PROMPT GUIDE

How to Control Composition in Midjourney

Midjourney makes beautiful images, but composition often goes its own way: "I asked for a full body and got a face close-up", "it will not look down from above". Composition is easier to get across when you split it into three parts: shot size, camera angle and position in the frame. This guide collects the English phrases that work for controlling composition in Midjourney.

Last updated: 2026-10-22 approx. 3 min read

日本語版

The short answer

To control composition in Midjourney, put shot and angle words such as "close-up", "full body shot" or "low angle" near the start of the prompt. Set portrait or landscape with --ar so the composition words work better.

How do you control composition in Midjourney?

Write the shot size and camera angle in English right after the subject. Written near the end, they lose to other words and tend to be ignored.

Midjourney is a service where you write natural English sentences, so describing composition inside the sentence, as in "a full body shot of a girl standing on a hill, seen from a low angle", works better than listing words like Danbooru tags. The shape of the frame (portrait or landscape) is set separately with --ar (aspect ratio). Composition and aspect ratio go together: full body fits portrait, and a person in a landscape fits a wide frame.

Low-angle full-body anime illustration of a girl standing on a hill — あおりの全身

Wide shot of a small girl standing in a vast meadow — あおりの全身

Illustration usage rules

How do you describe shot size (close or wide)?

Film terms work well for how much of the person is shown. The two that work most reliably are close-up and full body.

English	Meaning	Note
extreme close-up	A big close-up of part of the face, such as eyes or mouth	For showing expressions or eyes
close-up portrait	Face close-up	For icons and expression pictures
medium shot / waist-up shot	From the waist up	Usually the most stable
cowboy shot / knee-up shot	From the knees up	When you also want to show the outfit
full body shot	From head to toe	Adding from head to toe helps avoid cropping
wide shot / long shot	Small person, wide scenery	When the background is the star

How do you describe the camera angle?

Write where the viewer is looking from. Looking down from above is high angle or bird's-eye view; looking up from below is low angle.

English	Meaning	Typical use
eye-level shot	At eye height	Ordinary, natural pictures
low angle shot	Looking up from below	Confident, cool impression
high angle shot	Looking down from above	Cute, smaller-looking subject
bird's-eye view / top-down view	Straight down from above	Lying down, items on a desk
Dutch angle	Tilted frame	Motion, unease, energy
over-the-shoulder shot	Over the shoulder	Conversations, showing what she sees
side view / profile	Straight from the side	Profiles, walking
from behind / back view	From behind	Looking back, telling a story with her back

How do you write the subject position and empty space?

Write where in the frame and how large. If you want space for text, name the side you want left empty.

Centered: centered composition, the girl in the center of the frame
To one side: the girl on the left third of the frame, empty space on the right
Small in the frame: a small figure in a vast landscape
Foreground blur: flowers in the foreground, shallow depth of field
Symmetry: symmetrical composition

Steps to set the composition in Midjourney

Decide the frame shape and set portrait, landscape or square with --ar.
Write the subject (who is doing what) briefly.
Right after the subject, write the shot size (close-up, full body, etc.).
Then write the camera angle (low angle, high angle, etc.).
Add the place, light and style after that.
If the composition is not what you want, move the composition words to the very front, or try two phrasings together.

Full body shot of a young woman with long black hair and a red ribbon, standing on a grassy hill, seen from a low angle, blue summer sky with tall clouds, anime illustration --ar 2:3

High angle close-up portrait of a girl looking up at the viewer, sitting at a cafe table, soft window light, shallow depth of field, anime style --ar 1:1

Wide shot of a small girl with an umbrella walking along a rainy street at night, neon reflections on the wet road, the girl on the left third of the frame --ar 16:9

What if Midjourney ignores the composition?

Common causes: the composition words are near the end, they do not match the aspect ratio, or other words are too strong.

Common problem	Cause	Fix
Asked for full body, got a face close-up	Frame not tall enough, too much face description	Use a portrait --ar and add feet words such as from head to toe and shoes
No high angle (looking down)	Only one angle word	Stack phrasings: high angle view from above, looking down at her
Feet are cut off	The person fills the whole frame	Add with space around her to full body shot
Too much background, person too small	wide shot and scenery description are strong	Switch to medium shot or shorten the scenery description
Wanted a tilt but it is straight	Dutch angle is weak	Add tilted camera, dynamic diagonal composition

Rinka's tips

Use 1–2 composition words per image. Writing close-up and full body together leaves it in between
Adding "cinematic" like a film scene tends to give a wide composition with depth
When you get the composition you wanted, save the sentence as it is so you can reuse it

How to write Midjourney parameters such as --ar: How to Write Midjourney Prompts (Sentences and Parameters) →

Niji journey prompts for anime-style art: How to Write Niji Journey Prompts (for Anime Art) →

Composition with Stable Diffusion tags: Composition Prompt Tag List (Framing, Camera Angles, Foreground Blur) →

Camera moves for video (zoom, pan): Camera Movement Prompts for AI Video Generators →

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a full body in Midjourney?

Set --ar to portrait (2:3 or similar) and put full body shot and from head to toe near the start. Describing shoes or feet also keeps the feet from being cut off.

How do I get a top-down or high angle in Midjourney?

Use high angle shot or bird's-eye view. If one word does not work, stack phrasings such as "view from above, looking down at her".

Can I write composition in a language other than English?

English is more stable. Film and camera English is understood well, so the phrases in the cheat sheets are recommended.

How many composition words can I use?

About one shot size and one camera angle. Too many cancel each other out and none of them work.