How to Use Midjourney for Product Photography (Step-by-Step Guide 2026)

Professional product photography costs $200-$500 per image when you hire a photographer. Midjourney can generate photorealistic product images for a fraction of that cost — if you know how to prompt it correctly.

This guide covers specific techniques for generating product-quality images with Midjourney, from setting up your workspace to creating images that work on e-commerce platforms.

When Midjourney Works for Product Photography

Midjourney excels at:

• Lifestyle shots: Products in context (coffee mug on a desk, backpack in a hiking setting)
• Concept visualization: Seeing how a product design would look before manufacturing
• Background variations: Same product, different settings and moods
• Social media content: Styled shots for Instagram, Pinterest, ads

Midjourney struggles with:

• Exact product replication: It generates interpretations, not exact copies
• Text on products: Logos and labels are unreliable
• Technical accuracy: Specific product details may be wrong (button placement, port locations)
• Consistency across images: Same product looking exactly the same in every shot

Step 1: Set Up Your Midjourney Workspace

1. Subscribe to Midjourney at midjourney.com ($10/month Basic, $30/month Standard, $60/month Pro)
2. Access Midjourney via Discord or the web interface
3. For product photography, the Standard plan ($30/month) is recommended for unlimited generations in relaxed mode

Step 2: Master the Product Photography Prompt Formula

The formula for effective product photography prompts:

[Product description] + [Setting/Background] + [Lighting] + [Style] + [Camera/Technical details] + [Parameters]

Example:

“A minimalist ceramic coffee mug on a marble countertop, morning sunlight streaming through a window, soft shadows, commercial product photography, shot on Canon EOS R5, 85mm lens, f/2.8, shallow depth of field –ar 1:1 –v 6 –style raw”

Product Description

Be specific about materials, colors, and form:

• Bad: “a backpack”
• Good: “a matte black nylon hiking backpack with orange zipper pulls and mesh side pockets”

Setting and Background

Common product photography backgrounds:

• Clean/minimal: “white infinity background”, “soft gray seamless paper”
• Lifestyle: “on a wooden desk in a modern office”, “held by a hand against an urban backdrop”
• Nature: “on a moss-covered rock beside a stream”, “hanging from a tree branch at golden hour”
• Flat lay: “flat lay arrangement on linen fabric with complementary accessories”

Lighting

Lighting makes or breaks product photography:

• Studio: “softbox lighting”, “three-point lighting setup”, “rim light”
• Natural: “golden hour sunlight”, “diffused window light”, “overcast soft light”
• Dramatic: “single spotlight”, “low-key lighting”, “backlit silhouette”

Style Keywords

Keywords that consistently improve product photography results:

• “commercial product photography”
• “editorial product shot”
• “advertising photography”
• “studio product photograph”
• “e-commerce product image”

Step 3: Use Reference Images

Midjourney can use reference images to match a style or composition:

1. Upload your reference image to Discord or the web interface
2. Include the image URL at the beginning of your prompt
3. Add –iw 1.5 to increase the influence of the reference image (default is 1.0)

This is particularly useful for maintaining visual consistency across a product line or matching an existing brand style.

Step 4: Optimize with Parameters

Key Midjourney parameters for product photography:

• –ar 1:1 for square (Instagram, e-commerce thumbnails)
• –ar 4:5 for portrait (Instagram feed)
• –ar 16:9 for landscape (website headers, banners)
• –ar 9:16 for stories/vertical (TikTok, Instagram Stories)
• –v 6 for latest version (best photorealism)
• –style raw for less stylized, more photographic output
• –q 2 for higher quality (uses more GPU time)
• –no text, logo, watermark to exclude unwanted elements

Step 5: Create Variations and Upscale

1. Generate the initial 4-image grid
2. Select the best option (U1-U4 to upscale)
3. Use the Vary (Subtle) button for minor variations
4. Use the Vary (Strong) button for more significant changes
5. Use Zoom Out to extend the background or show more context

Step 6: Post-Processing

Midjourney output often needs minor adjustments:

• Background removal: Use Canva or remove.bg for white background e-commerce images
• Color correction: Adjust to match your actual product colors
• Logo addition: Add real logos in Photoshop/Canva (Midjourney can’t render text reliably)
• Resize: Export at correct dimensions for your platform

Product Photography Prompt Templates

E-commerce White Background

“[Product description], centered on pure white background, studio lighting, commercial product photography, high-key lighting, no shadows, clean and minimal, shot on Phase One IQ4, 100mm macro lens –ar 1:1 –v 6 –style raw”

Lifestyle Context Shot

“[Product description], in use by [person description], [setting], natural lighting, editorial photography, candid lifestyle shot, depth of field, warm tones –ar 4:5 –v 6”

Flat Lay

“Flat lay top-down view, [product] arranged with [complementary items], on [surface], soft diffused lighting, styled product photography, organized layout –ar 1:1 –v 6 –style raw”

Hero Shot

“[Product description], dramatic angle, dark moody background, single spotlight from above, high contrast, premium feel, luxury product photography, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9 –v 6”

Commercial Use and Legal Considerations

Midjourney’s paid plans include commercial usage rights for generated images. However:

• You cannot claim the images as “photographs” if they’re AI-generated
• Some platforms (like Amazon) have specific policies about AI-generated product images
• FTC guidelines may require disclosure of AI-generated marketing images
• Trademark and likeness issues apply — don’t generate recognizable brand logos or faces

Midjourney vs. Alternatives for Product Photography

• DALL-E 3: Better text rendering on products, easier to use but less photorealistic
• Stable Diffusion: Free and open-source, best for fine-tuned product consistency via LoRA training
• Flux: Strong at photorealism, growing alternative

See our free Midjourney alternatives guide for more options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Midjourney product photos on Amazon?

Amazon’s image policy requires that product images accurately represent what the customer will receive. AI-generated lifestyle images may be acceptable, but your main product image should be an actual photograph of the real product.

How much does Midjourney cost for product photography?

Midjourney plans range from $10-$60/month. The Standard plan at $30/month provides unlimited generations in relaxed mode, which is sufficient for most product photography needs.

Can Midjourney replicate my exact product?

Midjourney generates interpretations, not exact replicas. For product images that must be 100% accurate, use reference images and expect to do multiple iterations. For exact accuracy, traditional photography remains necessary.

Is Midjourney better than DALL-E for product photos?

Midjourney generally produces more photorealistic results with better lighting and composition. DALL-E 3 is better at following precise instructions and rendering text. See our comparison for details.