31 | Just making mountains bigger won't make them grand. Summer landscape prompts created with 3 layers and scale comparison | Airi-chan

Target Audience

• People who want to generate grand summer landscapes

• People whose landscapes look flat even when including mountains and sky

• People who create background images for X, note, blogs, and travel content

• People looking for landscape templates that can be expanded into wide banners or smartphone wallpapers

Results you will get from this article

• Ability to design summer scenery with depth by separating foreground, middle ground, and background

• Ability to use small people or buildings as scale comparisons

• Ability to specifically write aerial perspective into prompts

• Ability to apply the same design to plateaus, coastlines, terraced rice fields, etc.

• Ability to partially correct failures such as flatness, CG-like looks, or people being too large

• Ability to reuse in three formats: natural language, JSON, and Jinja2

Introduction

When trying to create a grand summer landscape, you might add 'huge mountains,' 'large clouds,' and 'ultra-wide angle.'

Even so, sometimes the sense of vastness just doesn't come across.

I had an epiphany!
Before adding more large things, let's make the differences in distance visible.

When people feel a landscape is 'vast,' there are clues within the frame to compare it against. The grass at their feet looks detailed, the river in the valley becomes thin, and distant mountains become blue and pale. Furthermore, if there is one small person, one can unconsciously compare the size of the mountains and valleys.

In this article, I will break down grandeur into a reproducible structure rather than just adjectives.

4 designs for creating grandeur

1. Write the foreground, middle ground, and background separately

With just "vast mountain landscape," generative AI may group mountains, grass, and clouds at the same distance. Therefore, divide the screen into three distance zones.

| Distance | Role | Elements for this time |
|---|---|---|
| Foreground | Create the observer's position | Grass, rocks, mountain trail |
| Middle ground | Carry the gaze into the distance | Wide valley, winding river |
| Background | Show the accumulation of distance | 4 or more layers of mountain ranges |

The important thing is not just to place elements, but to change how they look at each distance.

2. Specify aerial perspective in stages

Distant scenery looks less contrasted and more bluish than nearby scenery due to the influence of moisture and particles in the air.

Translate this into the prompt as follows:

• Foreground: High definition, high contrast, grass and rock grains visible

• Middle ground: Medium detail, valley lines and river shapes readable

• Background: Low contrast, low saturation, blue haze

If you just write "add haze," the entire screen may become white and cloudy. The point is to specify it "gradually as the mountain layers get further away."

3. Place one line that continues into the distance

Rivers, roads, coastlines, and valley lines carry the gaze from the front to the back.

In this example, I made the river meander from the valley floor near the bottom left to the center back. A line that appears and disappears along the way makes it easier to feel the length of the distance than a straight line.

I see the image now!
It's not about placing a "wide space," but the feeling of creating one "path that you can enter and go into the distance."

4. Place scale comparisons small

If you make the person too big, it becomes a portrait rather than a landscape photo.

This time, I set only one completely fictional adult hiker to less than 2% of the screen area. This is not to show the details of the face or clothes, but to compare the vastness of the valley.

Instead of a person, you can also use huts, boats, bridges, or cars. However, since the inclusion of logos and signs, and architectural failures increase, a single person will be easier to handle in the first prototype.

Design commentary of the example image

The example was generated as a 16:9 wide-format photo of a fictional highland valley.

• Bottom 20% of the screen: Grass, rocks, and a hiking trail

• Bottom left: A small hiker

• Center: A deep valley and a meandering river

• Right side: Mid-ground mountains catching the sunlight

• Background: Multiple mountain ranges fading into a pale blue

• Top: White summer clouds and a blue sky

Clouds are necessary for a summer feel, but they are not the main subject here. The role of the clouds is to cast soft shadows into the valley, creating a contrast between light and dark areas.

Saturation is kept within a range where the greens and blues do not glow unnaturally. HDR is also kept modest to prioritize realism as a landscape photograph.

