I've been closely following the world of artificial intelligence and especially text-to-image models, ever since Midjourney was first released. Since I got to see a huge number of AI-generated images, it made it easier for me to navigate this current trend where people post images on social media that are seemingly real photographs but are actually created with artificial intelligence.
I can still spot an AI-generated image in most cases, but these days it's becoming increasingly difficult. We're really at a point where all of the objects in an AI-generated image seem realistic and the overall quality is so good that you can easily get fooled into thinking it's a photograph.
One of the things I often see today is people posting a photo online of a tremendous natural landscape and saying that it's in a random country even though the actual location doesn't exist. It's fun to try and spot which of these images are real and which aren't.
Anyway, my point here is that you can make truly photorealistic images with a text-to-image AI tool like Stable Diffusion. Today, you're going to learn exactly how to write prompts that will yield photorealistic results.
How to Write Stable Diffusion Prompts for Nature
When you're creating nature images in Stable Diffusion, you want them to appear realistic. Since there are preset styles when you're using Stable Diffusion XL, it's only right to use them when there is a proper reason.
I will be using the 'Photographic' style available in Stable Diffusion XL to create all of the images you'll see in this article. However, I will also mention in all of my prompts that I want the image to be photorealistic. Doing this is a straightforward way of instructing the AI model to know what to do without any confusion.
Some of the other things you can do when you're writing Stable Diffusion prompts for nature photography is mentioning a specific camera model or focal length. Doing this will provide the AI model with more context as to how you want the generated result to look like. You'll get a chance to see how I use this information in my prompts to get good results.
In the end, it all comes down to how well you can describe a certain scene. I'm not saying that I'm an expert at doing this, but I have been creating images with text-to-image tools for a while and have seen many other talented people do it, so I know how to write good prompts.
Before I move on to the prompt examples, let me just mention that I have an article dedicated to Midjourney prompts for nature photography. It contains great prompt examples that you can check out if by the end of this article you're left feeling like you want to see more examples.
15 Stable Diffusion Prompt Examples for Nature
If you're relatively new to AI tools like Stable Diffusion, you're likely going to be surprised at how well an artificial intelligence model can create a photorealistic image when you enter the right prompt. I can show you better than I can tell you, so let's check out some prompt examples.
prompt #1: photorealistic image taken with a Canon 5D Mark III, 24mm lens, a serene mountain lake surrounded by rugged cliffs, reflecting the vivid colors of the surrounding wilderness
I enjoy making photorealistic images in Stable Diffusion XL because I get really good results in most cases. As long as I keep this prompt format, the generated images are usually astounding. I'm excited for you to see what else I prepared for you today.
prompt #2: photorealistic image taken with a Sony A7 III, 18mm lens, a pristine, emerald-green forest with a winding river meandering through it
There is something so calming about being surrounded by this color. I like to use the keyword 'emerald-green' because it provides clearer instruction to the AI model. This image is good enough to use as a wallpaper. But I won't be doing that right now, since I recently wrote an article about Stable Diffusion prompts for wallpapers and made one that I'll be using for a while.
prompt #3: photorealistic image captured with a Sony Alpha 7C, 24mm lens, a pristine, white-sand beach kissed by crystal-clear turquoise waters, palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze
If I could describe my retirement plan in one image, this would be it. Just looking at this image makes me feel incredibly calm. Like many young people today, I dream of financial freedom so that I can kick back and enjoy this beautiful world that we have.
prompt #4: photorealistic image captured with a Sony A7R IV, 21mm lens, a cascading series of waterfalls within a remote canyon, the water gracefully flowing through the rugged terrain
One of the things that I wanted to mention in this prompt but ultimately forgot is that this should be a long exposure shot. Long-exposure photography of waterfalls makes the water look smooth like this. Thankfully, the AI model generated an image of this without me having to include the 'long exposure' keyword. It might have been due to me writing that the water is flowing gracefully, but I'm not entirely sure.
prompt #5: photorealistic image taken with a Nikon D850, 105mm macro lens, a vibrant and intricate butterfly resting on a flower
So far in this article, I only included photos of landscapes. They require a much shorter focal length. When you're doing macro photography, you typically use a longer lens. It didn't take much inspiration to write these prompts, since it's something most people have seen at least once. Butterflies are majestic, so it makes sense that a lot of photos similar to this exist.
