Joel's Reference to MidJourney v4 Prompts

What?
So this is an article for me to store prompts for the MidJourney AI text-2-image discord tool.

Why?
The results from the MidJourney bot are beyond unpredictable however with the correct prompts you can direct it to focus on the elements you want from a brief.

How?
A "prompt" is a text-to-image expression using words and phrases to instruct the Midjourney Bot (or any other AI text-2-image generator) which the bot can break down into "tokens" and then match with its training data to generate the image.

Quick recap on how to first start using the MidJourney Bot

1. Signup to Discord.com
2. Visit Midjourney.com
3. Go to the Midjourney's discord channel
4. Join a community room (named "Newbie"...) // or if you subscribe you can have a private conversation with the MidJourney Bot
5. Type the word /imagine and then a space and then type your idea (eg. "fire mage, steampunk victorian, detailed, full body hyperrealistic female" without the quotes to get the left image here).
6. Type /help for other commands

Stealth Mode
To keep images private, send these as direct messages to the Midjourney Bot.  Just bear in mind that any image in a prompt can be accessed if people work out the link.  "Stealth" mode is only available in the most expensive subscription plan.  NSFW will likely be blocked.  Installing Stable Diffusion on a local server is the recommended stealth mode.  Check out Matt Wolfe's video on how to do this: Youtube - Matt Wolfe - Install Stable Diffusion Locally. Ok it isn't MidJourney... But it's free.


Defaulting some parameters to be added to every prompt
/prefer suffix
This defaults certain arguments to any prompt you submit. I don't really recommend this unless you're doing a batch of images which need to match the same style and dimensions. To start,

1. type /prefer suffix
2. Type <space>
3. Type the parameters you want as default
4. Press <Enter>

/settings
Settings will default some settings although, again, I wouldn't recommend these if you're just starting off. Leaving these on default as you experiment and become more familiar with the tool would be better as changes to your settings may limit your discovery of the variations and styles.

1. Type /settings then enter/return twice

Storing prompts as quick commands
Type /prefer option list to see what custom options you already have. By default you should have one called "wallpaper":

/imagine a flower
// returns 4 square pictures of a flower

/imagine a flower --wallpaper
// appends "--w 1920 --h 1024 --hd"
// returns 4 pictures of a flower in a landscape orientation with an aspect ratio of 16:9 (a bit like an A4 paper on it's side)

/prefer option set
This will create custom parameters/argument suffixes you can add which represent a whole string of words that you may use often but don't feel like typing every time. (follow these to the letter or it will simply reset your custom option):

1. type /prefer option set then a <space>
2. In the "option" box, type an easy to remember word for this set of options, eg. "portrait".
3. Now click outside of the option box at the end (in between where it says +1 more)
4. Type the word "value" and press <Enter>
5. Now type the string of words/phrases that you want to store against this custom parameter then press <Enter>

So to use these now, simply append 2 hyphens/dashes and the name of your custom parameter, for example:

/imagine a beautiful face --portrait

---

Effects
So I can now build a prompt combining any of the following in a table (this is not an exhaustive / limited list). Do note that the images below were generated using MidJourney v4:

Starting with the Source Image, the below are affects added to it:

Type of Photography

Prompt keywords

Nature Photography
    Aerial Photography
    Astrophotography
    Cityscape Photography
    Landscape Photography
    Macro Photography
    Night Photography
    Scientific Photography
    Tilt-Shift Photography
    Underwater Photography
    Wildlife Photography
People Photography
    Commercial Photography
    Documentary Photography
    Event Photography
    Fashion Photography
    Pet Photography
    Portrait Photography
    Sports Photography
    Street Photography
    Travel Photography
    Wedding Photography
Manmade Objects
    Architecture
    Fine Art Photography
    Food Photography
    Product Photography
    Real Estate Photography
    Still Life Photography
    Tech Photography

Camera Angle

Note that there others, I'm only listing ones that actually followed the prompt (eg. Eye-Level Shot puts a massive eye on the picture???)