Simple prompt for free testing

真夏の架空の高原渓谷を、壮大で写実的な風景写真として描く。画面下には草と岩と登山道がはっきり見える前景、中央には広い緑の谷と蛇行する細い川の中景、その奥には青く淡くなりながら4層以上重なる山並みの遠景を置く。近景ほど細部・コントラスト・彩度を高く、遠景ほど低くして、自然な空気遠近法を作る。前景の道に、風景の尺度を伝えるための完全に架空の成人ハイカーを画面の2％以下の小ささで1人だけ配置する。夏の午前、雨上がりの澄んだ空気、谷の一部へ差す方向性のある日差し、雲の柔らかな影。16:9横長、映画的だが自然な色、控えめなHDR、現実的な地形と植生。文字、看板、ロゴ、透かし、建物、道路、有名な観光地、非現実的な巨大山、浮島、歪んだ地形、過飽和、プラスチックのようなCG感を入れない。

Full natural language prompt

真夏の架空の高原渓谷を、高精細で写実的な映画調の風景写真として描く。自然な階調と控えめなHDRを保ち、実在の観光地や有名な山を再現しない。

前景には、日差しを受ける密度のある草地、粒の見える自然な灰色の岩、左下から中央へ斜めに続く細い登山道を置く。草、土、岩は近距離らしく細部、質感、コントラストを明瞭にする。

中景には、深い緑の森林に覆われた広い谷を置く。谷底には細い川を配置し、左下寄りから中央奥へ蛇行させる。川は視線を奥へ導くが、白く発光させず、水面の反射は部分的にする。

遠景には、青く淡くなりながら4層以上重なる山並みを配置する。山の層が遠くなるほど、輪郭、コントラスト、彩度、精細さを段階的に下げる。各層の間には淡い青い夏霞を入れるが、谷全体を覆う厚い霧にはしない。

尺度比較として、完全に架空の成人ハイカーを前景の登山道へ1人だけ置く。人物は画面面積の2％以下とし、後ろ姿または横向きで谷を見る。服装は無地の中立的なアウトドアウェア。人物は風景を遮らず、顔や衣服の細部を主役にしない。

空には、物理的に自然な白い夏雲を配置する。雲を主役にせず、地形へ柔らかな影を落とす補助要素として扱う。積乱雲の接写、嵐、災害的な天候は避ける。

光は通り雨のあとの夏の午前。方向性のある日光が谷の一部と右側の斜面を照らし、雲影との明暗差を作る。前景は鮮明、中景は少し柔らかく、遠景は低コントラストにする。

構図は16:9横長。谷が左下から中央奥へ開く非対称構図。地平線は上3分の1付近。前景の尾根は画面下約20％。超広角の歪みを避けた24mm相当、目線の高さ、深い被写界深度。

色は若葉色、深い森の緑、自然な岩灰色、淡い空気遠近の青、澄んだ空色、雲の白。オレンジの夕焼け、過飽和のティール、発光する緑を避ける。

現実的な地質、植生、重力、縮尺、遠近法を保つ。文字、看板、ロゴ、透かし、建物、道路、有名な観光地、実在人物、著名人、既存キャラクター、非現実的な巨大山、浮島、不可能な崖、重複した山頂、歪んだ地形、強すぎるブルーム、プラスチックのようなCG感、絵画風、ジオラマ感、厚い霧、巨大な太陽を入れない。

English prompt

Create an original, breathtakingly vast midsummer highland valley as highly realistic cinematic landscape photography. Do not reproduce any real landmark or famous mountain.

In the immediate foreground, show sunlit dense grass, naturally grained gray rocks, and a narrow hiking trail running diagonally from the lower left toward the center. Keep foreground texture, detail, contrast, and sharpness clearly readable.

In the middle distance, place a broad green valley covered with realistic forest. A narrow river should meander from the lower-left side of the valley toward the central distance, guiding the eye into the scene. Keep reflections subtle and partial.

