Beginners

Guide to
Creating
Photorealistic
Images with
Midjourney.
Midjourney is a powerful tool...
But you're getting mixed results.

You want photo quality...

BUT

Everything still looks artificial.

Let's change that.

If you want photorealistic images in
Midjourney.

You need to use photographic elements and

principles.
Don't believe me?

Let's look at a quick example.

Here's the base prompt:

African wild dogs, African wilderness, intense
hunt, swift chase, wild grasses, early-morning
sunlight, Ferocity, Pursuit, Nature's Dance --ar
5:4 --s 500 --c 15
Base Prompt.
Prompt: African Wild Dogs, African wilderness, intense hunt, swift chase, wild grasses,
early-morning sunlight, Ferocity, Pursuit, Nature's Dance --ar 5:4 --s 500 --c 15
Ok cool.

The image is nice, but it's definitely fake.

Now, let's simply add a camera and a lens.

We won't change anything else.

And see what happens.

Photography Elements.
Prompt: African Wild Dogs, African wilderness, intense hunt, swift chase, wild grasses,
Sony A9 II and a 85mm f/1.8 GM lens, early-morning sunlight, Ferocity, Pursuit,
Nature's Dance --ar 5:4 --s 500 --c 15
Are we seeing a difference?

Good.

Let's dive into how you can create crazy realistic

images in Midjourney.

No Photography Elements. Photography Elements.

01. Camera Selection
Camera selection helps produce high-quality
images.

Different cameras produce different visual

outputs.

Think about how different an image looks from a

Polaroid camera vs iPhone camera.

That's the idea.

Let's take a look at some you can use...

Cameras.
High Quality + Professional Cameras:

Canon EOS-1D X Mark III: Speedy and durable flagship DSLR.

Nikon D850: High-resolution powerhouse for detailed shots.

Sony A7R IV: Compact mirrorless with remarkable clarity.

Fujifilm GFX 100: Medium format with ultra-high resolution.

Leica M10-R: Iconic rangefinder with a unique image touch.

Hasselblad H6D-100c: Elite medium format with unparalleled

image quality.
High Quality Cameras.
Prompt: flock of flamingos in the Sardinian salt flats, {Nikon D850, Hasselblad H6D-100c,
Fujifilm GFX 100, Leica M10-R} --s 750 --c 15 --style raw

Nikon D850 Hasselblad H6D-100c

Fujifilm GFX 100 Leica M10-R

Cameras (cont.)
Creative Cameras:

Lomography Lomo'Instant Wide: Instant film camera with

creative lens attachments and multiple exposure capabilities.

Lensbaby Velvet 56: Unique manual-focus lens that produces

soft, glowing images with a vintage feel.

Polaroid SX-70: Vintage instant camera producing soft-toned,

artistic images unique to Polaroid film.

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6: Instant camera creating square

photos with vibrant colors and a nostalgic touch.

GoPro HERO: wide-angle, immersive footage and robust

design for adventure capture.

Infrared Cameras: Capture images in the infrared spectrum

for surreal, otherworldly scenes.
Creative Cameras.
Prompt: flock of flamingos in the Sardinian salt flats, {Lomography Lomo'Instant Wide,
Polaroid SX-70, Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6, GoPro HERO } --s 750 --c 15 --style raw

Lomography Lomo'Instant Wide Polaroid SX-70

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 GoProHERO

02. Lens Selection
Lenses provide optimal focal lengths and aperture
ranges for desired effects.

And they affect the look significantly in MJ.

Let's take a look at a prompt without lenses and

then we'll add them.
Prompt w/o Lenses.
Prompt: haggard elderly Louisiannan old man --s 650 --style raw
Again, not bad.

But the skin is too polished.

And it looks digital...let' add some lenses.

Lenses.
High Quality + Professional Lenses:

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM: Versatile, professional-

grade zoom lens with outstanding image quality.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR: Premium

telephoto zoom lens with fast aperture and image
stabilization.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: Top-of-the-line wide-angle zoom

lens for Sony's full-frame mirrorless system.

Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR: Medium format prime lens

with a fast aperture for incredible portraits.

Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH: High-

performance, sharp prime lens with minimal distortion and
beautiful rendering.
High Quality Lenses.
Prompt: haggard elderly Louisiannan old man {Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, Nikon
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR, Leica APO-
Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH} --s 650 --style raw

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR

Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH

Notice the difference?

No Lens. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

Lenses (cont.)
Creative Lenses:

Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6: Dreamy glow at wide

apertures, perfect for ethereal portraits and macro shots.

Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe: Resembling a probe, this

lens can get extraordinarily close to subjects.

Lomography Petzval 85mm f/2.2: Produces swirly bokeh and

a sharp center, similar to 19th-century portraiture.

Sirui 50mm f/1.8 Anamorphic 1.33x: Produces cinematic

widescreen visuals.

Lensbaby Sol 45mm f/3.5: Sharp central area with creative

blurring and tilting effects.

Holga Pinhole Lens: Soft, dreamy images with infinite depth of

field.
Quick Tip:

To amplify the effect of the lenses...

Switch to Midjourney version 5.

The default version is 5.2.

So add (--v 5) to the end of your prompt.

Creative Lenses.
Prompt: haggard elderly Louisiannan old man, {Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6, Laowa
24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe, Lomography Petzval 85mm f/2.2, Sirui 50mm f/1.8
Anamorphic 1.33x} --s 650 --v 5

Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6

Lomography Petzv Sirui 50mm f/1.8 Anamorphic 1.33x

03. Depth of Field.
DoF controls focus and background blur.

Similar to "Cinematic" or "Portrait" mode on the

iPhone camera.

