Prompt Library

The 40 Best Midjourney Prompts of 2026

40 copy-paste prompts

Hand-picked prompts that produce gallery-quality images on Midjourney v6 — portraits, photorealism, anime, architecture, logos, fashion, landscapes, and surreal. Copy, paste, generate.

In short: This page contains 40 copy-paste ready prompts, organized into 8 categories with a description and pro tip for each. The first 15 prompts are free instantly — no signup needed. Hand-curated and tested by the AI Academy team.

By Louis Corneloup · Founder, Techpresso

Last updated May 15, 2026·Hand-curated & tested by the AI Academy team

Portraits & People

5 prompts

Cinematic Golden Hour Portrait

1/40

Cinematic portrait of a young woman with freckles, golden hour backlight, soft warm rim light, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, f/1.4, kodak portra 400 film grain, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

A warm, film-style portrait with the dreamy backlit look used by editorial photographers.

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Pro tip: Swap "young woman with freckles" for any subject. Keep the "85mm lens, f/1.4" + "golden hour backlight" — those two phrases do 80% of the work.

Studio Headshot for Professionals

2/40

Professional studio headshot of a 40-year-old man wearing a navy blazer, neutral grey backdrop, three-point lighting, sharp catchlights in eyes, shot on Hasselblad H6D, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

LinkedIn-ready studio headshot with crisp lighting and the depth signature of medium-format cameras.

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Pro tip: For a softer look, change "Hasselblad H6D" to "85mm lens f/2.0". The blazer color is the most important variable for tone.

Cinematic Character Portrait — Moody

3/40

Dramatic chiaroscuro portrait of a weathered fisherman, dim Rembrandt lighting from a single window, deep shadows, melancholic mood, oil-painting realism, --ar 3:4 --style raw --v 6

Painterly portrait in the chiaroscuro tradition — single dramatic light source, deep shadows, emotional weight.

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Pro tip: Rembrandt lighting refers to the small triangle of light on the shadow-side cheek. Add "subtle triangle highlight on cheek" to lock in the look.

Black-and-White Documentary Portrait

4/40

High-contrast black and white documentary portrait of an elderly woman in her kitchen, natural window light, deep wrinkles, Leica M6 with 35mm Summicron, Tri-X 400 grain, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Photojournalism aesthetic with the gritty texture of Tri-X film. Strong for storytelling shots.

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Pro tip: Leica M6 + Tri-X 400 is one of the strongest "film photography" combinations in Midjourney. Memorize it.

Fashion Editorial Portrait

5/40

High-fashion editorial portrait of a model with avant-garde silver makeup, oversized sculptural earrings, soft beauty-dish lighting, pastel pink seamless backdrop, Vogue magazine style, --ar 2:3 --style raw --v 6

Vogue-style fashion portrait with beauty-dish lighting and the bright pastel backdrops popular in editorial shoots.

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Pro tip: The phrase "beauty-dish lighting" gives you that signature soft-but-defined fashion look. Pair with seamless backdrop colors for variety.

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Photorealism & Real-World Scenes

5 prompts

Street Photography — Tokyo at Night

6/40

Street photography of rainy Tokyo Shinjuku at night, neon signs reflecting in wet pavement, lone figure with umbrella, Fujifilm X100V, 23mm f/2, cinematic color grade like Blade Runner 2049, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Cinematic urban photography with the wet-neon-reflection aesthetic. Strong for moody, atmospheric scenes.

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Pro tip: The "Blade Runner 2049 color grade" reference is potent. For other moods, try "Wes Anderson color palette" or "Roger Deakins cinematography".

Food Photography — Restaurant Quality

7/40

Overhead shot of fresh handmade pasta with truffle shavings on rustic ceramic plate, natural soft window light, marble surface, single sprig of parsley, restaurant menu photography, 50mm macro lens, --ar 1:1 --style raw --v 6

Magazine-quality food photography with the natural light + marble surface aesthetic dominant in 2020s food media.

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Pro tip: Overhead (flat lay) works best for plated dishes. For drinks or layered food, use "45-degree angle" or "side view".

Product Photography — Minimal

8/40

Studio product photograph of a matte black ceramic mug on white seamless backdrop, single softbox from upper left, subtle shadow, hyper-detailed product photography for e-commerce, --ar 1:1 --style raw --v 6

Clean e-commerce product shot — the kind used on Shopify hero pages and Amazon listings.