In the background, stack at least four readable mountain ranges. With every farther ridge, progressively reduce edge clarity, contrast, saturation, and fine detail. Add a light blue summer haze between the distant layers without covering the entire valley in heavy fog.

Place one completely fictional adult hiker on the foreground trail as a scale reference. The hiker must occupy less than 2% of the frame, face away or sideways toward the valley, wear simple unbranded outdoor clothing, and never become the main subject.

Use physically believable white summer clouds only as supporting elements that cast soft shadows on the terrain. Avoid a dominant cumulonimbus close-up, storm, or disaster weather.

Lighting: clear late-morning summer light after a passing shower, directional sunlight across parts of the valley and the right-hand slope, realistic cloud shadows, crisp foreground, softer middle distance, and low-contrast background.

Composition: wide 16:9 horizontal frame, asymmetrical, the valley opens diagonally from the lower left toward the center, horizon near the upper third, foreground ridge occupying roughly the bottom 20%, 24mm-equivalent view without extreme wide-angle distortion, eye-level camera, deep depth of field.

Palette: fresh leaf green, deep forest green, natural gray rock, pale atmospheric blue, clean sky blue, cloud white. Use natural tonal range and restrained HDR.

Keep geology, vegetation, gravity, scale, and perspective physically plausible. No text, letters, signs, logos, watermark, buildings, roads, famous landmark, real person, celebrity, copyrighted character, fantasy-sized mountain, floating island, impossible cliff, duplicated peak, warped terrain, oversaturation, excessive bloom, plastic CGI look, painterly illustration, miniature-diorama effect, heavy fog, giant sun, or dramatic disaster weather.

JSON format variable example

{
  "scene_type": "架空の高原渓谷",
  "season": "真夏",
  "foreground_anchor": "日差しを受ける草地、粒の見える灰色の岩、斜めに続く細い登山道",
  "midground_subject": "深い緑に覆われた広い谷",
  "midground_path": "谷底を蛇行しながら奥へ続く細い川",
  "background_layers": "青く淡くなりながら4層以上重なる山並み",
  "scale_reference": "完全に架空の成人ハイカー1人",
  "scale_reference_size": "画面面積の2％以下",
  "sky_element": "物理的に自然な白い夏雲",
  "summer_light": "通り雨のあとの夏の午前、谷の一部へ斜めに差す日光",
  "atmosphere": "遠景の尾根ごとに少しずつ濃くなる淡い青い霞",
  "composition": "谷が左下から中央奥へ開き、地平線を上3分の1付近へ置く非対称構図",
  "camera": "超広角すぎない24mm相当、目線の高さ、深い被写界深度",
  "palette": "若葉色、深い森の緑、自然な岩灰色、淡い空気遠近の青、澄んだ空色",
  "rendering_style": "高精細で写実的な映画調の風景写真、自然な階調、控えめなHDR",
  "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
  "negative_constraints": "文字、看板、ロゴ、透かし、建物、道路、有名な観光地、実在人物、著名人、既存キャラクター、非現実的な巨大山、浮島、不可能な崖、重複した山頂、歪んだ地形、過飽和、強すぎるブルーム、プラスチックのようなCG感、ジオラマ感、厚い霧、巨大な太陽、災害天候"
}

Jinja2 template

{{ season }}の{{ scene_type }}を、{{ rendering_style }}として描く。

前景には{{ foreground_anchor }}を置き、近距離の細部、質感、コントラストを明瞭にする。
中景には{{ midground_subject }}と、視線を奥へ導く{{ midground_path }}を置く。
遠景には{{ background_layers }}を置き、{{ atmosphere }}によって距離ごとにコントラスト、彩度、精細さを段階的に下げる。

尺度比較として{{ scale_reference }}を{{ scale_reference_size }}の小ささで前景へ配置する。人物は風景を遮らず、主役にしない。
空には{{ sky_element }}を配置するが、雲を主役にせず、地形へ光と影を落とす補助要素として扱う。

