This tutorial is for one complete project, not a tour of every control. You will create a hero-image direction, compare the first set and change only what the brief requires.
Project: a wide editorial image with a clear text area, a fixed subject and two deliberate variations.
1. Turn the task into a visual brief
Write the placement, subject, composition, mood and exclusions. Midjourney’s prompt guidance recommends concrete visual ingredients such as subject, medium, environment, light, color, mood and composition.
Editorial photograph of a compact reading chair beside a tall window,
quiet apartment at dawn, soft directional light, muted clay and charcoal palette,
wide composition, chair on the right, generous negative space on the left,
subtle film grain --ar 16:9Parameters belong at the end of a Midjourney prompt. Here --ar 16:9 expresses the placement requirement; it is not decorative prompt jargon.
2. Read the first grid as evidence
Before selecting a favorite, compare each image with the same checks.
| Question | Evidence to inspect |
|---|---|
| Is the subject stable? | Chair shape and materials remain plausible |
| Can text sit on the left? | No bright object or hard edge occupies the text zone |
| Does the mood fit? | Light and palette match the quiet dawn brief |
| Is anything invented? | No logos, extra furniture or readable false text |
Keep one version because it fits the brief, not because it feels surprising.
3. Make a controlled variation
Duplicate the prompt and change one visible choice. For example, replace “soft directional light” with “overcast window light.” Keep the subject, composition and aspect ratio unchanged. Record both prompts so the team can reproduce the decision.
4. Use references deliberately
Midjourney currently distinguishes image prompts, style references and other reference controls. Use a reference only when you have the right to upload it and can state what it should influence. “Use this for the muted palette and soft contrast” is safer and more reviewable than “make it identical.”
5. Export with a decision note
Save the chosen image, full prompt, current settings and a one-line reason for selection. Inspect details at the final crop size, then run a separate rights and brand review before publication.
Which Midjourney parameters should a beginner learn first?
Start with aspect ratio because it connects directly to placement. Add other controls only when the brief needs them, and recheck the current official parameter list because names and behavior can change.
Is a Midjourney tutorial the same as a prompt list?
No. A tutorial teaches a repeatable decision process. A prompt list gives starting recipes. Use the tutorial for a first project and the prompt collection when you already know the output you need.
What should I change after a weak variation?
Name the visible defect and revise the relevant part of the brief. Keep the subject and composition stable when testing a style change so you can see what caused the difference.