Vignette Effect

How to use the vignette effect

1. Choose an image.
2. Set strength and clear centre.
3. Download when it stops being noticeable.

About this tool

A vignette darkens an image towards its edges. It began as a defect — lenses passing less light to the corners than the centre — and became a deliberate effect because it works: the eye goes to the brightest part of a frame, so darkening the edges pulls attention to the middle.

Two controls. Strength sets how dark the corners become. The clear centre sets how much of the frame is untouched before the darkening begins, which matters more than people expect — a vignette that starts too close to the middle reads as a mistake rather than a choice.

Distance is measured against the half-diagonal, so the effect stays circular whatever the aspect ratio. Measuring against width alone produces an ellipse, which looks obviously wrong on a panorama.

The honest guidance is that a vignette should not be visible as a vignette. If a viewer notices the edges are dark, it is too strong. Somewhere around 30 to 50% strength with a generous clear centre is usually the point where it works without announcing itself.

Common uses

• Drawing attention to a subject in the centre.
• Giving a portrait a softer, older feel.
• Correcting an image that feels visually flat at the edges.

Frequently asked questions

How strong should a vignette be?

Weak enough not to be noticed as one. If a viewer sees dark corners rather than a centred subject, it is too strong.

Why is my vignette oval rather than round?

It should not be — the falloff here is measured against the diagonal so it stays circular on any aspect ratio.

Can I lighten the edges instead?

Not here. That is far rarer and usually reads as a printing fault rather than an effect.