Image models respond to visual language. The most common mistake is listing random style words without deciding what the camera should see.
A prompt framework that holds up
- Subject: who or what is in frame
- Scene: environment and action
- Camera: lens, angle, distance
- Light: time of day, contrast, mood
- Style: one clear reference, not five conflicting ones
Midjourney notes
Midjourney rewards concise, evocative phrasing. Parameters like aspect ratio and stylize matter, but the base prompt still needs a clear subject. If results drift, remove adjectives before adding more.
DALL-E notes
DALL-E handles literal instructions well. Spell out composition ("subject on left third, negative space on right") when you need layout control for ads or blog headers.
Fixing common failures
- Muddy style: pick one aesthetic direction
- Wrong proportions: specify "full body" or "close-up portrait"
- Busy backgrounds: add "simple background" or "shallow depth of field"
- Inconsistent series: reuse the same camera and lighting block across prompts
For client work, save your winning prompt blocks as reusable snippets. That is how visual prompt specialists deliver fast turnarounds without starting from zero each time.