Vignettes

Vignettes

Vignetting is a reduction in image brightness around the
edges of an image. It’s generally an undesired by-product
of certain lenses (particularly wide-angle fi sheyes), but it
is sometimes deliberately chosen because of how it helps
focus attention on the center of frame. I can say with
authority that several underwater shots from Pirates of the
Caribbean: At World’s End contain vignettes, because I added
them myself.
It’s an easy effect to create:
1. Create a black solid the size of your frame as the top
layer and name it Vignette.
2. Double-click the Ellipse tool in the toolbar; an elliptical
mask fi lls the frame.

3. Highlight the layer in the Timeline and press F to
reveal Mask Feather.
4. Increase the Mask Feather value a lot—somewhere in
the triple digits is probably about right.
5. Lower the Opacity value (T) until the effect looks right;
you might prefer a light vignette (10 to 15%) or something
heavier (40 to 50%).
Note that the vignette is elliptical, not perfectly round, and
if your project is to be seen in more than one format (see
later in the chapter) you’ll have to decide which is the target.
 There would be no reason for a realistic
vignette to appear offset.