Midjourney 8.2 prompt guide: how to write a prompt that works

6 rules for a Midjourney 8.2 prompt

1. 1.Start with the place and its light

   Set the scene first: where it is, the time of day, and the light that falls on the person.

   “Scene: an empty outdoor swimming pool at noon, pale blue tiles, a chrome ladder, hard sun and short shadows.”

2. 2.Name the person and the pose

   Age, heritage, hair and one styling quirk, then how they stand and where they look.

   “a thick black moustache and slicked-back grey hair stands full length on the pool floor, arms straight at his sides”

3. 3.Name every garment by fabric and hex colour

   Fabric tells the model how a piece catches light; the hex code fixes the colour.

   “a royal-blue (#1338BE) satin shirt with an oversized pointed collar buttoned to the neck”

4. 4.Give every highlight a cause

   Say which light makes which shine and which shadow, so it lands where you expect.

   “the noon sun makes the satin flash white along the shoulders and lays the ladder's shadow across the blue tiles”

5. 5.Say what the picture is for

   One use-case line sets the genre: here, a fashion-editorial photo.

   “Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place.”

6. 6.End with the constraints

   List what must not appear.

   “Constraints: one person, no text, no logos, photoreal skin and fabric.”

Prompts to copy

Each picture prompt follows the rules above, in the same order. Next to it: the settings it is written for and the credits it costs on Reviral.

1. 1. Satin brights by an empty swimming pool

   1K · 3:4 · 3 credits

   Scene: an empty outdoor swimming pool at noon, pale blue tiles, a chrome ladder, hard sun and short shadows. Subject: a man in his early fifties of Iranian heritage with olive skin, a thick black moustache and slicked-back grey hair stands full length on the pool floor, arms straight at his sides, a blank serious stare into the lens. Important details: a royal-blue (#1338BE) satin shirt with an oversized pointed collar buttoned to the neck, tucked into high-waisted lipstick-red (#C8102E) wool trousers, white leather platform loafers; the noon sun makes the satin flash white along the shoulders and lays the ladder's shadow across the blue tiles. Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place. Constraints: one person, no text, no logos, photoreal skin and fabric.

   Use this prompt

2. 2. Sweater vest and bow tie in a barber shop

   1K · 4:5 · 3 credits

   Scene: an old barber shop in the morning, a red leather barber chair, a long mirror and glass jars of combs, daylight from the shop window. Subject: a man in his late twenties of Vietnamese heritage with light tan skin, a black bowl cut and small round wire glasses stands knee-up beside the chair, hands at his sides, a deadpan stare into the lens. Important details: a mustard (#D9A21B) cable-knit sweater vest over a crisp white shirt buttoned to the top with a rust (#B5532A) bow tie, tobacco-brown (#6B3E1E) wool shorts; the window light from the left lights the cable pattern so every twist of the knit casts a small shadow, the mirror behind repeats his back. Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place. Constraints: one person, no readable text, no logos, photoreal skin and knit.

   Use this prompt

3. 3. Shell suit at a night petrol station

   1K · 9:16 · 3 credits

   Scene: a small petrol station forecourt at night, a white canopy full of bright tube lights overhead, an empty pump and wet concrete. Subject: a woman in her early seventies of Jamaican heritage with deep brown skin, short grey locs and large red-framed glasses stands full length beside the pump, arms straight at her sides, face deadpan, eyes on the lens. Important details: a shiny violet (#6A2FB5) nylon shell suit with turquoise (#22B8C8) chevron panels, the jacket zipped to the collar, a white towelling headband, chunky white running shoes; the canopy lights above make the nylon glow with bright folds and leave a pool of white light on the wet ground around her. Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place. Constraints: one person, no readable signs or prices, no brand marks, photoreal skin and fabric, the whole outfit in frame.

   Use this prompt

4. 4. Polka-dot dress in an empty train carriage

   1K · 4:5 · 3 credits

   Scene: the inside of an empty commuter train carriage at dusk, rows of blue seats, yellow grab poles, the windows showing a blurred orange sky. Subject: a woman in her mid-thirties of Brazilian heritage with warm brown skin, a short black flapper bob and a small beauty mark above the lip stands waist-up holding nothing, arms at her sides, a blank stare into the lens. Important details: a fitted burgundy (#6E1424) crepe wiggle dress with small white polka dots, long sleeves and a high round neck; the orange dusk light through the windows rims her bob and one shoulder, the cold carriage ceiling lights fill her face evenly. Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place. Constraints: one person, no readable text, no logos, photoreal skin and fabric.

   Use this prompt

5. 5. Leopard silk shirt in a hotel corridor

   1K · 2:3 · 3 credits

   Scene: a long hotel corridor at night, patterned green carpet, rows of identical wooden doors, small brass wall lamps every few metres. Subject: a woman in her early forties of Korean heritage with fair skin, a long platinum mullet and thick black winged eyeliner stands full length in the middle of the corridor, arms straight at her sides, face deadpan, eyes on the lens. Important details: a leopard-print silk shirt in camel (#C19A6B) and black (#111111) with a wide open collar, tight black flared jeans, pointed black Cuban-heel boots; each brass wall lamp puts a warm spot on the wallpaper and a soft sheen on the silk where it faces the light, the corridor fades into the dark behind her. Use case: a fashion-editorial photo of a styled, deadpan person in an ordinary place. Constraints: one person, no readable room numbers, no logos, photoreal skin and fabric, the whole outfit in frame.

   Use this prompt

More on Midjourney 8.2

• Midjourney 8.23 credits a picture · 4 pictures a run
• Midjourney 8.2 pricing3 credits a picture, with worked prices.
• How to use Midjourney 8.2Five steps from prompt to finished result.
• Midjourney 8.2 examplesFashion prompts with their settings and credits.
• Midjourney 8.2 vs Midjourney 7Price first, then row by row from each maker's own pages.
• Midjourney 8.2 vs GPT Image 2.5Price first, then row by row from each maker's own pages.