I've noticed a trend on Instagram and some other social media platforms where users upload images of beautiful natural landscapes and trick people into thinking they're real only to reveal afterwards that the image was created with the help of artificial intelligence.
AI image generation has become so good that it's now easy to fool people into thinking they're real photographs. Of course, you'll need to write a good prompt to get a great result. And that's what I'll show you how to do in today's article.
I will use the Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 model to create stunning photorealistic images of natural landscapes. You can use these prompts to create online content or wallpapers.
Although I used Stable Diffusion to create the images in this article, you can also get great results if you use Midjourney. I have an article dedicated to Midjourney prompts for landscape photography, so make sure you check that out if you want to use a different AI model.
How To Write Stable Diffusion Prompts for Landscape Photography
It's not too difficult to write quality landscape prompts for Stable Diffusion. But if you're new to generative AI models, the format might take some time to get used to. You'll also need to use your imagination to think of a specific scene and describe it in a concise way.
Don't overcomplicate your prompts because that might lead to unpredictable results. Instead, it's best to focus on making your prompts concise while describing exactly what you want to see in an image.
I personally use the Clipdrop platform to access the Stable Diffusion XL 1.0 model. The platform includes various useful tools and was created by Stability AI, the start-up company that funded and shaped the development of Stable Diffusion.
What I like about this model is that I can easily choose a style for the images I create. In other words, I don't have to specify in the prompt that I want the model to generate a photorealistic image. Instead, I just select the appropriate style.
You can see where you can choose a style in the image above. For this article, I'll be using the 'Photographic' style. However, you can also use the 'Cinematic' style if you want. Let's now explore the different types of landscape images you can create with the Stable Diffusion XL model.
12 Stable Diffusion Prompt Examples for Landscapes
I decided to use a 16:9 aspect ratio for each image in this article. This is the aspect ratio I prefer when I'm looking at images of natural landscapes. I don't want to waste any more time, so I'll start sharing my Stable Diffusion XL prompt examples for landscape photography.
prompt #1: lush oasis in the middle of a vast desert, soft late afternoon sunlight, reflections in the clear water, high dynamic range preserving details in both highlights and shadows
This is the most amount of detail I'll include in a prompt for photorealistic landscapes. The prompt includes all the necessary details the AI model needs to create an image. If you want, you can increase both the image quality and the resolution by using an image upscaler.
prompt #2: charming Greek village under a blanket of stars and moonlight, white-washed buildings, noise-free image
To get the image that I wanted the AI model to create, I had to specify that it should be a village in Greece. This instructs the model to apply a specific aesthetic and shape the buildings in a certain way.
prompt #3: secluded natural sand beach at sunrise, sky with hues of pink and orange, gentle waves lapping
This is the type of beach I usually go to when I'm on my summer vacation. I don't like crowded beaches so I always look for secluded, less popular spots. Just looking at this image makes me want to pack my bags and go somewhere sunny.
prompt #4: Aurora Borealis shining with vibrant swirling colors over the night sky in Iceland, long-exposure shot with a low ISO, foreground sharpness, intricate gradients of the northern lights
I've already mentioned this in a few of my articles, but Iceland is by far my favorite place I've traveled to. It was important to mention in the prompt that this should be a long-exposure shot. That's the only way to get this effect by taking a photo of the famous Aurora Borealis.
prompt #5: towering mountain peaks in the early morning mist, soft pastel light of dawn, ethereal aesthetic
If you love hiking, you'll appreciate this image. It's important to spend time in nature whenever possible. I personally don't go hiking as often as I should, and I'm looking to change that. There are many benefits of going on a hike in nature. It can reduce stress, boost mental sharpness, and put you in a good mood.
prompt #6: secret secluded garden in full bloom under the warm embrace of midsummer sunlight, rich vibrant colors and textures
If I ever buy a large house, this is what my backyard will look like. When you have a nice garden that you tend to regularly, you can create a small personal paradise. You simply step out of the house and you're instantly immersed in the natural surroundings.
prompt #7: glistening waterfall in a rainforest, long-exposure shot, crystal-clear water that shimmers as it plunges into pristine pools, lush greenery in the background
This is another prompt where I felt the need to mention that it should be a long-exposure shot. When you take a long-exposure shot of a waterfall, you'll get the effect of the water flowing as you see in the image above. The lush greenery really adds a nice touch to the overall image.
prompt #8: enchanted winter forest, soft diffuse light on a snow-filled day, serene nature scene, the forest is illuminated by the snow
Winter is my favorite season. I like the peace and tranquility that comes with a lot of snowfall. This is something you get in the winter even if you live in an urban area. But you can always experience the next level of tranquility by going to a snow-covered forest.
prompt #9: tranquil lake in the countryside, colors of autumn foliage under the gentle late-afternoon sunlight, vibrant red, yellow, and orange hues
The perfect reflections in the water are such an important part of this image. You won't always get reflections that are this good. It's best to analyze every detail of an image before you choose which one you'll use. Thankfully, Stable Diffusion is really fast when it comes to generating images. It takes only several seconds for the model to create a set of four images.
prompt #10: lost ancient ruins under a starlit sky, soft glow of the moon revealing intricate details of the weathered stones, night sky creating a sense of cosmic wonder
There is something special about ancient ruins. I think we've yet to discover some of the most incredible ruins that remain on our planet to this day. It's always fun to think about how life looked like in ancient times.
prompt #11: endless rows of lavender stretching into the horizon, soft warm glow of a setting sun, the rolling rows of purple lavender create a sense of infinite beauty
I love the fact that there are purple hues in the sky, even though I didn't instruct the AI model to generate it like that. It really adds to the aesthetic capture in this landscape image.
prompt #12: sunrise at a site where ancient monolithic statues stand tall creating a mystical and ethereal atmosphere, photo taken with a wide-angle lens
When I created the first image that contains ancient ruins for this article, I knew I had to make another one. This time, I went into more detail about how the ruins should look. I generated several different images and they mostly featured statues that resemble those found on Easter Island. This one was different, so I was really impressed with what the Stable Diffusion XL model created.
Final Thoughts
Generative AI models like Stable Diffusion have been trained on a vast number of images scraped from the internet. That's why you can specify a certain region in your prompt and it will generate a landscape that looks like a photograph was taken in the said area.
I do this sometimes, but prefer to keep specific locations out of my prompts in most cases because I think that helps make the images more unique.
There are obviously numerous ways to write prompts for landscapes. You can describe a landscape in great detail or use only several words. You can describe it in a conversational tone or simply write keywords you deem important. It's up to you to choose which writing style you'll use.
The prompt examples in this article reveal how I write Stable Diffusion prompts to get photorealistic landscape images. I encourage all readers to develop their own styles. You might discover a way to make better images than me.