Prompt keywords

Cinematic Still Shot
Full-Body shot
Headshot from chest up
Portrait
Knolling
Satellite View

Subject

��This is the actual subject that you want an image of��

Subject Attriutes

This is just a list of ones where it actually followed the prompt (eg. Looking/Facing down made the subject look up???)

Prompt keywords

Arms Up
Contrapposto
Cross-Legged  (or Meditation Pose)
Crossed Arms
Dynamic Pose
Facing the Camera
Hand on Chin
Hands on Hips
K-Shape Pose
Leaning Back
Odalisque Pose
S-Shape Pose
Sitting
With their Back to the camera

Period / Age

Prompt keywords

in the year ��Year��
60s
90s
Autumn
during the Dark Ages
at Dawn
at Dusk
in the Evening
Futuristic
during Golden Hour
Historical
during the Middle Ages
at Midday
at Midnight
in the Morning
Neolithic
Post-Apocalyptic
Prehistoric
during the Renaissance
Sepia-Toned
Spring
during the Stone Ages
Summer
during Twilight
Victorian
Vintage
Winter
during World War

Level of Detail

8k resolution
Hyper-realistic
Intrinsic Details
Photo-realistic
Precise Details

Cameras

...captured using a...

Canon EOS R Camera
Nikon D850

Type of Filter/Lens

...with a...

16mm Lens
35mm Lens
50mm Lens
85mm Lens
200mm Lens
Macro Lens
Neutral Density Filter
Nikon AF-s Nikkor 70-200mm
Polarizing Filter
Telephoto Lens
Wide-Angle Lens

View Distance

--no blur
--no dof
f/1.8
f/1.4
f/2.0
f/2.8

Style of Art/Film

Same image again but let's try some of these keywords out:

Prompt keywords

Abstract
Action Painting
Alien
Art Nouveau
Baroque
Bokeh
Clip Art
Collagraph
Comic
Conceptual
Cubism
Cyberpunk
Dazzle
Dream-like
Engraving
Etching
Fantasy
Fauvism
Film Grain
Fluxus
Funky
Glitter
Graffiti
Impressionist
Infographic
Kawaii
Lithography
Linocut
Manga
Maximalist
Minimalist
Modernist
Naive Art
Neo-Dada
Neon
Octane Render
Odalisque
Origami
Orphism
Paper
Photorealistic
Pixar Cartoon
Polaroid
Polka Dot
Pop Art
Post-Impressionism
Psychedelic
Punk
Rainbow
Realism
Sketch
Steampunk
Sticker
Surreal
Synthwave
Unreal Engine
Vector Line
Watercolor Painting
Whimsical 
Yellowist
Zombie

Lighting

Prompt keywords

Ambient Light
Artificial Lighting
Back Light
Blacklight
Broad Lighting
Cinematic Lighting
Contre-Jour
Dekatron
Electroluminescent 
Feathering Light
Fill Light
Fluorescent Lamp
Gel Lighting  &l;;color1> <color2>
Halfrear Lighting
Hard Light
High Key Light
Incandescent Lamp
Key Light
Light Pollution
Low Key Light
Moody Lighting
Moon Light
Natural Lighting
Ray Tracing Global Illumination
Silhouette
Sketched
Soft Lighting
Studio Lighting
Sunbeams
X-Ray
Volumetric Lighting

Famous Artist Styles

I've tried to list artists here who have styles that I could not generate using the above keywords/tokens.

Usage: ...in the style of...

Note that some of these may verge on Copyright Infringement so be careful if posting commercially (ie. appropriation). Please mention the artist name if copying their style and If the artist is still living, then consider reaching out to or supporting the artist.

