7 Midjourney & Stable Diffusion Prompt Tips for Beginners (2025)

You don’t need to be an artist or a coder to get stunning AI images. With a few prompt habits, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion will deliver consistently better results. Use these 7 beginner‑friendly tips-with simple examples you can try today.

TL;DR

1. Be specific about subject + style.
2. Add composition and camera cues.
3. Specify lighting and color.
4. Use negative prompts to remove artifacts.
5. Set aspect ratio and size for your use case.
6. Iterate one variable at a time.
7. Use references and style hints responsibly.

Tip 1: Be Specific about Subject + Style

Bad:

cool landscape

Good:

epic alpine landscape, dramatic snow‑capped peaks, winding river, golden hour
style: photo‑realistic, ultra‑wide, high dynamic range

Why it works: Clear subject + style cues steer composition and aesthetics.

Tip 2: Add Composition & Camera Cues

Useful phrases: “wide angle,” “close‑up portrait,” “rule of thirds,” “overhead,” “macro,” “35mm film.”

Example:

close‑up portrait, centered, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, bokeh background

Tip 3: Specify Lighting & Color

Lighting drastically changes mood.

Examples: “soft diffused light,” “golden hour,” “neon rim light,” “studio softbox,” “moody chiaroscuro.”

cinematic still, teal‑and‑orange color grade, backlit haze, volumetric light

Tip 4: Use Negative Prompts (filter unwanted elements)

What is a negative prompt? Text that tells the model what to avoid.

Starter negatives:

text, watermark, logo, low quality, blurry, extra digits, deformed hands

Stable Diffusion example (prompt + negative):

prompt: futuristic city skyline at dusk, ultra‑detailed, reflections on water
negative: text, watermark, lowres, noisy, oversaturated

Tip 5: Mind Aspect Ratio and Size

• Midjourney: add --ar 16:9 (or 1:1, 9:16, 4:5)
• Stable Diffusion: set width/height (e.g., 1024×1536 for verticals)

Landscape example (Midjourney):

sunset over lavender fields, aerial perspective, soft haze --ar 16:9

Tip 6: Iterate in Small Steps

Workflow:

1. Generate a baseline
2. Tweak one variable (style, lighting, color)
3. Compare outputs

Example iterations:

v1: portrait, natural soft light
v2: portrait, golden hour backlight
v3: portrait, neon edge light, moody shadows

Tip 7: Use References and Style Hints (responsibly)

Describe inspirations (genre, era, medium) rather than naming living artists.

Examples: “baroque oil painting,” “1920s travel poster,” “cyberpunk neon,” “studio fashion editorial,” “isometric pixel art.”

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Midjourney vs Stable Diffusion: Quick Notes

• Midjourney
  • Use parameters like --ar, --stylize, --v (version)
  • Descriptive phrases work well; keep structure simple
• Stable Diffusion
  • Strong effect from negative prompts and weights
  • You can use emphasis like (keyword:1.2) in some UIs

Starter Stable Diffusion prompt:

prompt: elegant product photo on white background, soft studio light, subtle shadow, high detail
negative: watermark, text, reflection, harsh shadow, lowres

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Bad → Good Prompt Transformations

Logo (generic → useful)

Bad:

make a cool logo

Good:

minimalist logo for a coffee roastery named "Peak Roast"
style: geometric mark + modern sans‑serif wordmark
colors: charcoal, warm copper accent
output: vector‑like, flat background, centered
negative: gradients, bevels, busy details

Character (generic → useful)

Bad:

fantasy character

Good:

fantasy ranger, leather cloak, ash‑blonde hair, green eyes, woodland setting
style: cinematic portrait, shallow depth of field, 85mm lens, bokeh
lighting: soft rim light, cool ambient
negative: extra fingers, distorted hands, watermark, text

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Try These Starters

Landscape:

misty rainforest valley at sunrise, low clouds, saturated greens, birds in distance
style: photo‑realistic, wide lens, rule of thirds, high detail
negative: text, watermark, oversharpened, washed out

Product:

wireless earbuds, macro hero shot, white cyclorama, soft gradient, subtle reflection
style: e‑commerce studio lighting, high clarity
negative: dust, fingerprints, watermark, text

Poster:

retro travel poster of Kyoto in spring, limited palette, screen‑print texture
style: 1920s art deco poster, bold shapes, clean typography area
negative: photo texture, gradients, busy background

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Use PromptBuilder to Speed This Up

• Add negative prompts with a click
• Choose aspect ratios and style presets without memorizing syntax
• Save and reuse your best prompts for consistency

🎨 Try it free: /free-tools/chatgpt-prompt-generator and explore our image‑prompt templates inside the app.

Upgrade when you’re ready: /#pricing