Lighting is the important thing to creating stunning, photorealistic artwork that stands out.

Using the proper Midjourney lighting prompts, you’ll be able to easily elevate your AI art.

For example, it is advisable to create the golden glow of a sunset, the dramatic shadows of a movie noir scene, or the soft, dreamy atmosphere of a misty morning; all this is feasible with the lighting prompts styles we’ll discuss on this guide.

In this guide, we’ll share one of the best Midjourney lighting prompts and show you tips on how to use them with examples.

Midjourney Lighting Prompts

Remember, we’ll use the newest V6 Midjourney version for this guide. If you have got not yet updated your Midjourney, you’ll be able to easily accomplish that by going to Midjourney Settings and changing your Current Suffix to –v6.

Also on this guide, we’ll not be using random prompts, so that you may notice the lighting differences on the topic.

Here are the lighting style prompts that we’re going to speak about on this post:

  • Soft Lighting
  • Hard Lighting
  • Back Lighting
  • Golden Hour
  • Midday Sun
  • Overcast Lighting
  • Artificial Lighting
  • Seasonal Lighting
  • Shadowed
  • Sunflare
  • Rim Lighting
  • Cross Lighting
  • High Key Lighting
  • Low Key Lighting
  • Broad Lighting
  • Short Lighting
  • Flash-Lamp & Flashtube
  • Incandescent Lamp
  • Crackle Tube
  • Halogen Lamp
  • Strobe Light
  • Flickering Lighting
  • Motivated Lighting

So tighten your seatbelts, and let’s start learning.

Soft Lighting

Soft, diffuse lighting can create a more natural, atmospheric feel and look to the generated images. It helps to reduce harsh shadows and highlights, leading to a more even and pleasing luminance.

It’s an incredible lighting style when you want your AI images to have more pleasing lighting that’s not harsh on the eyes (for instance, hard shadows).

Soft Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lovely and diverse woman, soft lighting,::3 dslr::3 –aspect 1:1 –version 6.0 –stylize 50

Hard Lighting

Hard lighting, characterised by stark contrasts between shiny highlights and deep shadows, can add drama, intensity, and a way of three-dimensionality to the generated images.

It’s an incredible lighting style to create more striking, cinematic, or mystical aesthetic images.

Hard lighting example midjourneyHard Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lovely and diverse woman shadowed, hard lighting,:: dslr::3 –aspect 1:1 –v6 –stylize 30

Back Lighting

By placing the sunshine source behind the topic, backlighting can create a lovely rim of illumination around the sides, separating the topic from the background and adding depth and dimensionality to the image.

It’s an incredible lighting style to attain a dramatic, ethereal, or ethereal look in your Midjourney AI artwork.

backlit example midjourney promptBacklighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lady with flowing black hair, backlit by a golden sunset, shiny backdrop, wearing a flowing white dress –v 6.0

Golden Hour

The golden hues and long shadows of golden hour lighting can create a dreamy, ethereal quality. This warm, soft lighting occurs through the first and last hours of the day.

It’s an incredible lighting style to capture a serene, atmospheric, and aesthetically pleasing mood.

golden hour midjourney exampleGolden Hour

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a handsome man, golden hour lighting –v 6.0

Midday Sun

Midday Sun is a harsh, direct light from the high sun creates strong shadows and highlights. It works well for subjects that need a daring, high-contrast look, like buildings or motion scenes. Midday sunlighting is nice for clarity and vibrancy in AI portraits or images.

midday sun midjourney lighting prompt outputMidday Sun Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lovely woman, harsh midday sun lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –version 6.0 –stylize 50

Overcast Lighting

The light becomes soft and even when the sky is roofed in clouds, which we call Overcast lighting.

This can create a peaceful, moody, and atmospheric look in the photographs. Overcast lighting reduces harsh shadows and highlights, giving a more subtle and diffused illumination.

It’s an incredible lighting style to make your AI image feel cozy, tranquil, or mysterious.

overcast lighting midjourney exampleOvercast Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of extremely beautiful woman, overcast lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –version 6.0

Artificial Lighting

Lighting that’s created by human-made sources, like lamps or spotlights, can add loads of control and creativity to the photographs.

Artificial lighting lets you create specific moods, highlight certain elements, and even defy natural lighting conditions.

Artificial lightingArtificial lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a handsome man, artificial studio lighting –v 6.0 –stylize 59

Seasonal Lighting

The quality of sunshine changes throughout the several seasons of the 12 months. In winter, the sunshine is usually softer and more diffused.

