The Art of the Vignette

I think my very first digital darkroom infatuation was the ability to vignette my images. You know, the method of manipulating the edges of an image in order to really make your subjects pop? For me, it was darkening the edges and I couldn’t get enough of it. Although I was having fun with it, it got a tad predictable, I will admit. As I continued to experiment with processing techniques I found other fixations. Textures, tones, saturation, or whatever my processing flavor of the day happened to be. Even after a few of years in experiment mode, I still don’t know what all the potentials are in processing and am still having fun trying new things. I do know what I like when I see it and I know that I shoot in waves of my own personal preferences and trends of whim. Maybe we all do. It’s just a part of the creative process I suppose and part of the fun for sure!

Although my love of vignetting still remains, I am beginning to enjoy challenging myself to build those vignettes into the shooting process. Natural vignettes can be just as intoxicating as their fabricated cohorts but I find they can be a lot less predictable which for me is refreshing.

I’ve recently begun toying with using a shallow depth of field in the foreground of my images as opposed to using it only in the background. I am loving the results! I am addicted to using my trusty macro lens and getting down at ground level, right up to my subject makes it easier to get that soft and lovely blur in the foreground. As long as my focus is on my subject (in the case above, the flower) and there is enough information in front of the subject that will be thrown out of focus with a shallow depth of field you can achieve these results. In this case, the edges don’t go dark but the softness of the bottom edge does do the trick of pulling your eye right to the subject almost as if it were framed.

I would love to see your vignette success stories, whatever they may be. Show us an image of when it really worked just as you wanted it to.

Comments

[Dani]

My Puppy, slightly darkened edges - http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3440847990/

And this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3515837997/ While it seems exaggerated and I am almost embarrassed to post it, I like how it turned out. Without it I look at the whole picture and not just Krissy, the focus.

[Toni | DailyVignette]

I'm addicted to vignettes, too. (Hence dailyvignette.com) Here's a couple of recent successes using foreground and background dof:

http://dailyvignette.com/2009/05/25/margaritaville/
http://dailyvignette.com/2009/05/23/no-words-just-flowers/

[Marcie]

Your technique is one that I practice daily. Hard for me to pick just a few..but here are some recent posted pix that (I think/hope) illustrate the point:

http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=798
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=793
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=792

[Jody]

I do the same thing! Face down on the grass with camera in hand. It makes for a wonderful DOF!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3518784358/

[Beatriz]

I'm very influenced by my painting experience and some of my photos really capture this influence. I love to vignette my images! (I didn't know it was called that!) I also love using the same image and editing them to either look different or simply make a variety of colors, one for everyone.

These are some of my favorite vignettes:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3527942842_3f8e5633be_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3575/3527947390_9810e75fa0_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3319/3552883309_157096b955_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3552884321_c17d458c7a_o.jpg

It's fun to do these because I don't have a Macro lense! My next purchase!

[Amanda Johnston]

The picture in my blog header turned out exactly as I envisioned. My daughter's face is the only thing really in focus. I love it. That day I actually waited for the light to be right instead of just going out and shooting indiscriminately. Boy is it worth it.

http://endlesslightcreations.blogspot.com/2009/05/natural-framing.html

[jag]

What a beautiful photo!
I mostly use vignette effect in my quote notes. Here are a couple of my favourites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/3249758200/in/set-72157607328527864/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/2866560020/in/set-72157607328527864/
...and THIS is my first ever attempt at using any kind of post-processing (including vignette). Everything before then was SOOC! :-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/2800678216/in/set-72157606965585684/
xox

[Kacey]

I love trying to get some in camera vignetting and experimenting with DOF. In these I had borrowed my son's macro. My favorite is the martini glass, or maybe the giraffe pencil topper.
http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2009/01/23/all-good-things/

Here, in my Fairy Tree photo, I love how the twigs in front are in focus, and the top of the Fairy Tree. Wish I had a bit more darkening of the edges though.
http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2009/05/21/the-fairy-tree/

[beth]

I love these kinds of shots....I love my macro !
and even though I have to get close to things that go bump in the night....I still love it !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29291473@N04/3566846764/

