Vignette
The vignette effect will result in the outer section of a photo darker (or lighter) or more contrasted to draw the eye towards a desired part of the image. In most cases there will be an even vignette placed over the entire image which pulls the shot together and draws your eye inward. This is a powerful technique which gives your pictures a very professional look. Be careful not to over do it with this effect however as it can be addictive! The trick is to use the vignette as much as you can before it is noticeable unless you want the effect to stand out. Also be careful no to lose information at the edges of your photo where there may be a dark section for example.
Do we always want a vignette?
I almost always use a vignette for my photo even if it is only the slightest of one, and if you have a look through some of the professional pictures on iStockPhoto.com you will see a nice vignette is very popular, however it is not for every shot. Sometimes your photo content will be framed anyway and the addition of a vignette can actually destroy the balance of your pic. Lenses occasionally produce a natural vignette, and this tool can be used to counteract such a phenomena resulting in a consistently bright photo from corner to corner.
Some Examples...
Notice in the shots below, the second picture draws your eye into the shot more than the first. This vignette is targeted towards the bird of course as this is our focal point for the picture.
How do I do a vignette in Photoshop?
If using Photoshop, there is no vignette tool as such, however you can apply one following these steps. First select the ellipse tool and a feathering of say 250px (this will need to be experimented with depending on the size of your photo).
Now draw a large ring around the middle section of your photo leaving about 5% margin from the ellipse edge to the edge of the photo and hit Ctrl+C or Edit -> Copy. Hit Ctrl+V or Edit-> Paste to paste this selection into a new layer.
You have now created another layer consisting of a feathered oval over the top of the first layer which is the entire photo. From your layers tab, select the background layer (i.e. not the feathered oval layer) and then adjust the brightness or contrast to taste.
When satisfied, select the top layer and hit Ctrl+E or Layer -> Flatten Image whilst the top layer is selected to drop it back into one layer ready for exporting too jpeg or saving.
There are a number other things you can do to this bottom layer such as adding motion blur, changing the colours, or changing the saturation etc.
Can I do a vignette in Lightroom?
If you are using Lightroom, then the vignette tool is part of the photo editing suite. You are a little limited in the style of vignette you can apply and it must be symetrical however it is much easier to use that the above method in Photoshop which ultimately gives you more flexibility and control.
An example of a stong vignette
Here is a picture I took in Amsterdam. Notice how the vignette pulls the picture together and focuses the eye toward the centre of the image? Enriching the colours a little and dropping the brightness and the image comes out looking a lot more professional.
Digital SLR Tutorial
Ever wanted to get a simple introduction to using a digital SLR? Follow these lessons for improved pictures.
- AUTO Function
- Using a Flash
- Exposure
- ISO Speed
- Aperture Function
- Shutter Mode
- Manual Mode
- Using a Tripod
- Examples to share
Photo Editing
Digital photos rarely turn out perfectly. Here are some photo editing tips to make your shots look like they are from a magazine!
- Crop and Rotate
- Removing Dust
- Levels and Shadows
- Brightness, Contrast
- Colour Balance
- Vignette Effect
- Saving Pictures
- Some Examples