In summer, the sunshine is brighter and harsher. Incorporating seasonal lighting could make your Midjourney AI images feel more authentic and immersive.

It’s an incredible lighting style if you must capture a particular time of 12 months or evoke a certain mood and atmosphere.

Let’s take an example here of winter:

Seasonal LightingSeasonal lighting

Prompt: a comfy mountain cabin within the soft, muted light of a winter afternoon, with snow-capped peaks in the gap, Unreal Engine

Or, let’s take the instance of the rainy season:

seasonal lighting rainy season

Prompt: children playing in a garden, seasonal lighting, rainy season –v 6.0

In the above image, you’ll be able to notice how dull saturation is with more colder colours.

Shadowed

Shadowed lighting can create a way of mystery, drama, and depth within the artwork.

Shadowed lighting makes some areas of deep shadow within the image, often with only a small amount of sunshine peeking through.

shadowed lighting midjourney Shadowed Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a handsome and diverse man shadowed

Sunflare

Sunflare Lighting is when the sun’s rays create a shiny, glowing effect in a photograph. It adds warmth and drama to photographs in Midjourney AI art.

It’s a cool lighting style to make use of when you want your pictures to look extraordinary.

SunflareSunflare

Prompt: a portrait of a lovely woman, Sunflare, –stylize 70

Rim Lighting

Rim Lighting is when light outlines the topic, making a halo effect. It adds depth and highlights the sides of objects.

It’s a incredible lighting style to make your artwork stand out with a warm or cool glow.

rim lighting midjourney style

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lady, rim lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1

Cross Lighting

Rim Lighting is when light shines from behind the topic, outlining its edges.

In an AI art, it adds depth and emphasis to the topic, making it pop within the image. It’s a incredible lighting style to make use of when you want your artwork to have a striking and dramatic look.

cross lighting midjourney style

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lady, cross lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1

High Key Lighting

High Key Lighting is when a scene is brightly and evenly lit, minimizing shadows.

In Midjourney, it can create a soft, cheerful atmosphere and is right for capturing a clean, shiny look in images.

It’s an incredible lighting to make use of when you want your artwork to have a shiny and uplifting feel.

High Key lighting midjourney example image outputHigh Key Light

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lady, high key lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1

Low Key Lighting

Low Key Lighting is when a scene is predominantly dark with selective areas of shiny light.

It adds mystery, drama, and a way of depth to the photographs by highlighting contrast between light and shadow.

low key lightingLow Key Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a lady, high key lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –stylize 10

Broad Lighting

Broad lighting is a general term for lighting that comes from a large, diffused source.

This creates a fair, soft illumination across the entire scene. Broad lighting could make Midjourney AI images look natural, calm, and balanced.

broad lightingBroad Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, broad lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –stylize 10

Short Lighting

With short lighting, the important light source is coming from the side of the topic, creating more shadow on one side of the face or object.

This could make the topic look more dramatic and sculpted. Best style when you want your artwork to have a robust, moody, or cinematic feel.

Short Lighting midjourney styleShort Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, short lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –stylize 10

Flash-Lamp & Flashtube

Flash-lamp and flashtube are two several types of lighting that may be utilized in Midjourney AI art.

A flash-lamp is a kind of lamp that produces a really shiny, sudden burst of sunshine. This is usually used for photography to capture fast-moving subjects or freeze motion.

flashlamp lighting midjourney styleFlashlamp Light

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, flashlamp lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 8 –v 6.0

A flashtube is a kind of electronic lighting that also produces a fast, shiny flash of sunshine. Flashtubes are commonly utilized in cameras and studio lighting.

flashtube lighting midjourney styleFlashtube Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, flashtube lighting, dslr –aspect 1:1 –stylize 8 –v 6.0

Incandescent Lamp Lighting

Incandescent lamps work by heating a metal filament contained in the lamp until it glows and emits light.

The light from incandescent lamps has a warm, yellowish color tone. This can create a comfy, inviting feel in Midjourney AI images. The lighting also tends to be a bit softer and more diffused in comparison with another lighting sources.

Incandescent lamp lighting is great when you want your Midjourney AI artwork to have a classic, nostalgic, or homey atmosphere.

Incandescent Lamp lighting in midjourney Incandescent Lamp

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, incandescent lamp lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 35 –v 6.0

Crackle Tube

Crackle tube lighting is a singular kind of lighting.

A crackle tube is a special form of glass tube that has been treated to create a cracked or distressed appearance.

When lit up, the crackle tube gives off an irregular, flickering light that may seem like crackling electricity or flames. This creates a really dynamic and attention-grabbing lighting effect.

