Midjourney produces the most aesthetically cohesive AI images available in 2026. But getting from "generic AI art" to results you'd actually use in a project requires understanding how the tool thinks. This guide takes you from account setup to professional-quality outputs.
Getting Started with Midjourney
Midjourney is accessed via web at midjourney.com or through Discord.
Plans:
- Basic: $10/month — ~200 images/month
- Standard: $30/month — ~900 images/month + relax mode
- Pro: $60/month — 2x generation speed, privacy mode
Once logged in, go to Explore to see what others are creating and how their prompts are structured. This is the fastest way to learn.
Your First Image
In the web interface, click Create and type your prompt. For Discord: join the Midjourney server and use /imagine in any bot channel.
Simple first prompt:
a cup of coffee on a wooden table, morning light, cozy cafe, photograph
Midjourney generates 4 variations. Click U1-U4 to upscale a specific image, or V1-V4 to create variations of one.
The Anatomy of a Good Prompt
Midjourney interprets natural language, but structure matters. The formula that works:
[Subject] + [Environment/Context] + [Style] + [Lighting] + [Technical specs]
Example:
portrait of a woman in her 30s, urban rooftop at sunset,
cinematic photography style, golden hour backlight,
shallow depth of field, Canon 5D, f/1.8
What to Include
- Subject: be specific. Not "a dog" — "a golden retriever puppy"
- Environment: not just "outdoors" — "misty forest at dawn with fog through the trees"
- Style: photograph, illustration, oil painting, 3D render, watercolor, flat design, isometric
- Lighting: natural, studio, dramatic, soft, neon, candlelight
- Mood: melancholic, energetic, peaceful, tense
Key Parameters
Append these to your prompt after --:
| Parameter | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
--ar | Aspect ratio | --ar 16:9 (landscape), --ar 9:16 (portrait), --ar 1:1 (square) |
--style raw | Less stylized, more photographic | --style raw |
--stylize | How strongly Midjourney applies its style (0-1000) | --stylize 50 (subtle) |
--chaos | Variation between the 4 results (0-100) | --chaos 20 |
--no | Exclude elements | --no text, watermark, people |
--seed | Reproduce a specific result | --seed 1234567 |
Most useful combo for realistic photography:
your prompt here --style raw --stylize 75 --ar 16:9
Midjourney v7 — What Changed
Version 7 (current default) improved:
- Text in images — can now render readable text reliably
- Hands and anatomy — far fewer distortions
- Prompt accuracy — follows specific instructions more closely
- Character consistency —
--cref(character reference) maintains faces across generations
To use character reference: generate a base image, then use the URL:
/imagine [your new prompt] --cref [URL of reference image] --cw 100
--cw controls how strongly the character is maintained (0 = just style, 100 = exact likeness).
Building a Consistent Visual Style for Your Brand
The challenge with AI imagery: making everything look like it belongs to the same brand. The solution:
- Define your style in text: "flat vector illustration, limited color palette of navy and coral, clean white background, simple geometric shapes, no gradients"
- Generate a reference image that captures this perfectly
- Use
--sref(style reference) in subsequent prompts:new subject or scene --sref [URL of your style reference image] --sw 100 - Save the seed for exact reproducibility
This produces a coherent set of brand assets faster than any other method.
5 Prompt Templates That Work
Product photography:
commercial product photography of [product], white seamless background,
soft studio lighting, professional, clean, editorial --ar 1:1 --style raw
Blog header illustration:
flat design illustration for blog about [topic],
isometric perspective, blue and white color scheme, minimal,
no text, modern --ar 16:9
LinkedIn/social media post:
professional infographic style illustration showing [concept],
corporate aesthetic, blue gradient tones, clean layout --ar 1:1
Portrait/headshot style:
professional headshot, [description of person],
neutral background, studio lighting, LinkedIn profile photo style,
confident expression --ar 4:5 --style raw --stylize 30
Architectural visualization:
architectural rendering of [building type],
modern minimalist design, natural materials,
surrounded by trees, golden hour, photorealistic --ar 16:9
Midjourney vs DALL-E 3: Which Should You Use?
Midjourney wins for pure aesthetic quality and artistic control. DALL-E 3 wins when you need to follow very specific instructions or include readable text in the image.
See the full Midjourney vs DALL-E 3 comparison and our Midjourney review for quality benchmarks across categories.