To vignette, or not to vignette.

Ozarker

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Jan 28, 2015
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There are lots of people who don't like vignette in a photo. While we probably don't like it in every photo, how do you feel about vignetting in general for specific types of photos? Do you have examples of your own work where you are surprised a vignette works so well? What about examples where it ruined a shot?
 

cayenne

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Mar 28, 2012
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There are lots of people who don't like vignette in a photo. While we probably don't like it in every photo, how do you feel about vignetting in general for specific types of photos? Do you have examples of your own work where you are surprised a vignette works so well? What about examples where it ruined a shot?

I pretty much add some for of vignette to almost EVERY one of my pictures.

Usually it is very subtle, but to me, it always seems to drive the viewer's eyes to the center, and makes the image *pop* a bit.

I find especially with my concert shots, say with single shot of a singer/instrumentalist, usually full body or waist up, I will throw on a oval shaped circular gradient that encompasses their upper torso and most of face....and slightly vignette outside of it and some times brighten a little the inside.

When placed just right...turning the effect on/off you can almost see a 3-D effect that it gives.

I try to be subtle....anyone looking at the image the first time would not really guess it was there, but it really seems to make the image jump out at you.

Even for vignettes on the traditional edges of the image, I try to be subtle and even with those I'll move them a bit if needed to direct attention to the main subject int he image.

And heck, for lenses that have a natural vignette, if it is too noticeable, I'll use a "reverse" vignette, to brighten the edges so that I can start work on an evenly exposed image and when done at the end, I can place my vignette where I think it works best.

Just my $0.02,

cayenne
 
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Jan 29, 2011
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On import I automatically remove lens vignetting, but I often put some back in. I do it that way because if I crop or stitch I want the vignetting to be even. What I don't like about vignetting though is it is output size specific, the smaller the image the less it needs. So if you put the right amount of vignetting to taste on a full image it is always way too much for a thumbnail.

I really like the natural vignetting of the EF 35 f2 IS so will often just switch that back on if I'm not cropping.

P.S. Welcome back Neuro!
 
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Ozarker

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.
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Jan 28, 2015
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The Ozarks
Here's one from a couple of weeks ago that I added vignette. Eos R, EF 135mm f/2L. I felt it added some depth to the background and made it more interesting. We've been going swimming at Grapevine lake her in Texas. We went for two months straight and were the only ones there.
 

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