Prompt keywords

Al Hirschfeld
Alexander Calder
Andy Warhol
Arthur Rackham
Auguste Rodin
Banksy
Cai Guo-Qiang
Carolee Schneemann
Chris Ofili 
Claude Monet
David Hockney
Diego Rivera
Do Ho Suh
Doze Green
Ed Ruscha
Edouard Duval-Carri�� 
Edward Hopper
El Anatsui
Ellsworth Kelly
Ernst Haeckel
Eug��ne Atget
Frank Frazetta
Garth Williams
Garry Winogrand
Georges Braque
Georgia O���Keeffe
Grayson Perry
Gustav Klimt
H.R. Giger
Hayao Miyazaki
Henri Matisse
Henri Rousseau
Hieronymus Bosch
Hito Steyerl
Howardena Pindell
Jack Kirby
Jackson Pollock
Jacob Lawrence
Jacques-Louis David
Jan van Huysum
James Turrell
Jean-Michel Basquiat 
Joan Mir��
Johannes Vermeer
John Carpenter
John Romita Jr
Jules Verne
Kara Walker
Kate Greenaway
Kurt Schwitters
Lee Ufan
Liu Xiaodong
M.C. Escher
Marc Chagall
Marlene Dumas
Michelangelo
Mike Kelley
Mike Mignola
M��bius  (Jean Giraud)
Moriko Mori
Njideka Akunyili Crosby 
Osamu Tezuka
Pablo Picasso
Paul Cezanne
Ren�� Magritte
Robert Rauschenberg
Roy Lichtenstein
Salvador Dali
Saul Bass
Shigeo Fukuda
Syd Mead
Takashi Murakami
Tim Burton
Theo van Doesburg
Thomas Cole
Toyin Ojih Odutola
Wayne Thiebaud
Victor Vasarely
Vincent van Gogh
Wassily Kandinsky
Wilfredo Lam
William Blake
Willem de Kooning
Xu Bing
Xu Zhen
Yayoi Kusama
Yinka Shonibare
Yoshitomo Nara
Yun-Fei Ji

Aspect Ratio

--ar 1:1
--ar 16:9
--ar 2:3
--ar 3:2
--ar 4:3

Other worthwhile mentions
The following are to add to your subject theme and again, I'm only trying to list ones that produced the desired effect:

Famous Shows

in the style of...

Note that these are almost definitely infringing on copyright/intellectual property and should not be used in a commercial setting.

Prompt keywords

Afro Samurai   (Takashi Okazaki)
Akira   (Katsuhiro Otomo)
Batman
Charlie Brown  (Charles Schulz)
the Dark Crystal
Dragonball  (Akira Toriyama)
Gankutsuou  (Maeda)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure  (Hirohiko Araki)
Kid Pix
MAD Magazine
One Punch Man  (Yusuke Murata)
Pokemon  (Ken Sugimori)
Spiderman
Superman
Tron  (Syd Mead)
Wallace & Gromit  (Nick Park)
the Wombles

Animalist

Prompt keywords

Avian  (Bird)
Bovine  (Cattle)
Canine  (Dog)
Cephalopod  (Octopus)
Equine  (Horse)
Feline  (Cat)
Fleecy   (Sheep)
Formicidae  (Ant)
Hircine  (Goat)
Ichthyoid  (Fish)
Leonine  (Lion)
Pachyderme  (Elephant)
Pavonine or Peafowl  (Peacock)
Pinniped  (Seal)
Porcine   (Pig)
Serpentine   (Snake)
Taurus  (Bull)
Testudine  (Tortoise)
Tigrine  (Tiger)
Ursine  (Bear)
Vespine  (Wasp)

Botanical

Prompt keywords

Fernaceous  (Fern)
Lupine  
Rosaceous  (Rose)

Backdrops

Prompt keywords

Beach
Car
Desert
Factory
Forest
Horizon
Lake
Lawn
London
Mountains
New York
Paris
Piscine  (Swimming Pool)
Rooftop
Snow
Theatre
Tokyo
Warehouse

More Art Terms

These are ones mentioned by YouTubers that had an effect on the output (ones I didn't make an image of didn't work for me but I want to remember them in case I learn how to use them):

