midjourney is the most talked-about ai image tool for a reason — the quality is stunning. here’s how to get started, even if you’ve never used it before.
how to access midjourney
midjourney runs on discord. go to midjourney.com, click join the beta, and you’ll be taken to their discord server. create a free discord account if you don’t have one. midjourney is not free — plans start at $10/month — but the results are exceptional.
your first image
in the discord server, find a newbie channel and type /imagine followed by your description. for example: /imagine a foggy mountain lake at sunrise, oil painting style, dramatic lighting. hit enter and midjourney generates 4 variations in about a minute.
understanding the buttons
under your generated images you’ll see u1, u2, u3, u4 (upscale — makes one image bigger and more detailed) and v1, v2, v3, v4 (variations — generates 4 new versions similar to that one). start with u to upscale your favorite.
better prompts = better images
be specific. add style words like photorealistic, cinematic, 8k, oil painting, watercolor, anime style. add lighting words like golden hour, soft light, dramatic shadows. add composition words like close-up, wide angle, bird’s eye view.
using aspect ratios
add –ar 16:9 to your prompt for widescreen, –ar 1:1 for square, –ar 9:16 for phone wallpaper. this controls the shape of your image, which matters a lot for how you use it.
midjourney has a learning curve but it’s worth it. spend an hour experimenting with different prompts and you’ll quickly understand what it can do.
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