prompt #6: photorealistic image captured with a Panasonic Lumix GH5, 16mm lens, a vast and colorful desert landscape illuminated by the soft light of dawn
The sky here is absolutely magnificent. I've been to a desert before and it was an incredible experience. Running through the sand dunes is something that I'll remember for the rest of my life. I've only spent several hours in the desert, so I never got to experience the soft light of dawn in this setting. But after seeing this image, I want to see what it's like.
prompt #7: photorealistic image taken with a Fujifilm GFX 50S, 24mm lens, a vibrant coral reef teeming with marine life beneath the clear, turquoise waters
As I was writing these prompts, I realized that I didn't have any image that represented underwater life. That's why I decided to write this prompt. I kind of expected more marine life to be featured, but every image that was created with this prompt gave a similar number of fish. Even though that's not what I described in my prompt, I'm still happy with the result.
prompt #8: photorealistic image taken with a Panasonic Lumix GH5, 14mm lens, a vibrant field of wildflowers dancing in the breeze
There are certain times when you get pleasantly surprised at how good these generative AI models are. There is nothing spectacular about what is pictured in this image. But what makes it incredible to me is just how photorealistic it is. If someone showed me an image like this, there would be no way that I could tell it wasn't a real photo.
prompt #9: photorealistic image shot with a Nikon Z7, 21mm lens, a surreal, moonlit desert landscape with a canopy of stars above
I already made one image for this article in a desert setting. But this time, I wanted the night sky to be the main focus. When there is no light pollution, you get to see an incredible amount of stars in the night sky.
prompt #10: photorealistic image taken with a Canon EOS R6, 24mm lens, a peaceful countryside scene with a winding river flowing through rolling hills, bathed in the golden light of late afternoon
Landscapes like this exist in many places across the world, but people usually take them for granted. They want to see something breathtaking when in reality they should appreciate any landscape where there is only nature. This seems like it would be a wonderful place to take a walk.
prompt #11: A photorealistic image taken with a Canon EOS R6, 21mm lens, a peaceful countryside scene with a winding river flowing through rolling hills, bathed in the golden light of late afternoon
I usually find the motivation to go on hikes when it's summer. As soon as it gets a bit colder, I spend more time at home. But many people, including myself, miss out on beautiful scenery like this by not going on hikes when it's cold. Sometimes, it takes an AI-generated image to realize what you're missing out on.
prompt #12: photorealistic image taken with a Fujifilm GFX100, 24mm lens, a breathtaking panoramic view from the summit of a snow-covered mountain
I like snow and I like mountains. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy activities like skiing and snowboarding, but I do love to go on long walks whenever I find myself in the mountains. The fresh air makes me feel really good.
prompt #13: photorealistic image shot with a Sony Alpha 7S III, 105mm macro lens, a tiny and colorful ladybug traversing a field of dew-covered grass
This image and the next one will showcase more examples of how you can make macro photography using a text-to-image AI tool. There are some details that are out of place here, like a few drops of water. But it's a pretty good image overall.
prompt #14: photorealistic image taken with a Panasonic Lumix S1R, 65mm macro lens, the exquisite texture and colors of a blooming flower's petals
This one is absolutely gorgeous. Flowers contain beautiful patterns. We just see them all the time, so we don't appreciate them as much as we should. Even though this is not a real photo, it still reminds me how beautiful nature is.
prompt #15: photorealistic image taken with a Nikon Z7, 18mm lens, a serene and colorful woodland in full autumn splendor, with leaves in shades of red, orange, and gold
This is another image that I wouldn't particularly be able to tell was created with AI. I guess there are some small details I notice when I really zoom in, but at first glance, it looks like a normal photo to me. The capabilities of Stable Diffusion XL with the 'Photographic' style are amazing.
Final Thoughts
In case you missed it, I want to reiterate that you should use the 'Photographic' style available in Stable Diffusion XL when you're creating photorealistic images. As you can see from all of the images above, you can create stunning images that look like real digital photographs.
What I think plays a considerable role in ensuring images look real is mentioning a specific camera model and focal length. You should essentially use your prompts to describe an image like one professional photographer would explain it to another.
What's also fun is that you can generate macro photography in high quality as well. However, I usually have to generate a lot of different macro photography images to find one that I truly like because some details look strange in most cases.