It allows you to control the sharpness of the

background.
Depth of Field.
Standard DoF:

Shallow DoF (ex. f/1.4): Blurs the background, making the

subject pop. Great for portraits.

Moderate DoF (ex. f/5.6): Some background detail, but the

subject remains clear. Good for street photos.

Deep DoF (ex. f/16): Everything from near to far is clear. Used
for landscapes or buildings.

Extremely Deep DoF (ex. f/22): Maximum sharpness

everywhere. Ideal for close-up shots.

Variable DoF (Tilt-Shift lens): Focus on specific parts, blurring

others. For creative or "miniature" looks.

Infinite DoF (Pinhole Camera): Entire scene is softly focused,

giving a dreamy look.
Depth of Field.
Prompt: {Shallow Depth-of-field, Moderate Depth-of-field, Deep Depth-of-field, Variable
Depth-of-field}, Young jubilant Pakistani girl in a city street, vibrant festival, Leica M10-R-
-s 650 --c 15 --style raw

Shallow DoF Moderate DoF

Deep DOF Variable DoF

04. Lighting.
Lighting has a major effect on the image output as
well.

Use light to convey mood, texture, and depth.

Lighting.
Standard Lighting:

Natural Light: Utilizing sunlight or ambient light for a natural

look in images.

Softbox: Diffusing artificial light for soft, even illumination,

often used in portrait photography.

Reflectors: Bouncing light onto a subject to fill in shadows and

create balanced lighting.

Backlighting: Positioning the light source behind the subject for

a rim-light effect or silhouettes.

Rembrandt Lighting: Classic one-light setup that creates a

triangle of light on the subject's cheek.
Lighting.
Prompt: {Softbox Lighting, Reflector Lighting, Backlighting, Rembrandt Lighting}, happy
young boy in a orange raincoat playing in a rainy city street, Leica M10-R --s 650 --style
raw --c 15 --ar 5:4

Softbox Reflector

Backlighting Rembrandt Lighting

Lighting (cont.)
Creative Lighting:

Light Painting: Using long exposures to "paint" a scene with a

handheld light source, creating unique patterns and effects.

High-Speed Sync Flash: Overcoming the camera's flash sync

speed limitations to capture fast-moving subjects with a flash.

Cross-Polarization: Using polarizing filters on both the light

source and camera lens to eliminate reflections and reveal
hidden details.

Gobo Lighting: Projecting patterns or shapes onto a subject or

background using custom stencils placed in front of a light
source.

UV Blacklight: Illuminating subjects with ultraviolet light to

create glowing, otherworldly effects.
Lighting.
Prompt: {Light Painting, Cross-Polarization, Gobo Lighting, UV Blacklight}, happy young
boy in a orange raincoat playing in a rainy city street, Leica M10-R --s 650 --c 15 --ar 5:4

Light Painting Cross-Polarization

Gobo Lighting UV Blacklight

05. Perspective.
Using different perspectives changes the viewer's
perception.

MJ will respond accordingly.

Perspective.
Standard Perspective:

Eye-Level Perspective: Capturing images from a natural,

human-eye viewpoint, creating relatable photos.

Low-Angle Perspective: Shooting from a lower position,

making subjects appear larger and more dominant.

High-Angle Perspective: Photographing from an elevated

position, making subjects appear smaller and less imposing.

Dutch Angle: Tilting the camera for a diagonal composition,

adding tension and dynamic energy to images.

Aerial View: Shooting from directly above, providing a unique

overhead perspective of subjects.
Perspective.
Prompt: {Low-Angle Perspective, High-Angle Perspective, Dutch Angle Perspective,
Aerial Perspective} of a black 1963 lincoln continental driving on a desert road, Fujifilm
GFX 100 --s 650 --c 15 --v 5
Low-Angle High-Angle

Dutch Angle Aerial

Perspective (cont.)
Creative Perspective:

Forced Perspective: Manipulating the perception of size and

distance by creatively positioning subjects within the frame.

Fisheye Lens Perspective: Using an ultra-wide-angle lens to

create a distinctive, distorted, and panoramic effect.

Multiple Exposure Perspective: Combining several shots of the

same scene from different angles, creating a collage-like
effect.

Reflection Perspective: Capturing images through reflective

surfaces, such as water or mirrors, for a surreal, dreamy
effect.

Frame-within-a-Frame: Incorporating an additional framing

element within the composition, guiding the viewer's eye and
adding depth.
Perspective.
Prompt: {Fisheye Lens Perspective, Multiple Exposure Perspective, Reflection Perspective,
Frame-within-a-Frame} of a black 1963 lincoln continental driving on a desert road,
Fujifilm GFX 100 --s 650 --c 15

Fisheye Lens Perspective Multiple Exposure Perspective

Reflection Perspective Frame-within-a-Frame

Now let's put all of these elements
together.
Young Boy.
Prompt: happy young boy in a orange raincoat playing in a rainy city street,
Leica M10-R, Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH, UV Blacklight,
shallow depth-of-field, high-angle perspective. --s 650 --v 5
Young Girl.
Prompt: Moderate Depth-of-field Young jubilant Pakistani girl in a city street,
vibrant festival, Leica M10-R, Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH,
high-angle perspective --s 650 --c 15 --style raw
Old Man.
Prompt: Moderate Depth-of-field, haggard elderly Louisiannan old man, on
his front porch, Leica M10-R, Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH, ultra
low-angle perspective --s 650 --c 15 --style raw
Until next time...
That's it.
Thanks for reading another carousel.

@Rory Flynn