When it comes to learning how to use photo-editing software, I think YouTube can be a good source of information. There is a lot out there, plenty of videos to look through, in my opinion, that’s both the strength and weakness of YouTube. This video is an example of that, there are some tips that I will use and others that I will not. For the purpose of this blog post, I am writing about using the vignette filter as a way to isolate an object in a photo. The particular tip I am referencing is at about the ten-minute mark of the video. I decided to experiment using this photo:
ISO 400 18mm f/11 1/50sec
This grave marker is pretty visually interesting so I would like it to stand out a bit more. The tip in the video demonstrates putting a rather pronounced vignette on your photo, then erasing the vignette on the area you would like to highlight. My final version is this:
ISO 400 18mm f/11 1/50sec
I’m both satisfied with this and not. First, it is an easy edit, and sometimes simple techniques can be pretty powerful, so I like the underlying theory. It seems to me that this would be a more impactful editing method for subjects that are more offset than this one, so if I were to edit this file again using the technique, I would re-think the crop first and then work from there. Overall though, I have saved this video and written this post because I see this a technique that I would use.
What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Cheers!
Added to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, One.
Photography Journal Blog 
I like it! Great edit!
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Thanks, it’s a pretty simple approach, so worth keeping in mind in my opinion.
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I like both photographs, but I think your edit did enhance the focal point. Good work.
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Thanks very much for your kind comment.
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I like the edit. I add a slight vignette (-10 sometimes more) to most of my landscape images. It seems to draw the eye into the photo … or so that’s the theory.
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Yes, I usually add a slight vignette as well, so this was a bit of a departure for me. It is interesting though to try familiar tools in a different way.
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I love the vignette filter. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks very much, a pretty straightforward edit too!
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Oh what a beautiful photo for this week. I appreciate you playing along and adding to the fun. 😀
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Thanks very much Cee 🙂
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it certainly gives the graveyard more atmosphere than the original. Vignetting is something I do rarely but it does have its uses to focus, to eliminate background when a crop would distort the whole, to imitate old camera etc – used with caution it is a good tool
p.s. I like learning (about) techniques and am trying out PS ‘extrude’ with good effect sometimes – must post some pics soon
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I use vignetting quite a bit but usually in a much more subtle way. A nice thing about giving this a try was the push to try a familiar tool in an unfamiliar way. I think there is a lot to be said for experimentation like that, even if it doesn’t end up being your new “go-to” edit. Extrude is something that I never really worked with in Photoshop, I’ll have to wander over and see what you are up to 🙂
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NIcely impactful result, Amy!
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Thanks very much, definitely I can see this having some utility even if I’m not blown away by the result this time around.
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Yes, that makes sense. Are there lots of cemeteries there to photograph?
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My sister insists I have a bit of a “cemetery problem” in that I am always seeming to find them 🙂
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Hah! Love that idea.
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The outcome was great. I like it so much
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