Guide to Using Your Photos as Prompts in Midjourney V5

Did you know you can use your own pictures to help create art in Midjourney? This is a powerful way to guide the AI and get results that match a specific look or character. Midjourney Version 5 makes this easier and the results can be amazing. Let's look at how you can turn a simple photo into a reference for generating unique images.

Get Your Image Ready for Midjourney

Before you can use your photo, you need to upload it to Discord so Midjourney can access it. It's a simple process.

• Find the image file on your computer.

• Drag and drop the image directly into your Discord chat window where you use Midjourney.

• Hit Enter to send the image. It will upload to Discord's servers.

• Once uploaded, right-click on the image.

• Select "Copy Image Address" (or similar, depending on your browser/app). This gives you the direct link to the image.

Keep this link handy. You will need it for your Midjourney prompt.

Crafting Your Prompt with an Image Link

Using an image as part of your prompt tells Midjourney to consider that image when creating its new art. Here's how to structure it.

Start your prompt as usual with `/imagine`.

Paste the image link you copied first. This is important -- the image link usually goes at the start of the prompt.

After the link, add a space, and then write your text description of what you want the final image to look like. Be descriptive about the subject, style, lighting, etc.

For example:

• Image Link (pasted here) a woman reading a book, natural light, photorealistic

Midjourney will now try to create an image of a woman reading a book based on the visual information from the picture you provided.

Adjusting the Image Influence with --iw

You can control how much Midjourney pays attention to your uploaded image versus your text description. You do this with the `--iw` parameter, which stands for Image Weight.

• Add `--iw` after your text prompt (with a space before it).

• Then add a space and a number. The number ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 in Midjourney V5.

• `--iw 0.5`: Gives the image less influence, favoring your text prompt more.

• `--iw 1.0`: This is often the default balance.

• `--iw 2.0`: Gives the image maximum influence, trying to match its style and composition closely.

To make the generated image look as close to your photo as possible, you would use `--iw 2.0` at the end of your prompt.

Putting it together, a full prompt might look like:

• `/imagine` https://yourimagelink.jpg a woman reading a book, depth of field, 35mm lens, natural lighting, photorealistic --iw 2.0

For users looking to streamline their Midjourney process, especially when working with multiple images or complex prompting, check out the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT. It can simplify repetitive tasks.

Seeing the Results

Once you hit enter, Midjourney will process the request. It will generate several variations based on your prompt and the image reference.

Looking at the results, you'll see images that incorporate elements from your text description while borrowing composition, style, or even features from your source photo, especially if you used a high `--iw` value.

Using this technique allows you to maintain character consistency or achieve a specific visual style that is hard to describe with words alone.

Handling many image prompts or organizing your generated art can become time-consuming. Discover tools that can help automate generating variations and staying organized with the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT.

Conclusion

Using your own photos as a starting point in Midjourney V5 is a powerful way to create unique art. By uploading your image, getting its link, and using it in your prompt with the `--iw` parameter, you can guide the AI to produce images that are influenced by real-world visuals. This technique is great for creating character art, styled variations of existing photos, and much more. Give it a try!

To further enhance your Midjourney workflow and manage your projects more efficiently, consider exploring automation options like the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT.