Best Practices for AI Image Prompts

Best Practices for AI Image Prompts: Create Stunning Visuals

The difference between a mediocre AI image and a stunning one often comes down to the prompt. Here's a comprehensive guide to writing prompts that get results.

Prompt Structure Fundamentals

Basic Formula:

[Subject] + [Action/Pose] + [Environment] + [Style] + [Lighting] + [Camera/Angle] + [Quality Modifiers]

Example Evolution:

Level 1 (Basic): "A cat"

Level 2 (Better): "A fluffy orange cat sitting on a windowsill"

Level 3 (Good): "A fluffy orange tabby cat sitting on a sunny windowsill, looking outside, soft natural light"

Level 4 (Great): "A fluffy orange tabby cat sitting on a white painted windowsill, gazing thoughtfully outside at falling autumn leaves, warm afternoon sunlight streaming in, shallow depth of field, professional pet photography style, 85mm lens"

Key Elements in Detail

Subject Description

Be specific:

• Not "a dog" but "a golden retriever puppy"
• Not "a woman" but "a woman in her 30s with curly red hair"
• Not "a building" but "a Victorian-era brownstone with bay windows"

Include:

• Age/size
• Color/texture
• Distinctive features
• Emotional state
• What they're wearing/holding

Action and Pose

Static poses:

• "Standing confidently"
• "Sitting cross-legged"
• "Leaning against a wall"
• "Looking over shoulder"

Dynamic actions:

• "Running through"
• "Reaching toward"
• "Dancing gracefully"
• "Laughing while"

Environment and Setting

Specify:

• Location (specific > general)
• Time of day
• Weather/season
• Surrounding objects
• Atmosphere

Examples:

• "In a cozy coffee shop with exposed brick"
• "On a misty mountain trail at dawn"
• "In a futuristic city with neon signs"
• "In a sunlit meadow during golden hour"

Style and Medium

Photography Styles

Portrait:

portrait photography, professional headshot, studio lighting,
85mm lens, shallow depth of field, catchlights in eyes

Landscape:

landscape photography, dramatic sky, golden hour,
wide angle lens, high dynamic range, rule of thirds

Product:

commercial product photography, white background,
soft box lighting, sharp focus, high key, advertising style

Street:

street photography, candid moment, natural light,
black and white, documentary style, decisive moment

Art Styles

Digital Art:

digital painting, concept art, detailed, vibrant colors,
fantasy art style, trending on ArtStation

Traditional:

oil painting, visible brushstrokes, classical composition,
Renaissance style, museum quality, canvas texture

Illustration:

editorial illustration, flat design, limited color palette,
modern graphic style, clean lines

Artist References

Use carefully and ethically:

• "In the style of Studio Ghibli"
• "Reminiscent of Monet's water lilies"
• "Art deco poster style"
• "Bauhaus design influence"

Lighting Techniques

Natural Light:

• Golden hour (warm, long shadows)
• Blue hour (cool, soft)
• Overcast (soft, diffused)
• Direct sunlight (harsh, high contrast)
• Dappled light (through trees/windows)

Studio Light:

• Soft box (diffused, flattering)
• Rim lighting (edge highlights)
• Butterfly lighting (shadows under nose)
• Dramatic spotlight
• High key (bright, few shadows)
• Low key (dark, moody)

Atmospheric:

• Volumetric lighting (god rays)
• Neon lights
• Candlelight
• Firelight
• Bioluminescence

Camera and Composition

Angles:

• Eye level (neutral)
• Low angle (powerful, imposing)
• High angle (vulnerable, overview)
• Dutch angle (tension, unease)
• Bird's eye (pattern, context)
• Worm's eye (dramatic, sky emphasis)

Focal Length:

• 14mm: Dramatic wide angle, distortion
• 35mm: Natural wide, environmental
• 50mm: Natural perspective
• 85mm: Portrait, compression
• 200mm: Telephoto, background blur

Composition:

• Rule of thirds
• Centered/symmetrical
• Leading lines
• Frame within frame
• Negative space

Quality and Technical Modifiers

Resolution/Detail:

• "Highly detailed"
• "4K", "8K"
• "Ultra high resolution"
• "Intricate details"
• "Sharp focus"

Render Quality:

• "Octane render"
• "Unreal Engine"
• "Ray tracing"
• "Global illumination"
• "Physically based rendering"

General Quality:

• "Professional"
• "Award-winning"
• "Masterpiece"
• "Museum quality"
• "Commercial quality"

Platform-Specific Tips

Midjourney

Best Practices:

• More artistic, interpretive
• Style references work well (--sref)
• Parameters matter (--ar, --v, --style)
• Shorter prompts often better

Parameters:

• --ar 16:9 (aspect ratio)
• --v 6 (version)
• --s 100-1000 (stylization)
• --c 0-100 (chaos/variation)

DALL-E 3

Best Practices:

• Detailed descriptions work well
• Good at following specific instructions
• Best for text in images
• Natural language works

Stable Diffusion

Best Practices:

• Weight important terms: (important:1.3)
• Use negative prompts
• Model-specific keywords
• More technical prompts work

Negative Prompts:

(bad quality:1.4), (worst quality:1.4), blurry, watermark,
text, logo, distorted, deformed, ugly, duplicate

Common Mistakes

Too Vague: "A nice landscape" → "Rolling hills of Tuscany at golden hour with cypress trees and a medieval village in the distance"

Contradictory: "A dark bright image" → Choose one mood or describe contrast intentionally

Too Many Subjects: "A cat, dog, bird, and fish playing together" → Focus on fewer subjects for better results

Conflicting Styles: "Photorealistic anime" → Choose one or specify blend intentionally

Missing Context: "A person" (no setting, style, or purpose) → Add environment, style, and purpose

Iteration Strategy

Process:

• Start with core concept
• Generate first batch
• Identify what's working
• Add specific details
• Adjust style elements
• Refine until satisfied

When Results Miss:

• Too generic → Add specific details
• Wrong style → Strengthen style keywords
• Wrong mood → Adjust lighting/color terms
• Missing elements → Emphasize in prompt
• Unwanted elements → Use negative prompts or reframe

Quick Reference Templates

Portrait:

[Subject description] portrait, [setting],
[lighting type], [camera specs], [style],
professional photography, detailed, [mood]

Landscape:

[Location/scene], [time of day], [weather],
[style] photography, [composition], dramatic sky,
[quality terms]

Product:

[Product] on [surface], [background], commercial
photography, studio lighting, sharp focus, high key,
advertising style, professional

Concept Art:

[Subject/scene], concept art, digital painting,
[art style], detailed, vibrant colors, dramatic
lighting, trending on ArtStation

The best AI image prompts are specific, structured, and iterative. Start with a clear vision, describe it thoroughly, and refine based on results.