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Pro tip: For a moodier product shot, change "white seamless backdrop" to "dark concrete surface" and adjust the lighting direction.

Landscape — Mountain Sunrise

9/40

Vast mountain landscape at sunrise, low fog filling the valley below, distant peaks catching first light, single climber silhouette in foreground for scale, ultra-wide 24mm lens, National Geographic photography, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Epic landscape with the scale-of-nature feeling that wins photography awards.

💡

Pro tip: The "human silhouette for scale" trick makes landscapes feel epic. Without it, the scene reads as wallpaper.

Macro Photography — Insect Detail

10/40

Extreme macro photograph of a bee on a sunflower, water droplets on petals, shallow depth of field with sharp focus on bee's eyes, natural sunlight, Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens, --ar 3:2 --style raw --v 6

Nature-magazine-quality macro shot with the razor-thin focus plane that defines great macro photography.

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Pro tip: The "Canon MP-E 65mm" reference is what gives macro images their characteristic ultra-shallow DOF. Try "5x magnification" for even more detail.

Anime & Illustrated Styles

5 prompts

Studio Ghibli Pastoral Scene

11/40

Studio Ghibli style illustration of a young girl walking through a meadow with a black cat, lush green hills, blue sky with fluffy clouds, watercolor texture, hand-painted feel, --ar 16:9 --niji 6 --style scenic

The pastoral, sun-dappled Ghibli aesthetic from Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service.

💡

Pro tip: Always use `--niji 6` for anime — it's Midjourney's anime-tuned model. `--style scenic` favors landscapes; `--style cute` favors characters.

Cyberpunk Anime Character

12/40

Cyberpunk anime character portrait, female warrior with neon pink hair, glowing cybernetic eye implants, leather jacket with chrome details, neon-lit Tokyo alley background, vibrant colors, Akira-inspired, --ar 2:3 --niji 6

High-energy cyberpunk character art in the Akira/Ghost-in-the-Shell tradition.

💡

Pro tip: Add `--stylize 750` for more artistic interpretation, or `--stylize 250` for closer adherence to your prompt.

Shonen Action Scene

13/40

Shonen anime action scene, young swordsman mid-leap with energy aura, dynamic motion lines, dramatic lighting from below, intense facial expression, manga panel style, --ar 16:9 --niji 6 --style expressive

Action-anime style with the dynamic motion lines and energy auras of shonen manga.

💡

Pro tip: For multi-panel manga look, add "manga page layout with multiple panels" to the prompt.

Slice-of-Life Anime Scene

14/40

Cozy slice-of-life anime scene, two friends sharing ramen at a small Tokyo izakaya, warm orange lantern lighting, steam rising from bowls, peaceful atmosphere, Makoto Shinkai style detail, --ar 16:9 --niji 6 --style scenic

Quiet, atmospheric anime in the Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You) tradition.

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Pro tip: Shinkai's signature is hyper-detailed backgrounds with soft warm lighting. Add "extremely detailed environment" to lean into it.

Vintage 90s Anime Aesthetic

15/40

Retro 90s anime style portrait of a mysterious girl in a school uniform, soft pastel color palette, painted backgrounds, slight VHS grain, Ghost in the Shell era aesthetic, --ar 4:5 --niji 6 --style original

90s anime aesthetic with painted backgrounds and the analog grain of VHS-era animation.

💡

Pro tip: `--style original` gives the more painterly 90s look. Modern slick anime uses `--style expressive`.

Architecture & Interiors

5 prompts

Modern Minimalist House

16/40

Modern minimalist house at dusk, concrete and warm wood, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, infinity pool, surrounded by pine forest, warm interior glow, architectural photography by Iwan Baan, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Architectural Digest cover photo — minimalist house at golden hour with warm interior lighting.

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Pro tip: Naming a specific architectural photographer (Iwan Baan, Hélène Binet) anchors the style. "Dusk" is the most flattering time for architecture.

Cozy Reading Nook Interior

17/40

Cozy reading nook interior, built-in bookshelves, large window seat with linen cushions, warm Edison bulb pendant light, autumn afternoon sunlight, hardwood floors, Architectural Digest style, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Warm interior shot with the "I want to live here" feeling that drives interior design Pinterest engagement.

