Image Generation Prompts
Midjourney Portrait Prompt
Generate a detailed Midjourney prompt for professional-quality portrait photography or illustration.
Prompt
/imagine [SUBJECT_DESCRIPTION], [SETTING], [LIGHTING_STYLE], [ARTISTIC_STYLE], [MOOD] --ar [ASPECT_RATIO] --style raw --v 6 Example filled in: /imagine a woman in her early 30s with dark curly hair and warm brown skin, wearing a tailored navy blazer, modern open-plan office with floor-to-ceiling windows and soft bokeh background, soft diffused natural light from camera left creating gentle shadows, editorial photography Canon 5D Mark IV 85mm f/1.8 shallow depth of field, confident and approachable expression subtle smile --ar 4:5 --style raw --v 6 Style variants to try: - Photorealistic: add "editorial photography, shot on Canon 5D, 85mm lens, f/1.8, natural skin texture" - Illustration: add "digital illustration, clean linework, flat color style, by [artist reference]" - Cinematic: add "cinematic portrait, anamorphic lens flare, film grain, color graded, movie still" Aspect ratio guide: - 4:5 — Instagram portrait, LinkedIn headshot - 2:3 — print portrait, magazine cover - 1:1 — square social media - 16:9 — website hero, banner
How to Use
Replace each bracketed section with your specific details, then paste the assembled /imagine command directly into Midjourney's Discord bot or web interface. The more specific and layered your description, the more controlled the output — vague subject descriptions produce inconsistent results across generations. Start with the photorealistic style variant for headshots or professional uses, and iterate by changing one variable at a time rather than rewriting the whole prompt.
Variables
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| [SUBJECT_DESCRIPTION] | Physical description of the person — age range, features, expression, clothing (e.g., "a man in his 50s with silver hair and glasses, wearing a casual linen shirt") |
| [SETTING] | Background and environment (e.g., "minimalist white studio", "coffee shop with warm bokeh", "outdoor park in autumn") |
| [LIGHTING_STYLE] | How the subject is lit — this is the single biggest factor in portrait quality (e.g., "Rembrandt lighting", "soft natural window light from the left", "rim light with dark background") |
| [ARTISTIC_STYLE] | The visual treatment — photographic, illustrated, or cinematic (e.g., "editorial photography shot on Hasselblad", "soft watercolor illustration", "film noir") |
| [MOOD] | Emotional tone and expression (e.g., "pensive and intellectual", "warm and inviting", "bold and intense") |
| [ASPECT_RATIO] | Output dimensions — see the aspect ratio guide above |
Tips
- Always include the camera and lens specification (e.g., "Canon 5D 85mm f/1.4") for photorealistic portraits — this single addition dramatically improves sharpness and bokeh rendering compared to prompts without it.
- Use
--style rawto reduce Midjourney's default beautification effect, which often over-smooths skin and makes faces look artificially perfect — raw mode preserves more realistic texture and character.