30+ Midjourney Photorealistic Prompts Examples & Tips

"How to get photorealistic pictures? I keep seeing people getting such vivid and realistic looking pictures but all of my prompts are resulting in painting style stuff that rarely has any realistic qualities. What are some tips people have for getting stuff to look real?" -- Reddit

With proper prompts, Midjourney can generate ultra-realistic photos that look incredibly lifelike. But this requires you to use the correct description, settings, lighting, camera techniques, etc. In this post, we'll explore the art of crafting Midjourney prompts for stunningly realistic photos. We also share Midjourney photorealistic prompts examples for different creations, from serene landscapes, portraits, wildlife to vibrant city street scenes and architecture photography.

Part 1. Steps to Generate High-quality Realistic Photos in Midjourney

The steps to create photorealistic photos in Midjourney are not complicated. Within clicks, you can get high-quality and realistic images.

Step 1. Prepare the Midjourney photorealistic prompts.

In the Midjourney prompts for realistic photos, you should include elements like a clear subject, detailed description of the subject, camera settings, lighting, etc. For example:

💬 Beautiful girl, portrait shot, close up of face, green eyes, great details, high quality photo, 8K, photo taken in the style of Canon EOS R5 F2 ISO30 89mm --ar 1:1 --v 6.0 --s 750 --style raw

Step 2. Generate realistic photos in Midjourney

Enter the prompt in Midjourney and it will generate four realistic photos based on your text. Choose the one that you like the most. If you're not satisfied with the quality that zoom in or need a large resolution, upscale in Midjourney.

Step 3. Upscale and download the image.

Midjourney V7 and V6's Subtle or Creative Upscale can only upscale the image to 2K. If you want a faithfuly upscale to a large size like 4K, 8K, try dedicated AI Image Upscaler – Aiarty Image Enhancer.

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Part 2. Tips to Write Midjourney Prompts for Realistic Photos

Here are tips to optimize your Midjourney prompts for realism. By incorporating these tips and experimenting with your prompts, you'll be well on your way to generating realistic images in Midjourney.

Clear Subject

The first step in crafting a powerful Midjourney prompt for photorealism is to clearly identify your specific subject. A concrete subject reduces ambiguity and guides Midjourney towards a more realistic outcome. When you provide a specific subject like "a close-up portrait of an elderly Asian man with kind eyes" Midjourney can focus its image generation on the specific details you describe. Vague prompts like "something beautiful" leave a lot of room for interpretation. Midjourney might generate unexpected results that don't align with your vision.

Descriptive Details

Be specific! The more details you provide about the subject in the prompt, the more realistic the Midjourney render will be. Mention characteristics, textures, and any specific features you envision. Describe specific details that enhance realism, like "tiny wrinkles around the corners of a smiling eye" or "dewdrops clinging to the tip of a blade of grass."

Photorealistic

Users frequently add terms like "photorealistic" or "ultra-realistic" to the Midjourney photorealistic prompts while attempting to make a realistic image. However, the truth any terms like "photo-realistic," "hyper-realistic," or "realistic" may not generate the best results. In actuality, it may even make your images less realistic!

Consider this: would you characterize a picture of a dog as a hyper-realistic depiction of a dog if you saw it? Or would you only characterize it as a photo of a dog?

Try to add these words in the Midjourney prompts for realism:

Choose a Camera

Instead of generic terms like "realistic" or "photographic," use specific camera references and settings in Midjourney prompts for more photorealistic images. Midjourney leverages its vast training data, including countless real-world photographs captured with various cameras and lenses. By explicitly mentioning camera types and settings in your prompts, you provide valuable clues to Midjourney, allowing it to mimic those styles more effectively.

Below are some cameras to add in the prompts:

Camera Settings

Midjourney isn't just about creating fantastical scenes – it can also generate incredibly realistic photos. To achieve this, consider incorporating camera settings into the Midjourney prompts for realistic photos.

Correct Midjourney Version and Settings

Version: To get the most photoreaslitic images in Midjourney, you can switch from V6 to V7. Midjourney V7 offers a significant leap in both generation speed and the realism of its output compared to V6. Many users on Reddit and Discord community are impressed by the photographic quality now achievable, particularly when creating natural outdoor scenes, believable portraits, and depictions of modern buildings.

