Is Midjourney Style Raw Right for Your Images? What It Does and When To Use It in V5.1

Midjourney Version 5.1 introduced a feature called the Style Raw parameter. For many users, this addition brought some questions. What exactly does it do? How does it change your images? Most importantly, when should you use it?

This guide will break down the Style Raw parameter. We'll look at what it is, how to turn it on, and explore examples to show you the results. By the end, you'll have a clear idea if Style Raw is the right tool for your next Midjourney creation.

What Does Style Raw Mean?

Think of Style Raw as a way to tell Midjourney to step back a bit. Normally, Midjourney applies its own artistic flair and default aesthetic to your prompts. The Style Raw parameter reduces this built-in styling. It aims to give you an image that is closer to your exact words, resulting in a more unfiltered or realistic appearance.

It doesn't remove all style, but it lessens the automatic creative choices Midjourney might make. This can be useful if you want more control over the final look.

How to Activate Style Raw

You have two main ways to use Style Raw:

• Add it to a single prompt: Simply type `--style raw` at the end of your prompt.

• Set it as your default: You can change your settings in Midjourney so that Style Raw is always active for every image you create. Use the `/settings` command and choose the "RAW Mode" option.

How Style Raw Changes Image Results

Let's look at some examples to see the difference between the standard V5.1 style and Style Raw.

Short and Simple Prompts

When your prompt is short and doesn't have lots of detail, Midjourney V5.1 often adds a lot of its own style. For example, a prompt like "an ecosystem inside a jar" might get a very artistic interpretation in V5.1. With `--style raw`, the image tends to be more direct and literal, sticking closely to the words you provided. It might add less of its own creativity.

Another example: "neon lights in the beach". V5.1 might explore different artistic ways to show this. Style Raw is more likely to show neon lights physically placed on a beach. However, Style Raw works best when you provide creative direction. Using a prompt like the neon lights example but adding "cyberpunk style" helps Style Raw understand the artistic look you want. Without that direction, it might give unexpected or random artistic results.

Long and Detailed Prompts

The results change when you use longer prompts with many specific details. For prompts that describe complex scenes, materials, or styles, Style Raw often picks up and includes those details better than the standard V5.1 style. If you describe specific lighting ('Neon Lights', 'pink and green spotlights'), composition ('wide angle'), and realism ('hyper realistic'), Style Raw is strong at incorporating these specific instructions.

Managing complex prompts with lots of details can be time-consuming. You might find it helpful to use a tool to organize and manage your prompt library. Consider trying the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT to streamline your workflow when working with detailed prompts.

Photography Prompts

If you are aiming for a photographic look using keywords like "photo of" or "photography," the difference can vary. In straightforward portraits, like "photo of a girl muted white color palette depth of field," the effect of Style Raw might not be huge compared to V5.1.

However, if your photograph prompt includes a subject doing a specific or unusual action, for example, "a woman sitting in the bathroom," Style Raw seems to be better at delivering that exact scene or posture as requested in the prompt. It captures the specific activity more accurately than V5.1 might.

When to Choose Style Raw vs. Standard V5.1

Based on these tests and common use cases, here’s a simple way to think about it:

• Standard V5.1 (No Style Raw): This mode is great if you prefer Midjourney to act as an autopilot. It takes your prompt and applies its excellent default styling to create visually appealing images, especially good for short, less detailed prompts where you want Midjourney's creative touch.

• Style Raw: This mode is better when you have a very specific vision for your image. It works well for long prompts filled with details about style, scene elements, or specific actions. It gives you more control but requires you to provide more creative direction in the prompt itself if you want a particular artistic feel beyond just realism.

• For simple portrait-style photography, the difference might be minimal.

If you're frequently experimenting with different styles and prompts, keeping track of your best settings and prompts can be challenging. An automation tool can help manage this. Check out the Midjourney Automation Suite by TitanXT to make testing styles and prompts easier and more organized.

Final Thoughts

Midjourney V5.1 is fantastic at creating styled images automatically. Style Raw offers an alternative for users who want more control and a look that is closer to pure realism or requires precise handling of detailed instructions. It's not necessarily "better," just different. The best mode depends entirely on what you want to create.

Experiment with both! Try your go-to prompts with and without `--style raw` to see the difference firsthand. You might find that one mode works perfectly for certain types of images you like to create.

Ready to boost your Midjourney workflow? Automate your image generation and prompt management with the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT.