic flair.

--stylize 250
--chaos <0-100> / --cGrid Randomness0 - 1000

Increases structural divergence between the 4 generated grid options, producing unexpected concept explorations.

--chaos 15
--weird <0-3000> / --wWeirdness Factor0 - 30000

Introduces unconventional, surreal, and offbeat aesthetic elements into the visual output.

--weird 250
--sref <url>Style ReferenceImage URL(s)—

Transfers the visual aesthetic, color palette, and textural grading of a reference image to your output.

--sref https://example.com/palette.jpg --sw 100
--cref <url>Character ReferenceImage URL(s)—

Preserves facial features, hairstyle, and character identity across multiple distinct shots.

--cref https://example.com/character.jpg --cw 80
--no <tokens>Negative Prompt ExclusionComma-separated terms—

Instructs Midjourney to avoid specified elements (e.g., text, frame, blur, oversaturated).

--no text, blurry, cartoon, oversaturated
--rawRaw Style EngineFlag—

Subdues Midjourney's default beautification algorithm to yield more natural, documentary-style photography.

--style raw

Engineering Best Practices

  • Structure your prompt logically: Subject Framing › Physical Environment › Lighting & Atmosphere › Camera / Film Specs › Parameters.
  • Specify physical camera equipment (e.g., 'Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM', 'Leica Summicron-M 50mm') instead of generic words like 'photorealistic'.
  • Use film stocks to establish authentic color palettes ('Kodak Portra 400' for warm skin tones; 'Fujifilm Superia' for emerald greens; 'Ilford HP5' for rich B&W).
  • Keep --stylize between 50 and 180 for editorial and product photography to prevent over-dramatized artificial rendering.

Common Anti-Patterns to Avoid

  • Do NOT use legacy 2022 keyword spam ('hyperrealistic, 8k, octane render, trending on artstation'). v6.1 ignores or degrades with these.
  • Avoid contradictory focal lengths in one prompt (e.g. 'extreme macro wide-angle telephoto').
  • Do not use commas inside parameter flags; flags must be separated by single spaces at the end of the prompt.

Gold-Standard Template Breakdown

How an optimized Midjourney prompt looks in production with all parameters aligned.

Cinematic 35mm Street PortraitProduction Exemplar
Cinematic 35mm street portrait of a woman in an oversized beige trench coat walking through light morning drizzle in central London, soft reflections on wet pavement, Kodak Portra 400 film grain texture, natural side lighting, Leica M6 with Summilux 35mm f/1.4 lens --v 6.1 --ar 16:9 --stylize 200

Architectural Rationale: Pairs specific camera optics (Leica 35mm f/1.4) with an authentic chemical film stock (Portra 400) and strict aspect ratio parameters to avoid synthetic AI textures.

Compatible Prompts (40)

Curated and battle-tested prompts verified for the Midjourney engine.

Browse All 235+ Prompts →
Cinematic cyberpunk Tokyo alleyway at night with glowing neon reflections
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

Cinematic Anamorphic Cyberpunk Alleyway

Capture atmospheric neon reflections and volumetric rain haze in a futuristic Tokyo street with 35mm anamorphic flares.

OPTICS•Panavision C-Series Anamorphic Prime
#cinematic#cyberpunk#anamorphic
Warm 1970s road trip photography with vintage vehicle and desert landscape
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

1970s American Road Trip Nostalgia (Kodak Portra 400)

Recreate candid, warm 1970s color photography with authentic Kodak Portra 400 halation and natural golden hour lens flare.

OPTICS•Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Rigid
#vintage#1970s#kodak-portra
Dramatic black and white film noir lighting through Venetian blinds
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Classic Film Noir Dramatic Venetian Blind Silhouette

Master dramatic chiaroscuro black-and-white lighting with crisp Venetian blind shadows and cigarette haze.

OPTICS•Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 T*
#film-noir#black-and-white#chiaroscuro
High fashion editorial studio portrait with shallow depth of field
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•midjourney•v6.1

Vogue Editorial Studio Portrait (85mm f/1.4)

Flawless studio fashion portrait with organic skin texture, delicate catchlights, and shallow focal depth.

OPTICS•Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
#fashion#portrait#editorial
Expressive portrait of craftsman with classical Rembrandt lighting
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•FLUX.1 Dev

Rembrandt Lighting Elderly Craftsman Portrait

Capture dignified age and weathered hands using classical Rembrandt triangle lighting on medium format.

OPTICS•Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V
#portrait#rembrandt-lighting#craftsman
Soaring modern brutalist concrete interior with morning light beams
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Brutalist Concrete Cathedral Morning Volumetric Light

Architectural monumentalism featuring raw board-formed concrete and soaring beams of morning sunlight.

OPTICS•Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (Zero keystoning)
#architecture#brutalism#concrete
Modern minimalist Japandi living room with panoramic forest view
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•flux•FLUX.1 Dev

Scandinavian Minimalist Forest Living Room (Japandi)

Warm Japandi interior with floor-to-ceiling glass framing a misty pine forest and natural wood joinery.

OPTICS•Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5
#interior-design#scandinavian#japandi
Macro product shot of luxury watch with water droplets on black stone
Visual & Generative Art
1:1•midjourney•v6.1

Luxury Swiss Chronograph Macro Studio Splashes

Ultra-sharp 100mm macro shot of an automatic titanium watch with crisp water beads on sapphire crystal.

OPTICS•Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
#product-photography#luxury#watch
Botanical glass serum dropper bottle on natural stone in sunlight
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•FLUX.1 Dev

Botanical Skincare Serum Dropper in Natural Sunlight

Clean organic skincare bottle bathed in warm morning bathroom sunlight with cast palm frond shadows.

OPTICS•Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
#skincare#beauty#cosmetics
Intricate 3D isometric cyberpunk building diorama with glowing neon
Visual & Generative Art
1:1•midjourney•v6.1

Isometric 3D Floating Cyberpunk Ramen Shop

Charming, intricate voxel-detailed isometric diorama of an airborne noodle bar with neon signs and steam.

OPTICS•f/5.6 simulated tilt-shift
#isometric#3d-art#cyberpunk
70mm IMAX sci-fi desert monolith composition
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

70mm IMAX Sci-Fi Desert Monolith Odyssey

Expansive 70mm IMAX cinematic frame of an extraterrestrial obsidian monolith standing in shifting desert dunes.

OPTICS•Hasselblad Zeiss Distagon 70mm
#cinematic#imax#sci-fi
Wong Kar-Wai style Hong Kong rain neon cinematography
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Wong Kar-Wai Step-Printing Neon Rain Romance

Evoke the moody, melancholic 1990s Hong Kong cinema aesthetic of Christopher Doyle with kinetic step-printing motion blur and neon saturation.

OPTICS•Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm T2.3
#cinematic#wong-kar-wai#neon
Neo-western desert dusk silhouette cinematic frame
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

Neo-Western Dusk Silhouette on Desert Ridge

Capture the stark, sun-drenched poetry of modern Western cinema with golden hour backlighting, dust devils, and telephoto compression.

OPTICS•Arri Zeiss Master Prime 85mm
#cinematic#neo-western#golden-hour
Underwater abyssal cinematography with bioluminescent glow
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Deep Oceanic Abyss with Bioluminescent Leviathan

Plunge into deep ocean cinematography with heavy volumetric marine haze, submersible halogen beams, and ethereal deep-sea bioluminescence.

OPTICS•Panavision Ultra Speed Z-Series in Submersible Housing
#cinematic#underwater#deep-sea
Leica street candid Paris rain photography
Visual & Generative Art
3:2•flux•Dev 1.0

Leica M11 Street Candid Rain Reflection (Paris)

Capture Henri Cartier-Bresson's decisive moment in modern Paris with crisp 35mm rangefinder optics and cobblestone puddle reflections.

OPTICS•Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH
#photography#street-photography#leica
Hasselblad 100MP studio beauty portrait with skin micro-texture
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•Dev 1.0

Hasselblad 100MP Medium Format Studio Beauty Portrait

Ultra-high-resolution studio portrait capturing genuine human skin pores, iris depth, and subtle vellus hair texture.

OPTICS•Hasselblad HC 120mm f/2.2 Macro
#photography#portrait#medium-format
19th-century wet-plate collodion tintype portrait
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•midjourney•v6.1

19th-Century Wet-Plate Collodion Tintype Portrait

Recreate authentic 1870s chemical tintype photography with silver nitrate emulsion artifacts, chemical spills, and sepia tonality.