[Puna]

You have me pegged! I loved the dark vignette too but have stopped adding it every picture...I'm more selective now. I've reversed myself and now am adding a light vignette to many things.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/a-rosey-outlook/

[debi]

I too combine my photos with a painter's feel. I am big on painting out backgrounds, using that as a type of vignette. This photo is a combination of that technique with additional edge-darkening . From last fall:
http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2008/10/adios-summer.html

[Crisse]

I love playing with vignettes and lately have taken to using my new lensbaby to play apround with using very shallow dof I love that crisp focus amongst all that softness!
... here's just one example http://www.flickr.com/photos/tildabelle/3566013734/

[Tracy]

small wild flowers that seemed more interesting with the vignette in the foreground :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracylederer/3509738503/

[summer]

I don't have a macro, nor photoshop so I do my best to use light and underexposure to vignette whenever possible.
lovely shots everyone!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsummer/3550072288/

[Heather]

All of these pics are so beautiful! Here are a few from my weekend . . .

http://mamamutterings.blogspot.com/2009/05/memorial-day-weekend-part-1.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36491030@N02/3559870270/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36491030@N02/3559869726/

I also don't have a macro but what fun it must be! That's at the top of my fantasy list:)

[Georgia]

i love this post! this is something i want to begin to play with more. especially after i discovered the blog .lyrical this.lyrical that.
http://liamfrankland.com/blog/

i immediately thought of these three shots that i recently took and have been wanting to post anyway.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/05/negative-space.html

[Diane]

I love your image Tracey and I too love to use this technique with a shallow dof in front. I won't jam a bunch of urls to show them all but here are two:

http://www.dianeschuller.com/blog/?p=484
(_not_ the first image but the _second_)

http://www.dianeschuller.com/blog/?p=433
(again the _second_ photo and not the first one)

[Tracy]

Cool post and funny because I've been playing around with a blurred foreground as well
here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/3531764594/
and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/3531884405/
also sometimes i get a natural vignette due to the lighting: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/3531886709/

[Becky]

I use at least a mild vignette in almost every image, I just love the way it sublty enhances a scene. Here I was also using depth of field to vignette:

http://blog.bagdanoffphoto.com/?p=1310

(using f1.4 is almost intoxicating.)

[Jamie Lapeyrolerie]

I love DOF and flowers - that is definitely my theme right now :)

http://jamielynnephotography.blogspot.com/2009/05/happy-memorial-day.html

[cindy : quaint]

i do love these vignettes. here's one for me
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/3567259894/

[lifeineden]

Here is a vignette using DOF. I was starving but couldn't resist shooting those juicy tomatoes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32837589@N07/3567312056/

[Bridget R.]

I like to add just a kiss of a vignette:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beeroach/3556011114/

[Patty Reiser]

just a few weeks ago I added a vignette to a picture I took on Mother's Day. The original background took away from the beauty of the flower and cropping did it no justice either. A vignette was just right.

http://camerapatty.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/picture-of-the-day-51209/

Wishing you a scent-sational day!
Patty Reiser

[Jennifer Bee Photography]

I'm addicted to shallowDOF! Ilove it!!!! Here are a couple of my favorites!

http://jenniferbeephotography.blogspot.com/2009/05/daily-click-shallow-depth-of-field.html

[Patti]

Was just playing with this idea yesterday.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38091930@N04/3564690337/
Another favorite..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38091930@N04/3548306856/
Thanks for the post, it reminded me how much I love this effect.

[Jamie]

I love vignettes. For me, sometimes it can be hard to find a balance between too much and too little.
Here's one of my recent favorite vignetted pics:

http://camerashy.cemestos.com/w/

[Kate Baumert]

http://happyinthehamptons.blogspot.com/2009/05/bee-originally-uploaded-by-pinklady1983.html

[spread your wings]

taken by my daughter this past weekend. while doing a photoshoot together she got distracted with this little ladybug. created naturally in the camera focusing on the bug instead of me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/3565849482/
and here's one of mine that i like because it makes this little box of mine look extra special when it really is not.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/3342047807/

[Gail]

