I remember when I first tried to generate a landscape using AI, and typed in "beautiful mountain", and I got a strange mountain that looked like a pile of blocks...
After learning and experimenting, I'm here today to shareScenic RemindersHow to write to help people easily create amazinglandscape drawing!
The basic structure of a landscape cue
For AI to understand the beauty of what you have in mind, you first need to build a complete cue word architecture. Just like building a house requires a foundation, a good cue word needs to contain the following key elements:
1. Scene types
Define the type of landscape you want: mountain views / beach sunsets / forest trails / city skyline / rural idylls
2. Time and light
The light determines the soul of the whole picture:
- Time: Dawn, Sunrise, Noon, Dusk, Sunset, Night
- Lighting Description: Golden sunlight, soft moonlight, mist diffused light
3. Weather and atmospheric effects
Adds mood and drama to the picture:
- Sunny, cloudy, foggy, rainy
- Rainbows, lightning, thunderstorms
- Mist, fog, sea of clouds
4. Lens parameters
Draw on photographic expertise to enhance the texture of your images:
- Focal length: wide-angle lens (16mm), standard lens (50mm), telephoto lens (200mm)
- Aperture: Large aperture (f/1.4) creates shallow depth of field, small aperture (f/16) ensures clear panoramic views
- Depth of field: shallow depth of field to emphasize the subject, large depth of field before and after clear, bokeh effect to create atmosphere
5. Composition and perspective
Decide on a way to view the landscape:
- Viewing angles: bird's eye view, low angle, flat view
- Composition: panorama, close-up, symmetrical composition, rule of thirds, leading lines, frame composition
6. Color tone
Set the overall color tone:
- Color palette: warm tones, cool tones, monochrome, contrasting colors
- Saturation: Highly saturated and vivid, low saturated and soft
7. Style and school of art
Designated Art Styles: Realism / Impressionism / Watercolor / Oil Texture
8. Technical parameters
Improved image quality:
- High detail
- 8K resolution
- hyperrealistic
9. Emotional climate
Conveying a specific mood: serenity and tranquility / grandeur and majesty / mystery and depth
Construction of cue word templates
When I first started writing prompts, I too was was not sure where to start. Then I realized that using templates can be much more efficient! Here are the templates I use:
[Description of the main landscape] + [Time of day/lighting] + [Weather/atmospheric effects] + [Lens parameters (focal length/aperture/depth of field)] + [Description of details] + [Description of colors] + [Composition/perspective] + [Artistic style] + [Technical parameters] + [Emotional atmosphere]
It's all talk and no action, so let's look at a few real-world examples!
Wide Angle Mountain View Drawing
Magnificent Alps, golden-red light at dusk, thin clouds drifting in and out, captured by a wide-angle lens (16mm) with a small aperture of f/16 to ensure a sharp panorama, framed in thirds. In the distance are the snowy tops rolling, in the center there are coniferous forests and mountain lakes, and in the foreground is a meadow full of wildflowers. Oil painting style with warm colors, high definition details, peaceful and mysterious atmosphere.
Long Focus Seascape Drawing
Tranquil tropical coastline, clear sky with orange-red color at sunset, using a telephoto lens (135mm) to compress the sense of space and f/4 aperture to create a moderate depth of field. The sea was a deep blue-green color and the waves lapped gently. There are several small islands silhouetted in the distance, with golden sandy beaches and swaying coconut trees on the shore. Watercolor painting style, 8K Ultra HD, warm and romantic atmosphere.
Macro Forest Closeup
Forest floor after rain, morning light through the canopy, water droplets hanging on mushrooms and moss, macro lens (100mm) close-up, large aperture f/2.8 creates very shallow depth of field, moss in foreground is clear, background creates dreamy bokeh. Green and brown color dominate, high saturation, surrealistic style, mysterious and dreamy atmosphere.
Photographic Style Guide to Prompt Words for Landscape Maps
If you want AI-generated landscapes to have an authentic photographic style, rather than a painterly style, this requires special emphasis on photographic characteristics and technical parameters in the cue word.
Here are suggestions on how to optimize cue words for photographic style landscape images:
Key Elements of Photographic Style
1. Clearly specify the style of photography
Specifying "photographic style" or "photographic style" at the beginning or end of the prompt allows you to further specify a specific genre of photography:
- Landscape photography
- Nature photography
- Documentary photography
- Aerial photography
2. Photographic equipment and parameters
Specify professional photography equipment and parameters to enhance realism:
- Camera models: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Sony A7R IV, Nikon D850
- Lens Specifications: 16-35mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens, 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens
- Filters: polarizing filter, ND filter, graduated filter
3. Technical characteristics of photography
Emphasis on technical features specific to photography: high dynamic range/sharpness/low noise/color accuracy.
4. Post-processing style
Specify the characteristics of photography post-processing: natural processing (natural processing) / HDR effect (HDR effect) / split toning (split toning) / Lightroom preset (Lightroom preset)
Photography Style Landscape Prompt Words Template
[Type of scene], Professional [genre of photography] style, Shot with [camera model] and [lens specifications], [Time and light], [Weather and atmospheric effects], [Lens parameters], [Composition and perspective], [Color features], [Post-processing style], [Technical parameters], [Emotional atmosphere]
Example of wide angle landscape photography:
Breathtaking Icelandic waterfall, professional landscape photography style, captured with Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and 16-35mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens, soft golden hour light, mist surround, small aperture f/16 ensures panoramic clarity, three-quarter composition, use of polarizing filter to enhance the contrast between the water and the sky, natural color processing, high dynamic range captures details in both dark and light, 4K Ultra HD. Spectacular and serene atmosphere.
Example of telephoto landscape photography:
Autumn mountain sunset, professional nature photography style, shot with Nikon D850 and 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens, dusk sidelight, thin clouds floating, f/8 aperture, cascading composition highlighting the ridge lines, using graduated filters to balance the sky and foreground exposure, processed with Lightroom Classic Landscape presets, sharp details and natural color reproduction, high resolution, serene and warm atmosphere.
Example of aerial landscape photography:
Bird's eye view of tropical coastline, professional aerial photography style, captured with DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone, bright midday sunlight, clear weather, 120m altitude overhead, f/4 aperture, overhead composition showing gradient colors of seawater and coral reef textures, enhanced blue and green saturation, clear and sharp details, 8K resolution, spectacular and open visual experience.
Difference between photography style and painting style
To ensure that AI generates a realistic photographic style rather than a painterly style:
- Avoid painting-related vocabulary: Do not use words like "painting", "illustration", "brushstrokes", etc.
- Emphasis on realism:: Use of words such as "photorealistic", "true-to-life", "authentic", etc. to emphasize authenticity
- Specify photographic post rather than artistic processing: Use "color grading", "tone mapping" instead of "artistic filter".
- Emphasize the technical characteristics specific to photographye.g. "lens flare", "bokeh effect", "chromatic aberration", etc.
Hopefully these tips will help you create authentic photographic style landscape images!
Advanced Techniques: Emotion and Storytelling
Want to make your landscape images more moving? Add elements of emotion and storytelling!
For example, instead of just describing a "sunset on the beach," it's:
Sunset on the forgotten beach, golden sunlight on the abandoned boat, 50mm standard lens, f/8 aperture, guide line composition leads the eye to the distant lighthouse, seagulls hovering in the sky. Sad and peaceful atmosphere, like the long time waiting for the returnee. Watercolor style, soft tones, high definition details.
Such cue words not only describe the scene, but also imply stories and emotions that give depth to the generated images.