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Midjourney vs. DALL-E 3: The Best Prompts for Photorealistic Images

DG
Dhananjoy Ghosh 9 min read

In the world of AI art, there are two titans: Midjourney (the artist's choice) and DALL-E 3 (the obedient assistant). But when you need absolute photorealism—images that fool the human eye—who wins?

We put them to the test. No generic cartoons. We are testing for skin texture, lighting physics, and complex materials.

Here are the side-by-side results and the exact prompts we used.

My Take: DALL-E 3 is smarter; it understands complex sentences better. But Midjourney v6 has better "taste." It understands lighting and composition like a professional photographer.

Round 1: The Human Portrait (Skin & Eyes)

The ultimate test of realism is human skin. We're looking for imperfections—pores, stray hairs, and realistic light reflection (subsurface scattering).

Cinematic portrait of an elderly fisherman, salt-and-pepper beard, ocean reflection in eyes, golden hour lighting, 85mm lens, f/1.8, extremely detailed skin texture --style raw --v 6.0
DALL-E 3
[Insert DALL-E Image]
Typically smoother, more "perfect" skin.
Lighting is dramatic but feels slightly digital.
Verdict: Good, but too polished. Looks like a high-end video game character.
Midjourney v6
[Insert Midjourney Image]
Visible pores, asymmetry, realistic hair flyaways.
Lighting interacts naturally with skin oils.
Verdict: 🏆 Winner. Startlingly realistic. The imperfections make it real.

Want more portrait prompts? Check out our curated collections:

Men's Portraits AI Portrait Generator Curly Hair Portraits

Round 2: The Texture Test (Food & Macro)

Food photography requires perfect physics. Liquids need to splash correctly, and textures (like bread crust or fruit skin) need to look tactile.

Macro shot of a strawberry splashing into milk, high speed photography, frozen motion, dripping liquid, studio lighting, soft focus background, 100mm macro lens
DALL-E 3
[Insert DALL-E Image]
Follows the prompt exactly.
Splash looks physically accurate but slightly "plastic."
Midjourney v6
[Insert Midjourney Image]
Incredible texture on the strawberry seeds.
Milk looks organic and creamy.

Round 3: Complex Lighting (Cyberpunk/Neon)

Atmosphere is everything. We want "volumetric fog"—light beams you can see in the air—and realistic reflections on wet surfaces.

Cyberpunk street photography, Tokyo alleyway at night, neon rain, reflection on wet pavement, volumetric fog, teal and orange color grading, cinematic composition
DALL-E 3
[Insert DALL-E Image]
Very vibrant colors.
Sometimes overdoes the neon, looking illustration-like.
Midjourney v6
[Insert Midjourney Image]
Moodier, darker shadows.
Fog looks heavy and real. Truly cinematic.
My Take: Midjourney is the king of "vibes." If you want mood, go MJ. If you want specific objects (e.g., "a cat riding a unicycle"), go DALL-E.

The "Secret Sauce" Prompt List

Want to make your images look expensive? Add these keywords to the end of your prompts.

📸 Camera Angles & Lenses

  • 85mm lens / f1.8 (Perfect for portraits, blurry background)
  • 35mm lens (Storytelling, shows distinct background)
  • Macro lens (Extreme close-ups, insects, food)
  • Drone view / Bird's eye view (Landscapes)

💡 Lighting Keywords

  • Golden Hour (Warm, soft sunlight)
  • Blue Hour (Just after sunset, moody)
  • Volumetric lighting (God rays, foggy beams)
  • Rembrandt lighting (Classic studio portrait light)

Explore Our Specific Prompt Collections

Don't want to start from scratch? Use our pre-made prompt libraries:

Frequently Asked Questions

Which describes text prompts better? +

DALL-E 3 is superior for understanding complex instructions and rendering legible text inside images. Midjourney can still struggle with specific text.

Can I use these images commercially? +

Midjourney (Paid Plan) and DALL-E 3 (via ChatGPT Plus/Enterprise) both grant commercial rights to images you create.

The Winner? It Depends.

If you need perfection and control, use DALL-E 3. If you need art, texture, and photorealism, Midjourney is still the heavyweight champion.