光は{{ summer_light }}。構図は{{ composition }}。
カメラは{{ camera }}。配色は{{ palette }}。
出力比率は{{ aspect_ratio }}。

現実的な地形、植生、縮尺、遠近法を保つ。
入れないもの：{{ negative_constraints }}。

Replaceable variables

| Variable | Role | Replacement Example |
|---|---|---|
| `scene_type` | Landscape type | Highland valley, coast, terraced rice fields, wetlands |
| `foreground_anchor` | Evidence close to the observer | Grass and rocks, flower field, sand dunes, wooden deck |
| `midground_subject` | Main subject in the center | Valley, bay, lake, farmland |
| `midground_path` | Eye guidance | River, road, coastline, waterway |
| `background_layers` | Accumulation of distance | Mountain ranges, island silhouettes, hills, sea of clouds ridges |
| `scale_reference` | Comparison object | Person, hut, boat, bridge |
| `scale_reference_size` | Preventing main subject status | 2% or less, distant point |
| `summer_light` | Season and time | Morning, noon, after a summer shower |
| `atmosphere` | Aerial perspective | Blue haze, sea fog, humidity layers |
| `composition` | Screen flow | Diagonal, S-curve, valley opening |
| `camera` | Angle of view and perspective | 24mm, 35mm, high-angle bird's-eye view |
| `palette` | Color unity | Green x Blue, Yellow-green x Light blue |
| `aspect_ratio` | Media compatibility | 16:9, 4:5, 9:16 |

Derivatives by use case

Coastal landscape

前景を夏草と黒い岩礁、中景を弧を描く白い海岸線と透明な浅瀬、遠景を青く淡くなる岬と島影へ置き換える。尺度比較として砂浜に小さな人物を1人置く。海岸線をS字にして視線を奥へ導き、近い波は高精細、遠い海は低コントラストにする。16:9、真夏の午前、自然な青と緑、文字・ロゴ・船名・有名な観光地なし。

Highland flower field

前景を風に揺れる小さな夏花と草、中景を緩やかに続く高原の遊歩道、遠景を青く重なる山並みへ置き換える。花を画面全体へ均等に散らさず、前景だけ細部を見せる。遊歩道に小さな人物を1人置き、尺度比較として使う。自然な植物密度、控えめな色、16:9。

Terraced rice fields and mountain village

前景を水田の畦と稲の葉、中景を曲線状に連なる棚田と細い農道、遠景を霞む山並みへ置き換える。尺度比較として小さな作業小屋を1棟だけ置く。実在地域を再現せず、看板、文字、電柱の歪みを避ける。夏の午前、現実的な農地構造、16:9。

Derivative versions by composition

S-curve composition

Meander rivers or roads in an S-shape from the foreground to the midground and background. Hide parts of the curves with terrain to create the impression of continued distance.

Frame composition

Place a small amount of tree trunks or rocks on the left and right of the foreground, and show the valley between them. Do not make the foreground too dark, and do not obstruct the central scenery.

High-angle bird's-eye view

Look down into the valley from a ridge. However, do not use a direct drone-down perspective; keep the horizon and distant mountains to create depth.

Low perspective

Look up from grass height. Do not make the foreground grass too large; keep it to the bottom 20% to ensure the background is visible.

Derivative versions by size and ratio

| Ratio | Usage | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | X images, note body, video thumbnails | Show the horizontal spread of the valley and the layers of mountains |
| 4:5 | Instagram, X vertical images | Extend rivers or roads from bottom to top, and keep the sky to about 25% |
| 1:1 | Square posts other than icons | Place the person and the valley opening diagonally, and reduce elements |
| 9:16 | Smartphone wallpapers, Stories | Use vertical depth with 20% foreground, 50% valley, and 30% sky |
| 3:2 | Photo works, printing | Maintain margins typical of landscape photography, and place the horizon in the top third |

Derivative versions by color scheme

Clear blue-green

Young leaf green, deep green, and the blue of pale aerial perspective. The basic color scheme for this time. Goes well with mornings after rain.