Use this lighting only when you need a sense of energy, and chaos in your images.

Crackle TubeCrackle Tube

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, portrait lit using Crackle tube lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Halogen Lamp

Halogen lamps work by heating a small capsule stuffed with halogen gas. This produces a really shiny, intense light.

The light from halogen lamps has a crisp, white color that is usually described as “cool” or “daylight” in tone. Halogen lighting tends to create strong contrasts between shiny highlights and dark shadows.

halogen lit midjourney artHalogen Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, portrait lit using halogen lamp lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Strobe Light

Strobe light produce very quick, shiny flashes of sunshine in rapid succession.

This creates a flickering, stroboscopic effect that could make images seem like they’re moving or frozen in time. Strobe lighting is usually utilized in photography and video to capture fast-paced motion.

strobe lightingStrobe Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a boy, portrait lit using strobe lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Flickering Lighting

Flickering light is when the brightness of the sunshine keeps changing, giving an unsteady or wavering appearance.

This flickering effect could make a picture look more moody, unsettling, or have an eerie, supernatural feel to it.

flickering lighting midjourneyFlickering Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a women, flickering lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Motivated Lighting

Motivated lighting is a way used where the lighting within the image is supposed to seem like it’s coming from a particular, logical source.

For example, if there’s a lamp within the scene, the lighting should seem like it’s coming from that lamp, and not only generally lighting up the entire area. Or if there’s a window, the lighting should look natural as if it’s coming through the window.

Motivated lighting helps make the image look more realistic and believable. It creates a way that the lighting is an element of the scene, somewhat than simply being added on top of it.

motivated lightingMotivated Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a women, motivated lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Moon Light

Moonlight is the soft, gentle light that comes from the moon at night.

Compared to sunlight, moonlight is far dimmer and has a cooler, bluer tone. It creates long, soft shadows and a more mysterious, atmospheric feel.

Using moonlight lighting in Midjourney AI artwork could make a scene look peaceful, romantic, and even somewhat eerie. The low, diffused lighting is great for creating moody, dreamlike environments.

moonlighting midjourney prompt outputMoon Lighting

Prompt: a photograph portrait of a women, moonlit, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7 –v 6.0

Diffused Lighting

Diffused light is a kind of lighting that spreads out the sunshine in a soft, even way. Instead of getting harsh shadows and shiny spots, diffused light creates a delicate, uniform illumination.

This kind of lighting is admittedly vital in fashion photography and Midjourney AI art. When photographing models or creating fashion-inspired images, diffused light could make the topic look smoother, more flattering, and more evenly lit.

diffused lightingDiffused Lighting

Prompt: a model wearing the newest designer dress , fashion show, diffused lighting, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7

Urban Night Lights

Urban night lights seek advice from the differing types of lighting present in cities and towns at night. This can include things like:

  • Street lamps – These are the tall, shiny lights that line the roads and sidewalks. They help light up the streets and make it safer to walk around at night.
  • Neon signs – Many businesses in urban areas have neon signs that create a colourful, eye-catching glow at night. This adds a vibrant, full of life feel to the town.
  • Building lights – The windows and exterior of buildings are sometimes lit up at night, making a glowing effect across the cityscape.
  • Vehicle headlights – The headlights of cars, buses, and other vehicles moving through the town add their very own pockets of illumination.

Using urban night lighting is great when you want your Midjourney AI artwork to feel immersive, contemporary, and true to the experience of being in a full of life city environment.

urban night lightsUrban Night Lighting

Prompt: a women, big apple, urban night lights, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7

Bokeh Light Effects

Bokeh is a photographic effect that creates soft, blurry circles of sunshine within the background of a picture. This happens when the camera’s lens is concentrated on a subject, but there are small, shiny light sources within the background.

In Midjourney AI art, bokeh light effects can add a lovely, dreamy quality to the artwork. The out-of-focus circles of sunshine create a way of depth and atmosphere.

Bokeh is great when you want your Midjourney AI images to have a more artistic, ethereal feel. The soft, glowing highlights could make a scene more magical or romantic.

bokeh lightingBokeh Lighting

Prompt: a portrait of a women, bokeh lights, –aspect 1:1 –stylize 7

And That’s It!

Mastering using Midjourney lighting prompts is important for creating fascinating, professional-quality AI-generated images.

Remember, don’t be afraid to check out different lighting prompts and combos to see what works best for you.

If you’re wanting to learn more about Midjourney, try the below articles:

This article was originally published at www.greataiprompts.com