Style Setting: Include -style raw in Midjourney prompts for realistic photos. This parameter enhances the realism of the images.

Stylize Adjustment: Use stylize or -s to control the artistic touch. A range from -s 0  to -s 1000 is available, with lower values yielding more natural results.

Lighting and Atmosphere

Lighting and atmosphere are important factors for creating realistic photos in Midjourney. By incorporating these lighting and atmosphere descriptions into the photorealistic Midjourney prompts, Midjourney can generate more realistic photos that not only capture the scene but also evoke emotions and tell a story.

Part 3. Examples of Midjourney Prompts for Realistic Photos

You can experiment with different keywords and settings as we list. Below are some examples using the above settings in Midjourney photorealistic prompts for portrait, landscape, wildlife, cityscape, etc.

Portrait Photograph

💬 Prompt: The most beautiful French woman, with flawless skin, elegant features, and long, flowing hair. Dressed in a chic Parisian outfit, standing on a cobblestone street with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Warm, natural lighting. Created Using: portrait photography, fashion photography, Parisian setting, detailed textures, realistic hd quality, natural look --ar 16:9 --v 6.0 --s 250

💬 Prompt: a man (25y.o) posing on street, photorealistic, in the style of social media portraiture, anglocore, smilecore, emotive faces, object portraiture specialist, ARRIFLEX 35 BL Camera, Canon K35 Prime Lenses, LinkedIn profile photo --style raw

Wildlife Photograph

💬 Prompt: Underwater photography, hyper photorealistic, Glide alongside graceful sea turtles, schools of colorful fish, and elusive hammerhead sharks, each contributing to the rich tapestry of life in these marine sanctuaries. As you float weightlessly in the ocean's embrace, feel a profound sense of peace and connection with the vastness of the sea. stock photo. --style raw --ar 16:9 --stylize 1000

💬 Prompt: Real photo. RAW photo. Photo realism. A photograph of Chewbacca punting an Ewok over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Beautiful magic hour. Very high perspective. Natural lighting, long shadows, bright and colorful canyons. The ewok is not happy. --v 6.0 --style raw --stylize 700 --ar 16:9

Landscape Photograph

💬 Prompt: city park, look up view cloudy sky, sunlights, 50mm lens, hyper realistic, landscape photography, magazine aesthetic, 16k, vibrant colors --style raw --ar 16:9 --v 6.0

💬 Prompt: Realistic photo of a stunning mountain range with sharp peaks and lush green valleys, bathed in the golden light of sunset. The rugged rocks are adorned with purple flowers that add contrast to their colors. In front is an isolated cliff face that reflects warm hues from behind it. A few clouds drift above, adding depth to the scene. Captured using a Sony Alpha camera with a panoramic lens, in the style of landscape photography. 16k crystal clear resolutions image. --ar 7:3 -

Architecture Photograph

💬 Prompt: Architecture photography of a wide conceptual luxury modern japanese house, water pond, Canon eos mark IV shot, --ar 16:9 --v 6.0 --style raw

💬 Prompt: A realistic photo of the interior design for an open air cafe in Miami, featuring red and white colors with neon accents, in the style of David Chipperfield. The space includes terrazzo flooring, wooden panels on walls, patterned glass windows, plants and art installations that create an eclectic atmosphere. It is illuminated by natural light from large skylights above. This concept combines modern minimalism with tropical elements to evoke a sense of warmth and joy within its layout. --ar 4:3

Food Photograph

💬 Prompt: STYLE: Close-up Shot Top view | EMOTION: Tempting I SCENE: Hot Fudge Sundae Brownie Cheesecake | TAGS: High-end food photography, clean composition, dramatic lighting, luxurious, elegant, mouth-watering, indulgent, gourmet | CAMERA: Nikon Z7 | FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm | SHOT TYPE: Close-up | COMPOSITION: Top view Centered | LIGHTING: Soft directional light | PRODUCTION: Food Stylist | TIME: Daytime I LOCATION TYPE: Kitchen near windows --ar 3:2