OPTICS•Darlot 1860s Petzval Brass Portrait Lens
#photography#wet-plate#tintype
National Geographic Arctic wildlife photography in snow
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•flux•Dev 1.0

National Geographic Arctic Wildlife Telephoto Expeditions

Capture majestic Arctic wildlife in extreme conditions with 600mm super-telephoto compression, windblown snow, and natural rim light.

OPTICS•Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
#photography#wildlife#telephoto
Tokyo train interior with golden hour sunbeam window light
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Golden Hour Tokyo Train Window Commuter Silhouette

Intimate documentary study of late-afternoon sunbeams streaming through a Yamanote train window, illuminating dust and commuter contemplation.

OPTICS•Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR
#photography#tokyo#subway
Biophilic mass timber atrium architectural rendering
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Biophilic Mass Timber High-Rise Atrium & Rainforest

Architectural visualization of a sustainable mass-timber skyscraper featuring a multi-story spiraling atrium filled with subtropical flora.

OPTICS•Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (perspective corrected)
#architecture#biophilic#mass-timber
Japanese brutalist concrete tea pavilion with moss garden
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Japanese Brutalist Concrete Tea House & Moss Garden

Harmonize raw board-formed concrete brutalism with the delicate serenity of Japanese wabi-sabi garden architecture.

OPTICS•Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L
#architecture#japanese#brutalism
Parametric kinetic facade cultural center at dusk
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

Parametric Kinetic Facade Desert Cultural Center

Futuristic Zaha Hadid-style parametric architecture in an arid desert with fluid perforated solar shading panels.

OPTICS•Nikon PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED
#architecture#parametric#zaha-hadid
Cliffside Mediterranean minimalist infinity villa
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Cliffside Mediterranean Minimalist Infinity Villa

Perched on a dramatic rocky cliff, a whitewashed minimalist villa with an infinity edge pool melting into the Aegean Sea.

OPTICS•Schneider-Kreuznach 28mm f/4.5 Aspheric
#architecture#mediterranean#minimalist
Bauhaus glass pavilion in autumn forest
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Bauhaus Glass Geometric Pavilion in Autumn Forest

Mies van der Rohe-inspired steel and glass pavilion hovering among vibrant golden autumn birch trees.

OPTICS•Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II
#architecture#bauhaus#modernism
Haute couture Paris runway model with motion blur silk dress
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•midjourney•v6.1

Haute Couture Paris Runway Motion Blur & Silk

Capture the kinetic drama of Paris Fashion Week with intentional slow-shutter motion blur, sweeping silk chiffon, and flash freezing.

OPTICS•Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
#fashion#runway#motion-blur
Avant-garde model wearing liquid chrome metallic corset
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•midjourney•v6.1

Futuristic Liquid Chrome Avant-Garde Couture

Surreal high-fashion editorial featuring sculpted liquid metal corsetry, mirror chrome reflections, and stark minimalist studio lighting.

OPTICS•Hasselblad HC 2.2/100
#fashion#avant-garde#liquid-chrome
1990s supermodel hard-flash editorial photography
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•midjourney•v6.1

1990s Supermodel Hard-Flash Studio Editorial

Capture the raw, hedonistic glamor of 1990s fashion photography with ring-flash specular highlights and film grain.

OPTICS•Carl Zeiss Sonnar 38mm f/2.8 T*
#fashion#1990s#supermodel
High-fashion model with billowing organza fabric in desert
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Ethereal Floating Silk Organza in Desert Wind

Surreal high-fashion editorial in a vast desert with billowing 20-meter sheer organza fabric catching golden sun rays.

OPTICS•Schneider Kreuznach 55mm LS f/2.8
#fashion#editorial#desert
Techwear waterproof jacket commercial lookbook photograph
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•Dev 1.0

Cyberpunk Techwear Rain Jacket Studio Lookbook

Commercial streetwear lookbook showcasing waterproof GORE-TEX textures, fidlock buckles, and wet atmospheric studio effects.

OPTICS•Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM
#fashion#techwear#streetwear
Luxury perfume bottle with frozen water splash photography
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•Dev 1.0

Luxury Perfume Bottle High-Speed Water Splash Crown

Commercial advertising photograph of a crystal glass fragrance flacon surrounded by frozen crystalline water droplets and splash crown.

OPTICS•Hasselblad HC 120mm f/4 Macro
#product#perfume#water-splash
Titanium mechanical keyboard exploded component macro photography
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Matte Titanium Mechanical Keyboard Exploded Assembly Macro

Precision industrial engineering photograph of a custom titanium keyboard with levitating switches, brass weight, and PCB.