YouTube - Making the Photo
YouTube - Future Tech Pilot
GitHub - Willwulfken / MidJourney Styles

Prompt keywords

Aboriginal Dot
Acidwave
Art Brut
Art Deco
ASCII Art
Biomorphic
Bubble Design
Chiaroscurio
Cloisonnism
Concretism
Dark Synth
Deconstructivism
Diffusion
Drop Art
Encaustic
Feng Shui
Filigree
Folk Art
Fractal
Grisaille
Impasto
Lovecraftian
Low Poly
Neo-Futurism
Op Art
Pentimento
Plasticism
Prismatic
Sfumato
Sgraffito
Synesthesia
Tenebrism
Ukiyo-e
Unsplash
Vaporwave
Voronoi
Wabi-sabi
Warli 

And a few more

These were found from searching the web for other art styles:

Prompt keywords

Anamorphic
Aquatint
Avant-Garde
Batik
Caricature
Collage
Composite
Concentric
Conceptual
Constructivism
Contour
Cor-Ten Steel
Daguerreotype
Diptych
Double Exposure
Drypoint
Earthwork
Emulsion
Enamelled
Feather Art
Gelatin Silver Print
Geometric
Glasswork
Gold-Plated
Gourd 
Hieroglyphics
Horizon Line
Ice Sculpture
Illusion
Intaglio
Isometric
Lacquer
Latex
Mandala
Metalwork
Metaphysical
Monochrome
Montage
Motif
Mural
Organic
Papier-m��ch��
Perspective
Photogram
Popcorn
Praxinoscope
Precisionism
Sand Painting
Screenprint
Shadow Art
Smoke Form
Sticky Notes
Strobe
Suprematism
Symbolism
Tin Foil
Translucent
Triptych
Waterwork
X-Ray

Own prompts:
Used for the fire mage above:

custom1:
full body, steampunk, hyperrealistic, octane render, cinematic lighting, unreal engine --q 2 --ar 4:6

custom2:
ui, ux, vibrant colors

custom3:
humanoid robot, halfrear lighting

Matt Wolfe:
This YouTuber is one of the channels I do subscribe to as an AI enthusiast and whose videos are really helpful in this space. Here's some prompts from his videos that worked for me:

portrait:
clear facial features, Cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, global illumination --uplight --v 4

nature:
from below, side view, golden hour, National Geographic, on Agfa Vista --ar 16:9

Maximize:
This is a formula which returns pretty realistic images and references as demo'd in Maximize's Youtube video (see sources below):

Type of photography, lens, distance, subject, direction, type of film, aspect ratio

Glibatree:
The following are prompts shared on Glibatree's YouTube channel (see "Sources" below):

portrait:
::5 Premium Portrait Photography::4 well-lit, sharp-focus, high-quality, artistic, unique, award-winning photograph, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/8, ISO 100, 1/250 second, close-up, natural light, professional, flattering, headshot::3 black and white, grainy, deformed, watermark::-2

photo:
::5 Artistic Photography::4 creative, expressive, unique, high-quality, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/5.6 aperture, 1/125 second shutter speed, ISO 100, Adobe Photoshop, award-winning, experimental techniques, unusual perspectives, attention to detail::3 blurry, dim, uninspired::-2

painting:
::5 Beautiful painting with artistic symbolism::4 brushstrokes, expressive, textured, vibrant colors, traditional medium, hand-painted, impressionistic style, high-quality canvas, limited edition, oil paint, palette knife, windsor & newton oil paints, award-winning style::3 signature, deformed::-2

cartoon:
::5 Whimsical character design::4 Tags: creative, expressive, detailed, colorful, stylized anatomy, high-quality, digital art, 3D rendering, stylized, unique, award-winning, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray, playful, fantastical::2 plain background, simple, deformed::-2

tshirt:
::5 Professional T-Shirt Design::4 trendy, modern, memorable, vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator, professional, corporate, scalable, award-winning, minimalistic design, geometric shapes, bold font::3 deformed, cartoonish, cluttered design, generic font::-2

