How to Add Non-Destructive Vignetting to Your Photos in Photoshop

How to Add Non-Destructive Vignetting to Your Photos in Photoshop

on Jun 7th 2012 with 14 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Adobe Photoshop CS6
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Estimated Completion Time: 5 Minutes

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

Vignetting can give your photos an artistic look and focus the viewer’s attention around a center of interest. In this tutorial we will explain how to add a non-destructive vignetting effect to your photos using vector shapes and masks in Photoshop CS6. Let’s get started!

Tags: CS6
 
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Martin is a Hungarian graphic designer, digital artist and an Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor (Design Master). He is currently teaching and working in London but usually travels around the UK and share his love for Adobe products and graphic design. You can follow him on his blog or on Twitter.  

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  • http://behance.net/shinzart Jonathan Keller

    Isn’t a much simpler way to do this: Adjustment layer > Gradient Tool > Radial Gradient > Neutral Density. Same, right?

    • mohamed

      another good way …thanks

    • Jeff

      Yeah, a radial gradient was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

  • mohamed

    but i think i listened to this from martin but i don’t remember when

  • http://www.modatak.com tak

    I love this method. It’s very easy and quick to modify and control the shape and the blur of the vignette.

  • http://www.amazing-web-design.co.uk/ Joe Elliott

    Hi

    Nice simple effect, vector shapes keep quality which is always a bonus…

    Thanks
    Joe

  • Trevor

    Thanks again especially for including pre. CS6 versions.

  • http://zamoht.deviantart.com Thomas Jergel

    Another method if you want more control on where to apply the darkening/vignette is to create a new layer, set it to the blend mode “soft light” and manually paint over the areas you want to darken with a black brush set at an opacity ranging from 2-15% opacity or flow (you decide).

  • Zzzzz4512

    Nice quick tutorial. You could even turn it into an action for batch processing vignettes.

    I do agree with Thomas however on just using a large, soft, black brush and painting on a new layer. It allows for more control over selecting the visual highlights as to where you want your viewer to look first, second, etc. I feel like having the vignette as more of an organic shape makes it feel more realistic and a part of the photo than a post process of just a strait vignette, however, it’s all opinion and art, so there’s no right answer.

    Again, thanks for this quick tut. I’ll definitely use some of the techniques if I don’t end up using the tut as a whole. It’s always good having new ways of thinking and doing things.

    :]

  • http://www.behance.net/josephnicklo josephnicklo

    Another method.

    Convert to Smart Object > Filter > Lens Correction > Vignette.

    No need for masks, circles or any other stuff. Two simple steps. Done.

  • http://www.behance.net/josephnicklo josephnicklo

    Also, make a 50% Grey layer above your image set to Overlay blending mode. Use Burn tool to darken your edges for a nice custom vignette. Can also dodge the center to brighten if needed. Can then lower the opacity of the layer and add a Noise filter if you see fit.

    Tons of little ways to get a nice Vignette. :D

  • Win

    I couldn’t follow this. When I drew the circle with the elipse tool, the circle was red, even though the foreground and background colors were set to black.

    • http://theprocrastinatingfilmstudent.wordpress.com Stacey

      You can change the colour of the vector object with a palette tool at the top right hand part of the screen. I know, as I encountered this issue at first too.

  • Dawn

    Loved it. Always good to know how to do these things manually. Plus gets me familiar with some tools I don’t tend to use often. Thanks!