Two of the most powerful levers you have when writing AI image prompts are aspect ratio and camera parameters. These technical details control the shape of your output, the perceived depth, the spatial relationship between subject and background, and the overall photographic quality of the image.
This guide covers everything you need to know about using aspect ratios and camera language in your prompts, whether you are using Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL·E, ChatGPT, or Google Gemini.
Aspect Ratios: Choosing the Right Shape
The aspect ratio determines the width-to-height proportion of your generated image. Different platforms and use cases require different ratios.
How to Specify Aspect Ratios
In Midjourney, add the --ar parameter at the end of your prompt:
In DALL·E 3 and ChatGPT, describe the orientation in your prompt ("a vertical portrait-oriented image" or "a wide landscape shot"). In Stable Diffusion, set the width and height directly in the generation settings.
Focal Length: Controlling Depth and Perspective
Focal length is one of the most impactful photography terms you can add to an AI prompt. It controls how the AI renders depth, background blur, and subject proportions.
- 14mm–24mm (ultra-wide): Dramatic perspective distortion, exaggerated foreground, ideal for landscapes, architecture, and environmental portraits
- 35mm (wide): Natural perspective similar to human eye, good for street photography and full-body shots
- 50mm (standard): Neutral, natural look with minimal distortion, versatile for portraits and products
- 85mm (portrait): Compressed background, beautiful bokeh, flattering facial proportions — the gold standard for portrait photography
- 135mm–200mm (telephoto): Strong background compression, extreme subject isolation, ideal for fashion and wildlife
- Macro lens: Extreme close-up with sharp detail, used for textures, jewelry, food, and small objects
portrait of a young woman in a flower garden, soft natural light, shot on 85mm lens, shallow depth of field, bokeh background, warm golden tones, editorial photography --ar 3:4
Camera Angles: Controlling Viewer Perspective
The camera angle changes how the viewer perceives the subject. Each angle creates a different emotional response:
- Eye level: Neutral and relatable, the default perspective for most images
- Low angle (looking up): Makes subjects appear powerful, dominant, or heroic
- High angle (looking down): Makes subjects appear vulnerable, small, or approachable
- Bird's eye view: Top-down perspective, great for flat lays, maps, and patterns
- Dutch angle (tilted): Creates tension, unease, or dynamic energy
- Over-the-shoulder: Creates intimacy, often used in cinematic storytelling
Depth of Field: Sharp vs Blurry Backgrounds
Depth of field (DoF) controls how much of the image is in sharp focus versus blurred. This is one of the most common parameters in AI prompts because it dramatically affects visual quality.
- Shallow depth of field: Only the subject is sharp, background is blurred (bokeh). Use for portraits, products, and cinematic shots.
- Deep depth of field: Everything from foreground to background is sharp. Use for landscapes, architecture, and group shots.
- Tilt-shift: Selective focus that makes real scenes look like miniatures. Great for cityscapes and creative effects.
close-up portrait of a man with grey hair, shallow depth of field, f/1.8 aperture, soft background bokeh, natural window light, warm tones, photorealistic --ar 4:5
Shot Types: Distance from Subject
- Extreme close-up: Just the eyes, lips, or a tiny detail — creates intense intimacy
- Close-up: Head and shoulders, standard for portrait photography
- Medium shot: Waist up, balances subject with environment
- Full body: Entire figure visible, shows outfit and posture
- Wide shot: Subject small in frame, emphasizes the environment and scale
- Establishing shot: Very wide, sets the scene and location
Combining Parameters for Maximum Impact
The most effective prompts combine aspect ratio, focal length, camera angle, and depth of field together. Here is a formula:
[subject description], [lighting], [camera angle], shot on [focal length] lens, [depth of field], [mood/style] --ar [ratio]
editorial portrait of a woman in a vintage bookstore, soft ambient window light, eye level shot, shot on 50mm lens, shallow depth of field, warm nostalgic tones, film grain, photorealistic --ar 4:5 --style raw
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
- Instagram post: --ar 1:1 or --ar 4:5
- YouTube thumbnail: --ar 16:9
- Phone wallpaper: --ar 9:16
- Portrait photography: 85mm lens, shallow DoF, --ar 3:4
- Landscape photography: 24mm lens, deep DoF, --ar 16:9
- Product photography: 50mm lens, clean background, --ar 1:1
- Cinematic film still: 35mm lens, wide shot, --ar 21:9
Explore prompts with optimized camera parameters in the PromptGet Library.