Strong midday

Yellow-green, deep blue, white clouds, and hard shadows. Very summery, but add specifications to prevent oversaturation and blown-out highlights.

Just before a rain shower

Deep green, blue-gray, and partial sunlight. Do not make it look disastrous; keep the darkness of the clouds in check.

Cool highlands

Bluish green, rock gray, and pale light blue. Lower the saturation slightly and prioritize the transparency of the air.

Common mistakes and their causes

| Failure | Main Cause |
|---|---|
| Mountains look like a single wall | Lack of layers and contrast in the distance |
| The whole screen looks cloudy/white | Haze is applied evenly across the whole image |
| It becomes a portrait | Person's size, position, and role are not limited |
| It looks like fantasy | Only 'grand' or 'cinematic' are strong, with no realistic geological specifications |
| Summer feel is weak | Lack of evidence for greenery, shadows, humidity, and time of day |
| Clouds stand out too much | Clouds are not limited to a supporting role |
| It looks like a miniature | Excessive overhead view, shallow depth of field, uniform detail |

Correction prompts

Depth is flat

主題と色は変えず、空間の距離設計だけを修正する。前景・中景・遠景を明確に分離し、前景は高精細・高コントラスト、中景は中程度、遠景は低コントラスト・低彩度・青みのある霞へ段階的に変化させる。山並みを最低4層に分け、各層の輪郭が重ならないようにする。

Person is too large

地形、光、色、カメラ位置は変更しない。人物だけを現在の約4分の1へ縮小し、画面面積の2％以下にする。人物は前景の登山道上に1人だけ残し、顔や衣服の細部を主張させず、風景の尺度比較としてのみ機能させる。

Mountains look like CG/fantasy

現実の地質と重力に従う自然な山体へ修正する。尖りすぎた峰、垂直すぎる崖、重複した稜線、均一な緑、発光する輪郭を取り除く。岩肌、森林限界、斜面の植生を標高と傾斜に応じて自然に変化させ、控えめなHDRと現実的な彩度へ戻す。

Clouds have become the main subject

地形と構図は保ったまま、雲の面積とコントラストを約30％下げる。雲は白い夏雲として空の補助要素に限定し、積乱雲のクローズアップや嵐の演出を避ける。地表へ落ちる柔らかな雲影だけを残す。

Prohibited items

• Instructions to faithfully reproduce real tourist spots or photos without permission

• Imitating the style of specific photographers, artists, or studios

• Adding real people, celebrities, or existing characters

• Generating logos, brand names, signs, or watermarks

• Adding impossible terrain, floating islands, or overly massive celestial bodies

• Depictions that glorify disasters, distress, or dangerous behavior

• Labeling generated content in a way that makes it mistaken for real-life records or on-site photography

Pre-generation checklist

• [ ] Foreground, middle ground, and background are described separately

• [ ] There is at least one river, road, or coastline leading into the distance

• [ ] There are at least 3 layers in the background, fading gradually

• [ ] There is exactly one element for scale comparison

• [ ] The person is a completely fictional adult and is less than 2% of the screen

• [ ] Summer atmosphere is specified through light, greenery, shadows, and humidity

• [ ] Clouds are supporting elements, not the main subject

• [ ] Ratio and camera position are specified

• [ ] Text, logos, watermarks, and real-world landmarks are prohibited

• [ ] No nulls or empty strings in the JSON

• [ ] All Jinja2 variables have been replaced

Summary

Grandeur is born not from words that make things huge, but from a structure that allows for the comparison of distances.

Keep the foreground detailed.
Include lines leading into the distance in the midground.
Make the background fade layer by layer.
And add one small scale comparison.

Start with one image of a highland valley. Next, try replacing the river with a coastline and the person with a small boat.

Even without adding more scenery, simply adjusting the distances will make the world expand significantly.

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