💬 Prompt: A plate of shrimp alfredo, plump pink shrimp on top, creamy garlic sauce coating spiral pasta, garnished with parsley. Background of an elegant dining table setting. Soft, warm lighting highlights the sauce's creamy texture. Created Using: high-resolution, detailed texture, realistic food photography, warm color palette, shallow depth of field, garnished focus, elegant plating, Italian cuisine inspiration --v 6.0

Product Photograph

💬 Prompt: Product photography of white wine bottle laying on water, with grapes and herbs floating around the bottle. The label is blank . In a bright, airy studio setting. The background features a soft gradient of light colors. Captured using Canon EOS R5 cam Product photography of white wine bottle laying on water, with grapes and herbs floating around the bottle. The label is blank . In a bright, airy studio setting. The background features a soft gradient of light colors. Captured using Canon EOS R5 cam --s 50

💬 Prompt: stilllife close up product photography of a mens brown smooth surfaced leather belt placed on a dark red pedestal and dark red background. photorealistic style, patchy natural light, golden hour. --ar 16:9 --v 6.0

Cityscape Photograph

💬 Prompt: a futuristic looking modern city where thousands of skyscrapers out there and each one of them connected to each other with bridges. not just one layer bridge. at each 10 floors of skyscrapers there are bridges that cross connected to each other. skyscrapers have lots of trees and flowers that they look like natural forests. create an ultra realistic photo of the city in the day time. --stylize 750 --ar 16:9

💬 Prompt: a beautiful photo of an asian city taken from a distance, early sunset, canon, detailed photography, cinematic, large format IMAX, Kodak --ar 16:9 --style raw --v 6.0

Sports Photograph

💬 Prompt: A vivid photograph of a South African Rugby Sevens player charging down the field at Cape Town Stadium, with Table Mountain visible in the background. The player's face shows concentration and determination as he dodges a Samoan tackler Created Using: professional sports photography techniques, dynamic composition, intense focus on the athlete, crowd interaction, iconic South African landmarks, realistic textures and colors --ar 16:9 --v 6.0 --s 750

💬 Prompt: sport photography, hero shot, wide angle shot, Mercedes AMG racing cars, dynamic pose, freeze pose, cinema quality, Mercedes AMG super car, tv commercial, lightning creative liberty, blurry action photo style, blurred motion background,asymmetrical composition, professional color grading, super Realistic, low of third photo composition --ar 16:9 --s 750 --chaos 25 --v 6.0

Pet Photograph

💬 Prompt: a realistic photo of a female cop with a dog, happy photo, realistic, the dog is a german shepard, they are happy, realistic photo, realistic background outside, just faces in photo, hyperrealistic, sunny day background --v 7.0

💬 Prompt: A black Toy Poodle sitting peacefully on a sunlit wooden deck in a blooming garden, surrounded by colorful flowers and lush greenery. The dog has a relaxed, contented smile on its face. Its soft black fur sways gently in the breeze, catching the sunlight. Ultra-realistic photography style, shallow depth of field, calm and refreshing mood. --ar 16:9

Macro Photograph

💬 Prompt: A flawlessly sharp, ultra-realistic macro shot of a human hand holding a small pile of grains, with individual grains visible in microscopic precision as some spill delicately between the fingers. The background is a beautifully blurred, soft-focus expanse of textured grain surface. Captured at 23000x17400px maximum resolution with crystal clarity. Ultra-refined high-contrast lighting, zero noise in shadows or highlights, natural light diffusion with premium lens simulation, photorealistic textures. –raw

💬 Prompt: hyper-realistic macro photograph of delicate pink and white flower buds and tiny blossoms, shot with Nikon D850 and Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens, ultra sharp details, beautiful natural lighting, soft velvety petals, rich vibrant colors, shallow depth of field, creamy smooth bokeh, dark green blurred background, professional botanical photography, high dynamic range (HDR)

Conclusion

This guide has equipped you with tips on how to write Midjourney prompts for realistic photos. Remember, the key lies in descriptive language: paint a vivid picture with words, focusing on textures, lighting, and specific elements. Don't hesitate to incorporate camera techniques like depth of field and composition to mimic real-world photography.

Experimentation is your greatest ally. Explore different keywords and settings, and leverage the provided examples as a springboard for your creativity. Once you're satisfied with the image, you can download and further upscale it to 4K/8K/higher resolution with real details.