OPTICS•Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS (focus-stacked)
#product#mechanical-keyboard#titanium
Cosmetic serum micro emulsion droplet macro photography
Visual & Generative Art
1:1•flux•Dev 1.0

Cosmetic Serum Micro-Emulsion Droplet Swirl Macro

Microscopic macro photography of glistening hyaluronic acid serum droplets and golden botanical oil spheres suspended in crystal gel.

OPTICS•Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro
#product#skincare#serum
Handcrafted ceramic matcha bowl commercial product photography
Visual & Generative Art
4:5•flux•Dev 1.0

Handcrafted Ceramic Matcha Bowl Studio Lighting & Wabi-Sabi

Soulful commercial product photograph of a dark wabi-sabi chawan matcha bowl with crackle glaze, bamboo whisk, and frothy green tea.

OPTICS•Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
#product#ceramics#matcha
Unreal Engine 5 subterranean bioluminescent cave concept art
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

Unreal Engine 5 Subterranean Bioluminescent Biome

Vast underground cavern ecosystem with towering crystalline stalactites, glowing azure flora, and volumetric god rays.

OPTICS•Simulated Cine Camera Actor
#digital-art#unreal-engine-5#bioluminescent
Low poly isometric cybernetic alchemy lab 3D diorama
Visual & Generative Art
1:1•midjourney•v6.1

Low-Poly Isometric Cybernetic Alchemy Laboratory

Charming stylized 3D isometric diorama of an alchemist's sci-fi lab with bubbling neon flasks, holograms, and brass piping.

OPTICS•f/5.6 simulated tilt-shift
#digital-art#isometric#low-poly
Retro synthwave 1980s neon grid supercar sunset illustration
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

1980s Retro Synthwave Grid Supercar Sunset Drive

Nostalgic 1980s outrun vaporwave illustration of an exotic wedge supercar driving toward a neon wireframe sunset.

OPTICS•f/4.0
#digital-art#synthwave#retrowave
Dark fantasy gothic cathedral leviathan concept art
Visual & Generative Art
21:9•midjourney•v6.1

Dark Fantasy Gothic Cathedral Leviathan Summoning

Epic Elden Ring-style dark fantasy concept art of a colossal eldritch leviathan rising amidst shattered gothic stained glass.

OPTICS•f/4.0 painterly depth
#digital-art#dark-fantasy#gothic
Solarpunk floating botanical airship digital painting
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Solarpunk Floating Botanical Airship Metropolis

Utopian solarpunk concept art of aerodynamic brass and glass dirigibles carrying lush botanical gardens across sunlit clouds.

OPTICS•f/5.6
#digital-art#solarpunk#airship
Cybernetic mecha core cutaway blueprint technical illustration
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Cybernetic Mecha Core Cutaway Technical Blueprint

Intricate engineering schematic illustration of a humanoid mecha pilot cockpit with glowing wireframes and exploded schematics.

OPTICS•Infinite depth of field line art
#digital-art#mecha#blueprint
Surreal floating geometric monolith dreamscape fine art
Visual & Generative Art
16:9•midjourney•v6.1

Surreal Floating Geometric Monolith Dreamscape

Hypnotic surrealist dreamscape of impossible suspended chrome polyhedra hovering above mirrored pink salt flats.

OPTICS•f/8.0 deep focus
#digital-art#surrealism#monolith

Frequently Asked Technical Questions

How do I fix overly smooth or plastic skin in Midjourney v6.1?

Lower the --stylize parameter to between 50 and 150, specify realistic skin micro-details like 'tactile skin pores, subtle freckles, vellus hair', and describe natural single-source lighting like 'north-facing window daylight'. Avoid words like 'flawless skin' or '4K'.

What is the difference between --sref and --cref in Midjourney?

--sref (Style Reference) transfers the color grading, visual aesthetic, and medium of an image to your new prompt. --cref (Character Reference) locks and transfers specific facial features, hairstyle, and facial anatomy across new generations.

How does Midjourney handle text inside images?

Midjourney v6.1 supports short text strings when enclosed in double quotation marks (e.g. "BAKERY"). For longer paragraphs or multiple text elements, diffusion models like FLUX.1 are significantly more reliable.