ink:
::5 Artistic Inked and Calligraphy Scene::4 creative, expressive, unique, high-quality, traditional medium, ink, brush, calligraphy, award-winning, experimental techniques, attention to detail, dynamic compositions::3 deformed, poor, traditional, static::-2

vector:
::5 Beautiful Vector Art Design::4 designed in illustrator, curvilinear vector polygons, intricate detailing, 16 themed-colors, award-winning 2d design, flat design, ultra-detailed, visionary strokes, 8k premium export style::3 signature::-2

pet:
- adorable pet photography, cute, well-lit, sharp-focus, high-quality, artistic, unique, award-winning photograph, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/8, ISO 100, 1/250 second, close-up, natural light, domestic animals, playful, fluffy style

product:
::5 Professional Product Render::4 photorealistic, 3D rendering, high-quality, detailed, accurate representation, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray, professional, corporate, award-winning, realistic materials, accurate dimensions, multiple angles::3 deformed, abstract, unrealistic::-2

food:
::5 Delicious Food Photography::4 well-lit, sharp-focus, high-quality, artistic, unique, award-winning photograph, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/8 aperture, 1/125 second shutter speed, ISO 100, professional lighting setup, Adobe Photoshop, appetizing composition, attention to detail::3 dim, blurry, boring, generic, unappetizing, simple::-2 grainy, smokey::-1

room:
::5 Professional Real Estate Photography::4 interior, wide angle, clear, bright, high-quality, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, Adobe Photoshop, professional, corporate, award-winning::3 blurry, poorly lit::-2

character:
::5 Character Concept Art::4 creative, expressive, detailed, colorful, stylized anatomy, digital art, 3D rendering, unique, award-winning, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray, professional, well-developed concept, distinct personality, consistent style::3 deformed, simple, undeveloped concept, generic personality, inconsistent style::-2

landscape:
::5 Realistic Landscape Painting::4 brushstrokes, expressive, textured, detailed, accurate representation of nature, natural tones, traditional medium, oil paint, high-quality canvas, limited edition, award-winning::3 signature, dull, boring, ugly, abstract::-2

surreal:
::5 Surreal Digital Illustration::4 dreamlike, otherworldly, surrealist techniques, unique, ultra-detailed, digital art, abstract but representational, Adobe Photoshop, inspired, artistic, award-winning::3 photo, dull, simple, clean, modern::-2

abstract:
::5 Abstract Acrylic Painting::4 expressive brushstrokes, vibrant colors, abstract form, movement, non-representational, modern, contemporary, high-quality canvas, emotionally derived colors, limited edition, acrylic paint, palette knife, textured, award-winning::3 deformed, surreal::-2

logo:
::5 Professional Logo Design::6 sleek, modern, memorable, simple, scalable, vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator, professional, corporate, award-winning::4 badge icon, logo, on black background::3 word art, text, lettering::-4 deformed, cartoonish::-2

macro:
::5 Professional Macro Photography::4 detailed, extreme close-up, sharp focus, natural light, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/8 aperture, 1/250 second shutter speed, ISO 100, high-quality, award-winning, attention to detail::3 blurry, dim, boring, generic, simple, plain, grainy::-2

future:
::5 Futuristic Sci-Fi 3D Render::4 high-tech, science fiction, neon lighting, intriguing, imaginitive futuristic, detailed, realistic, 3D rendering, metalic, digital art, Unreal Engine 6, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray, award-winning::3 deformed, abstract::-2

website:
::5 Professional Website UI Design::4 user-friendly, modern, clean, responsive, Adobe Photoshop, professional, corporate, award-winning, intuitive navigation, visually appealing layout, high-quality graphics::3 deformed, outdated, cluttered layout, low-quality graphics::-2

building:
::5 Professional Architecture Render::4 photorealistic, 3D rendering, high-quality, detailed, accurate representation, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray, professional, corporate, award-winning, realistic materials, accurate dimensions, multiple angles, perspective views::3 deformed, abstract, unrealistic materials, incorrect dimensions, flat views::-2