Whenever I try to add a vignette using Picasa or Picnik I'm not satisfied...it always looks fake...but I have been trying to add DOF to some of my photos even though I only use a point and shoot camera...it is a challenge I have fun with...in this pic I was trying to focus on the eyes...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/3567718778/

[djbeat]

since the recent breakdown of my pc & loss of my photoshop cs - i have been wearing SOOC as a badge... though i must say i have had some fun with picnik (cross processing & vignette):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3453458047/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3439236691/

i love DOF either forefront or surrounds & i love my 50/1.8f even though i can`t get as close to my subjects as i want to or am used to...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3275666202/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3555402389/

rambling...

[gonzomama]

i don't think this image needed it so much, it just added to the softness.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59735955@N00/3265183388/in/set-72157612171541469/

[mary]

Yes, I'm in love with my macro lens, too. Here is a recent effort. I like to shoot certain plants from above, thus heightening the effect:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9068078@N05/3492043475/

LOVE the tones in your photo, btw!

[Trude]

I've definitely lightened up on the vignette too, but can't help but apply just a bit. Lucky for me the dark wall and ground around these Mexican poppies and the wide aperture helped add to it "naturally"! :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/3545005120/

[My Two Seasons]

I love vignettes. I have been doing light ones on most of my pictures. It's seems to draw the focus to the subject very nicely! Lately I've been working with DOF, burning, adjusting color, and textures to make a vignette effect. Not sure if they are true vignettes, but here are some of my latest!

http://mytwoseasons.com/2009/05/26/the-beauty-of-rosesand-clover/

[Vanessa]

all of these photos are so amazing!
i'm still feeling my way around my canon 450D and haven't even ventured into photoshop yet but i'm playing around and loving it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3568513230/

[Kathleen O./ko2008]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko2008/3016628819/in/set-72157604399765796/

[Gina]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gina-beana/3567864433/

As a (very) amateur photographer, using vignette and getting down in the grass are my two favorite things! This link is to a charming little mushroom I got with my little point and shoot. Still saving for a big girl camera with a macro lens Lo)

[Thea]

this is a great challenge I will try tomorrow. Love this photo and natural vignette

[Manfred]

Nice picture!
I like this too, ladies. Here a vignetted cow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22781088@N02/3478844098/
cheers

[claudia]

I wasn't thinking about this when I took this shot but love the idea after reading this post, thanks for the future inspiration!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/3568669879/

[Claudia@ DipityRoad]

I sometimes think i am addicted to SDOF-- love your site ...am new so help me along if need be.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cwrightson/3557056671/

TTFN~~ Claudia

[Aimee Greeblemonkey]

So with you. Every word.

And I LOVE getting DOF in all kinds of crazy places.

I will give you some links later when Flickr likes me again.

[jenica]

so fun! here's mine
http://www.flickr.com/photos/onelittleone/3569027685/

[Julia]

Awesome shots everyone! Here are a couple I took
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edsmilde/3567849907
http://jewels.esmilde.com/2009/05/seeing.html

[golightly]

Gosh, if you look at my work as a whole, you'll see textures, saturation and, especially, vignette. LOVE it. Plus I'm just a DOF-aholic, so when I get good front & back DOF and a bit of natural vignette - oh boy - I am in heaven!

I had just updated my 365 for the last 5 days right before I stopped by here. Today's post made me think of this one immediately:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16869615@N03/3571734856/in/set-72157612146357562/
Here's another one of my favorite DOF with a hint of natural vignetting; from Disneyland that I took earlier this year. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16869615@N03/3175615031/in/set-72157612146357562/
This one I increased the vignette:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16869615@N03/3552659777/in/set-72157612146357562/

[Shawna]

I too used depth of field to draw the eye to this little guy. You can't tell easily from the computer screen, but you can see the sparkle in his eyes in the print. I was sooo pleased to have nailed the focus on him, since he only paused for a short time.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20997455

[Jaana]

Loved everyone's pictures. Beautiful shots. Since flowers seem to be a good way to show off vignetting, I will join in the fun! http://photographybyjaana.blogspot.com/2009/06/backyard.html

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