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Pro tip: For Pinterest virality, the formula is: cozy + natural light + warm wood + a single book or coffee cup. Include all four.

Brutalist Architecture

18/40

Imposing brutalist concrete building, harsh midday sunlight casting deep shadows, geometric forms, dramatic low-angle perspective, blue sky, Helene Binet style architectural photography, black and white, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Stark brutalist building shot with the dramatic shadows that define the genre.

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Pro tip: Brutalism photography thrives in B&W. Color shots tend to feel flat — keep it monochrome.

Japanese Tea House Interior

19/40

Traditional Japanese tea house interior, tatami mats, shoji screens with soft diffused light, low wooden table with tea ceremony setup, ikebana flower arrangement, minimal aesthetic, wabi-sabi feel, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Authentic Japanese interior with the soft diffused light and minimal arrangement of wabi-sabi philosophy.

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Pro tip: "Wabi-sabi" + "shoji screens" together unlock the right aesthetic. Specify "morning light" for warmer tones.

Restaurant Interior — Moody

20/40

Upscale restaurant interior at dinner service, warm pendant lighting over each table, exposed brick wall, dark wood furniture, intimate booth seating, slight motion blur of waitstaff, Bon Appetit magazine photography, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Atmospheric restaurant photography with the warm-amber glow that defines high-end dining magazines.

💡

Pro tip: Adding "slight motion blur of waitstaff" creates a sense of liveliness without distracting from the architecture.

Logos & Iconography

5 prompts

Minimalist Geometric Logo

21/40

Minimalist geometric logo design for a tech startup, single bold mark, monochrome black on white, clean sans-serif wordmark below, vector style, professional brand identity, --ar 1:1 --no gradient, blur, complexity --v 6

Clean tech-startup logo in the spirit of Stripe, Linear, and modern SaaS branding.

💡

Pro tip: The `--no gradient, blur, complexity` negative prompt is critical — without it, Midjourney adds visual noise that real logos avoid.

Vintage Hand-Drawn Logo

22/40

Vintage hand-drawn logo for an artisan coffee shop, classic crest emblem, two coffee beans crossed like swords, "EST. 1924" banner, monoline illustration, sepia tones on cream background, hipster aesthetic, --ar 1:1 --v 6

Artisan-craft logo in the third-wave coffee / craft brewery tradition.

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Pro tip: The "EST. [year]" banner makes the logo feel established. Use a fake-old date (1900-1960) for vintage authenticity.

Modern Tech App Icon

23/40

Modern app icon for a productivity app, rounded square format, gradient from purple to pink, minimal symbol in center, Apple App Store style, soft drop shadow, --ar 1:1 --v 6

iOS-style app icon ready for the App Store with the rounded-square + gradient + minimal-symbol formula.

💡

Pro tip: Always specify "rounded square format" for iOS. For Android, say "rounded square with elevated shadow".

Luxury Brand Monogram

24/40

Luxury fashion brand monogram logo, intertwined letters A and B, gold foil on black background, art deco style, ornate but balanced, Chanel-Hermes aesthetic, --ar 1:1 --v 6

High-end fashion monogram with the symmetric, art-deco luxury of Chanel or Hermes.

💡

Pro tip: Naming "Chanel-Hermes aesthetic" anchors the style. For a more modern luxury feel, swap to "Loewe-Bottega Veneta aesthetic".

Playful Mascot Logo

25/40

Playful cartoon mascot logo for a kids brand, smiling cartoon fox with a graduation cap, bright primary colors, thick black outline, sticker style, friendly and approachable, --ar 1:1 --v 6

Bright mascot logo ready for stickers, kids products, or education brands.

💡

Pro tip: "Thick black outline" + "sticker style" gives the print-ready bold look. Reduce stylize value (`--s 100`) for cleaner shapes.

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Fashion & Beauty

5 prompts

Fashion Campaign Look

26/40

High-fashion campaign photograph, model in oversized cream wool coat, standing in concrete brutalist hallway, harsh top lighting, monochrome muted color palette, The Row campaign style, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Minimalist luxury fashion campaign in the spirit of The Row, Lemaire, and Jil Sander.

