Want realistic AI images in Midjourney? Just add a camera filename

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Midjourney recently launched a new version of its generative artificial intelligence service that makes it almost impossible to distinguish digital creations from real photos, especially when leveraging a clever prompt trick.

Over on X, user Min Choi shared a series of images created with Midjourney v7 using a simple but effective hack. By appending a generic camera filename to the input prompt, Choi was able to consistently generate photo-realistic images.

According to Choi, these 100 percent AI-generated people are not real. Presumably, the images are straight out of the AI and have not been doctored in any way. Try as I might, I was unable to detect any anomalies in the samples. Can you spot any AI glitches?

Wow. Midjourney v7 is wild.

These people aren't real

100% AI🤯

10 wild examples:

1. IMG_7249.CR2 casual selfie at home pic.twitter.com/7pgRrnKxgu

– Min Choi (@minchoi) April 6, 2025

As PetaPixel highlights, generative AI programs like Midjourney are trained on real photos and many of them have default filename formats. CR2, like Choi leveraged, is Canon's last-gen RAW image format. Adding text like "IMG_7384.CR2" to an AI prompt along with "casual selfie at [chosen location]" seemingly tricks the system into generating incredibly lifelike images.

Interestingly enough, it is also possible to enter a filename into Midjourney v7 without an additional prompt and get something totally random reach time.

The trick isn't limited to Canon's image format, as others were also successful in using the HEIC extension to create photorealistic pictures.

Congratulations! "IMG_7249.CR2 graduation" photo

Worth noting is the fact that the filename trick is not new. Several months ago, a Reddit user shared several images created in an earlier version of Midjourney using a similar filename prompt. These weren't of people, but the results were still rather impressive.

Midjourney version 7 is available now. According to the company's description, it affords richer textures and more coherent details – especially in bodies, hands, and objects. The update additionally introduces Draft Mode, a way to prototype images at 10x the speed and at half the GPU cost. Should you create a draft you like, simply tap the Enhance button to run a standard generation on it.

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Want realistic AI images in Midjourney? Just add a camera filename

 

[NumberNine]

Contrary to popular belief many diffusion models can generate a variety of subjects beyond synthetic women.

 

[psycros]

And this is how you know that these tools are already being used by governments, the media and and criminals to deceive you.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Ah, articles about politics with a thumbnail of trump and articles about AI with thumbnails of AI hotties.

Techspot knows exactly what its doing

 

[airbornex]

At this point I’m just waiting for someone to accidentally generate a photorealistic stranger who looks exactly like their ex. Can’t wait for the inevitable “AI generated my twin flame” TikTok conspiracy.

 

[Badvok]

Does anyone else suspect that Midjourney is simply returning the original photo it was trained on?

 

[ZedRM]

This is what scares me about AI. This kind of thing can be used in very illegal, unethical and immoral ways. Things like this could be used to frame an innocent person for a crime they we're never anywhere near or other such nefarious things. Not good at all.

 

[BogdanR]

Contrary to popular belief many diffusion models can generate a variety of subjects beyond synthetic women.

And the proof is in the proverbial pudding in the most literal sense. The social media is chock full of AI generated diverse food plates. From whale shaped breads to sushi rolls and from colcannon to stake or elaborate desserts, everything is there, drawing “oooohs” and “aaaaahs” from the uninformed. Sometimes the profiles posing those are AI generated as well. There’s a deluge of AI generated stuff, surpassing the deluge of digital imagery in the late ‘00s by orders of magnitude.

 

[BogdanR]

This is what scares me about AI. This kind of thing can be used in very illegal, unethical and immoral ways. Things like this could be used to frame an innocent person for a crime they we're never anywhere near or other such nefarious things. Not good at all.

Artificial Intelligence in a lot of cases only serves to amplify and empower Natural Ignorance.

 

[AnilD]

Ah, articles about politics with a thumbnail of trump and articles about AI with thumbnails of AI hotties.

Techspot knows exactly what its doing

 

[sagbobbit]

Does anyone else suspect that Midjourney is simply returning the original photo it was trained on?

Not if you zoom in. Look at the ceiling on the graduation photo, or the hairline on the clickbait boobs girl.

 

[ZedRM]

Artificial Intelligence in a lot of cases only serves to amplify and empower Natural Ignorance.

Is that a personal insult or a general statement?

 

[BogdanR]

Is that a personal insult or a general statement?

It was not directed at you at all. It was a general statement.
Apologies for the confusion.

 

[ZedRM]

It was not directed at you at all. It was a general statement.
Apologies for the confusion.

No problem. It's sometimes tough to tell what the intended implication is. And I would agree with your above statement. People really need to educate themselves and be wise with their actions online.