fabric:
::5 Professional Fabric Weave Design::4 traditional medium, hand-embroidered, unique, trendy, modern, unique, vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator, professional, corporate, scalable, award-winning, realistic textures, intricate detailing, multiple colors, repeatable pattern::3 deformed, unrealistic textures, simple design, limited colors, non-repeatable pattern::-2

charcoal:
::5 Artistic Charcoal Drawing::4 creative, expressive, detailed, textured, traditional medium, charcoal, high-quality paper, limited edition, award-winning, expressive lines, shaded areas, attention to detail::3 deformed, poorly executed, lack of detail, unrealistic shading::-2

emblem:
::5 Coat of Arms Design::4 detailed, heraldic, vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator, professional, corporate, scalable, award-winning, accurate representations of heraldic symbols, attention to detail, consistent with heraldic rules::3 deformed, unrealistic symbols, lack of detail, inconsistent with heraldic rules::-2

thumbnail:
::5 Bright High-Contrast Thumbnail-Face::4 expressive, emotional, eye-catching, cartoon face, realistic hair, detailed, high-contrast, high-quality, style transfer, unique, award-winning, Adobe Photoshop, attention to detail, dynamic compositions, accurate representation of human anatomy::3 simple, dull, low-quality, generic, poorly composed::-2

microscope:
::5 Professional Microscope Output::4 detailed, high-resolution, accurate representation, high-quality, digital art, unique, award-winning, Adobe Photoshop, attention to detail, accurate colors and contrast, scientific accuracy, 100x magnification, fine focus, optimal slide distance::3 low-resolution, unrealistic representation, low-quality, generic, inaccurate colors and contrast, lack of scientific accuracy, inaccurate magnification, poor focus, incorrect slide distance, lack of detail::-2

infographic:
::5 Professional Infographic Design::4 clear and concise information, visually appealing, high-quality, digital art, unique, award-winning, Adobe Illustrator, attention to detail, accurate representation of data::3 cluttered, confusing, low-quality::-2

painting2:
::5 Professional Impressionistic Painting, swirling brushstrokes, impasto techniques::4 expressive brushstrokes, thick, visible brushstrokes, textured, vibrant colors, traditional medium, hand-painted, high-quality canvas, limited edition, oil paint, palette knife, windsor & newton oil paints, award-winning, attention to detail, dynamic compositions, unique subject matter::3 gold swirling masses, navy, colors, bright contrast::2 flat, dull colors, low-quality, generic, poorly composed, uninteresting subject matter, lack of detail, smooth brushstrokes, minimal texture::-2

ornate:
::5 High Resolution Photograph with hyperornate details::4 intricate design, gold and metallic decorations, beautiful accents, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, f/8, ISO 100, 1/250 second, rim lighting, maximum detail, flattering designs, ambitious, artistic, unknown style::3 simple, bland, grainy, dull::-2

fiber:
::5 Fiberoptic neuron design on a black background::4 neon colors, cyan, white, purple, beautiful, intricut, stylized, ornate, glowing, magical, mystical, electricity, Maya Rending Software, gorgeous design::3 gross, messy, dull, dim::-2

Other worthwhile links:

• Reddit - MidJourney (r/midjourney)
• MidJourney Prompt Helper

Source(s):

• MidJourney: Learn how to use the Midjourney Bot on Discord
• YouTube: Glibatree: Mastering Midjourney in 2023 | The Ultimate Guide
• YouTube: Olivio Sarikas: MidJourney AI - Best Prompt Ticks - Beginners Guide - Beginners - MJ Explained - NFT
• YouTube: Maximize: Create Ai Photos That Look 100% Real with MidJourney AI Art
• YouTube: Matt Wolfe: MidJourney Prompts For Ultra-Realistic Images
• GitHub / willwulfken / MidJourney-Styles-and-Keywords-Reference-Light