💡

Pro tip: Muted earth tones + brutalist architecture = "quiet luxury" aesthetic. Add "matte finish" for the fabric to avoid plasticky shine.

Beauty Product Photography

27/40

Beauty product photograph, glass perfume bottle on pink marble surface, soft pink gradient background, water droplets on bottle, single softbox top-left, Glossier campaign aesthetic, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Pastel-toned beauty product photography in the Glossier/Fenty Beauty visual language.

💡

Pro tip: For luxury beauty brands instead (Chanel, Dior), swap "pink gradient" for "deep black marble".

Streetwear Editorial

28/40

Streetwear editorial photograph, model in oversized hoodie and baggy cargo pants, urban rooftop in Brooklyn at golden hour, candid pose, film grain, Supreme lookbook aesthetic, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Streetwear lookbook with the candid, gritty-urban aesthetic of Supreme and Stussy.

💡

Pro tip: Streetwear photography needs visible film grain. Add "Portra 800 film" for warmer skin tones or "Tri-X 400" for B&W edge.

Vintage Couture Portrait

29/40

Vintage couture fashion portrait, model in 1950s Dior New Look gown, posed in ornate Parisian apartment, soft window light, pastel palette, Irving Penn-inspired composition, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Classic-era fashion in the Irving Penn / Richard Avedon tradition.

💡

Pro tip: Irving Penn anchors compositional simplicity; Richard Avedon anchors stark white backgrounds. Pick based on your scene.

Sportswear Action Shot

30/40

Sportswear action photograph, female runner mid-stride on outdoor track, golden hour backlight, athletic apparel branding visible, motion blur on legs, Nike campaign aesthetic, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

High-energy sportswear photography with the dynamic motion of Nike and Adidas campaigns.

💡

Pro tip: Motion blur on legs is the trick that makes sportswear shots feel like real action vs. a posed shoot.

Landscapes & Nature

5 prompts

Misty Forest at Dawn

31/40

Misty redwood forest at dawn, sun rays piercing through fog between massive tree trunks, soft golden backlight, single hiker walking down forest path for scale, Ansel Adams meets Peter Lik, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Epic forest photograph with godlight beams and the scale of old-growth redwoods.

💡

Pro tip: The "single hiker for scale" trick: same as for mountain landscapes — provides emotional anchor and shows the size.

Ocean Storm — Dramatic

32/40

Dramatic ocean storm at Big Sur cliffs, massive wave crashing against rocks, sea spray catching late afternoon light, brooding grey clouds, ultra-wide 16mm lens, Sebastiao Salgado intensity, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Powerful storm seascape with the documentary intensity of Sebastiao Salgado.

💡

Pro tip: Storm photography benefits from grey clouds + golden light through gaps. Add "shaft of golden light breaking through" for drama.

Northern Lights Aurora

33/40

Aurora borealis over snowy Norwegian fjord, green and purple lights dancing in night sky, reflection in still water below, lone red cabin on shore, long exposure photograph, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Iconic aurora photograph with the reflection-in-water composition that wins photo contests.

💡

Pro tip: Aurora photos always need foreground interest — a cabin, mountain peak, or person. Pure sky-only shots feel empty.

Desert Dunes — Minimal

34/40

Minimal desert dune landscape at sunrise, single curving sand ridge, deep shadow on one side and warm light on other, no horizon visible, abstract composition, Sahara aesthetic, --ar 1:1 --style raw --v 6

Abstract desert landscape with the curve-and-shadow minimalism that works equally as gallery art or wallpaper.

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Pro tip: Square aspect ratio (1:1) makes desert dune photos feel more abstract. Wide ratio reads as travel-magazine.

Autumn Forest Path

35/40

Autumn forest path covered in fallen orange and red maple leaves, soft afternoon sunlight filtering through canopy, mist between trees, painterly atmosphere, dreamy bokeh, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Classic autumn forest path with the soft-light + bokeh combo that drives Pinterest engagement every October.

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Pro tip: For the dreamiest version, add "shot on Helios 44-2 vintage lens" — that lens has signature swirly bokeh.

Surreal & Fantasy

5 prompts

Floating Islands at Sunset

36/40

Surreal landscape of floating rocky islands suspended over an endless cloud sea, warm sunset colors, waterfalls falling from the islands into the clouds, fantasy concept art, Studio Ghibli meets Magic the Gathering, --ar 16:9 --v 6

Epic fantasy concept art in the floating-island tradition (Ghibli, Avatar, Magic the Gathering).

