Adding a vignette to an image involves adding a subtle (or not so subtle) edge effect to it. A popular vignette technique involves darkening the edges of your image – it gives the image a slight border which helps keep the viewer’s eye in the photo. This is an effect which has been popular for years and which was is a feature of some classic film cameras such as the Holga (click to enlarge image below).
Nowadays many photographers and digital artists use vignettes as a way to finish their images. There are lots of ways to add a vignette to an image and here are some of them. I’ve included methods that work with Lightroom, Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. The latter process will work with most photo editing programs.
To add a vignette in Lightroom, move to the Develop module and choose the Vignette options. Set the Post Crop Amount value in a negative value to darken the edges. Set the Roundness to a low value such as -70 to get a rectangular vignette and set the Feather to around 50 so it is soft but not too soft.
A simple way to add a vignette in Photoshop is to use the Lens Correction filter. Choose Filter > Distort > Lens Correction and adjust the Vignette amount to the Left to a negative value and the Midpoint to the left to bring the vignette into the image more.
Another way to add a vignette in Photoshop is to use a Layer style. This has some benefits and one is that the method works on just about any size image and it’s simple to do once you have the Style created.
Make the background layer a regular layer by double clicking it and click Ok. Select the Add Layer Style icon at the foot of the Layer palette and choose Inner Glow. Set the Color to Black, set the blend mode to Darken or Multiply and adjust the Size so you can see the edge. You can save this as a style preset and you can then record the process of adding the style to the layer as an action so that you have a one click vignette solution.
If your software supports layers and layer opacity then this method should work just fine in most photo editing programs. I’ve used Photoshop Elements and you should check your program’s help if you are unsure how to perform these tasks in your software.
Add a new layer using Layer > New > Layer and use the Rectangular Marquee to select around the inside border of this layer leaving a small margin. Choose Select > Inverse to invert your selection so the border area is selected. Now use the Paint Bucket to fill the area with black or dark brown. Choose Select > Deselect.
Choose Filter > Blur >Gaussian Blur and use a high radius value to blur the edge and soften it. Adjust the Layer Opacity to blend this edge into the image underneath and, if desired, set the Blend Mode to Darken or Multiply.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Photoshop, Lightroom and Photoshop Elements: How do you Vignette?
From the mountains of feedback that Digital Photography School generates there appears to be a skill division in visitors: there are those who are well up in digital imaging and those who could politely be described as ‘well down’.
For the ‘well down’ Digital Compact Cameras: Great Photos Every Time by Arnold Wilson is a book that skewers into the target with considerable accuracy. In its 144 pages you lead off with the basics, move into the control interface of a digital camera, slide into a discussion of accessories you could do with, then trip into the role of composition, use of colour, depth and perspective etc.
The information is accurate, precise, condensed.
A sample: “Check how a scene will look in a photograph by closing one eye.” Superb advice and a dose of help that should convince the beginner to think carefully before pressing the shutter button. After all, one of the hazards of digital cameras is the ease and cheapness of digital photography. Look Ma! No film! No cost!
I figure, in all the buzz of digital photography over the last few years, it has been all too easy to end up with a torrent of pictures that were, in the cold light of day, not worth the taking. Arnold Wilson’s book comes at exactly the right time.
There is also some serious help in rescuing an image that looked good at the moment of capture but fell over on the monitor: this leads on to advice on how to use image sharpening successfully; crop a loosely composed picture; tweaks to brightness, contrast and colour saturation are just a few basic that may have escaped the beginner’ attention span.
There’s a bit of a chat about the quality of light, how it varies from sunlight through noon to sunset as well as a serious look at the role of colour temperature. The point of these topics is that they’ll encourage the curious to investigate further.
The book has a pile of useful, basic and more than basic info. The printing quality is excellent as are the colour pictures.
Grab a copy of Digital Compact Cameras: Great Photos Every Time at Amazon.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Digital Compact Cameras: Great Photos Every Time [BOOK REVIEW]
In this quick reader tip one of our forum members Brandon Price shares a tip on photographing kids.
I recently made plans to take portraits of some friends’ two little boys — two and four years old — an age I hadn’t ever done formally. A couple hours before we were to meet, I took a nap and dreamt that the whole thing went horribly. I woke up extremely nervous; I knew these boys wouldn’t take direction very easily, and the whole session was going to be very awkward if I didn’t think of something.
I realized that they needed something to do while I worked. I made a run to Wal-Mart and bought a big blue ball, some sidewalk chalk, and some bubbles. I thought if I could just get them focused on having fun, I could spend my time capturing that fun.
As little as these kids are, they’ve already been trained to look at any camera pointed at them with an awful smile and say, “Cheese!” Fortunately, it only took a few minutes for them to forget about me and start focusing on throwing the ball with dad. The blue ball didn’t fit with the rest of the scene, so I just shot before and after they would catch and throw it. After a few minutes we moved on to the sidewalk chalk, and then to the bubbles (though looking back, I’d definitely do the chalk last because it was very messy).
Aside from the beautiful shots, the most rewarding part of the day was hearing mom and dad talk about this being the first photosession the kids were able to have fun with. After showing the proofs to mom, she wrote me this note: “I’ve been telling people for years how adorable my children are and it’s nice for someone to capture pictures that really helps showcase what I see in them all the time.”
Bringing fun props allowed the children to have fun, and I was able to capture their personalities, rather than awful stiffness. Putting a little thought into ways to incorporate fun into our shoot made all the difference — both for the boys, and for mom and dad.
Check out more of Brandon’s work on Flickr.
Got a tip or tutorial to share? Either add it to the tutorials area of our forum or read our Write for DPS page.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Photographing Young Personalities With Fun Props