💡

Pro tip: For book-cover style, add "dramatic light shaft + tiny human silhouette on island edge" — adds emotional anchor.

Underwater Library

37/40

Surreal underwater library, vintage books floating among schools of fish, sunken Victorian architecture, sun rays through water surface above, magical atmosphere, photorealistic CGI, --ar 16:9 --v 6

Surreal scene with the dreamlike physics of Magritte combined with photorealism.

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Pro tip: Surreal scenes work best when ONE element is impossible (floating books) but everything else is realistic. Too much surrealism feels random.

Giant Animal in City

38/40

Giant kaiju-sized cat lying peacefully in middle of Tokyo street, tiny humans walking around it unconcerned, golden hour lighting, photorealistic, surreal humor, --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6

Surreal humor scene — oversized animal treated as mundane. Strong for shareable visual jokes.

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Pro tip: The humor lives in the "unconcerned humans" detail. Without that, it reads as scary kaiju movie instead of comedy.

Dream Sequence — Levitating

39/40

Dreamlike portrait of a woman in flowing white dress levitating above a misty lake at dawn, hair floating gently, soft ethereal lighting, surreal photography, Tim Walker style, --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6

Tim Walker-inspired dreamlike portrait with the ethereal floating-figure aesthetic of high-fashion editorials.

💡

Pro tip: Tim Walker references unlock surreal-fashion shots specifically. For darker surrealism, try "Gregory Crewdson style".

Mythical Creature Portrait

40/40

Majestic dragon resting in a mountain cave, scales catching warm firelight from below, intelligent eyes meeting viewer, photorealistic creature design, How to Train Your Dragon meets National Geographic, --ar 4:5 --v 6

Believable mythical creature portrait — the kind that makes fantasy feel real rather than cartoonish.

💡

Pro tip: Mythical creatures feel real when lit like real animals. "Catching warm firelight from below" treats the dragon as a documentary subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

All prompts are written for Midjourney v6 (the current default as of 2026). The `--v 6` parameter at the end of each prompt locks the version. For anime prompts, we use `--niji 6` instead, which is Midjourney's anime-specialized model. If you're on Midjourney v7 when it ships, swap `--v 6` for `--v 7` — the prompt structure stays the same.

`--ar` sets the aspect ratio. `4:5` is portrait (Instagram), `16:9` is widescreen (desktop wallpaper), `1:1` is square, `2:3` is photo print. `--style raw` removes Midjourney's default beauty filter — use it for realistic photography. `--niji` switches to the anime-tuned model. Other useful parameters: `--stylize 250` (closer to your prompt) vs `--stylize 750` (more artistic interpretation).

The prompt structure is: subject → style descriptors → lighting → camera/lens → mood → parameters. Change the SUBJECT (first phrase) freely; keep the structural pieces (lighting + camera + parameters) — those are doing the heavy lifting. If you change too many things at once, you lose control over the output.

Three reasons: (1) Midjourney is stochastic — same prompt produces different images each run. Run a prompt 4+ times to see the range. (2) Tiny prompt differences matter. "Soft warm light" vs "soft golden light" produces different images. Use the exact wording. (3) Your Midjourney settings (style, weirdness, stylize values in `/settings`) affect every prompt. Check those if results feel off.

The prompts themselves are free to copy. Whether the IMAGES are commercially usable depends on your Midjourney subscription tier — Pro plans grant broader commercial rights than Basic. Read Midjourney's Terms of Service for your specific plan. Also: Midjourney explicitly does not allow you to claim authorship of generated images you didn't personally prompt.

Three habits: (1) Always include lighting + lens info — even fake ones ("85mm f/1.4 lens" works even though Midjourney doesn't actually use a lens). (2) Reference named photographers, films, or art movements — "Roger Deakins cinematography", "Wes Anderson palette", "art deco style". These anchor visual style with shorthand. (3) Iterate on ONE element at a time. Run 4 variations changing only the lighting. Then 4 changing only the lens. This is how you build intuition.

Yes — the first 15 prompts on this page are free with no signup. Drop your email to unlock the rest plus a 10-page guide on the prompt-writing framework behind them all.

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