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Q.
What is a
vignette?
A.
Vignetting is a photo
effect invented in the 19th century. It means to
show a smaller slice of an original photo, and
historically, it was done by framing a photo in an
oval shape; or by "feathering" the edges of
the photo.
The wedding rings photo
above feathers the edges of the picture gently down
to white. Digitally we can feather down to black,
gray, white or any other color. We can feather in
an oval shape, a rectangular shape, or vignette by
using blurring effects through computer software.
The above photo also
incorporates a second effect - feathering the color
saturation from normal down to black and white.
Rachel's wedding ring
shows a flash of light reflecting from her diamond.
This was not a digitial effect - but a
genuine reflection which Doug captured in
the camera. When shooting ring photos, we like to
shoot about ten in a row. With careful lighting and
a little luck, we'll catch a genuine diamond
reflection in one or two of the frames.
It is also possible to
feather a photo's edges and to composite (or
"drop") an image on top of another background
image in an aratistic fashion. Composited images
are used by graphic designers who produce high end
versions of coffee table albums.
Below: A white oval
vignette frames the classic portrait of Richard and
MaryAnn at the state capitol grounds...
Wedding portrait
location: Sacramento state capitol's front
lawn.
More examples below.
This is a junior bridesmaid's portrait taken in the
lobby, two versions:
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Original photo
before modification...
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Same photo with
vignette effect applied to make it a more
formal portrait...
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Wedding
photo location above: Lobby of Marriott hotel
on Point East Way in Rancho Cordova, California.
Although
amateur photographers can apply special effects to
photos using modern software, it's not practical
when amateurs photograph a wedding. It takes
amateurs many months to deliver their photos
because they'll keep fussing with them. But
professional photographers (like Doug) have
been using these techniques every day for years. We
make technical decisions quickly and deliver the
final pictures more quickly than an amateur
photographer ever could.
Original
version: Debbie dances with her dad at her
Lake Tahoe reception. Be sure to look below this
picture to see the FINAL version.
Final
version below: Debbie and her dad cropped
closer, then vignette effect added, faded to white
and enlarged.
Wedding location
shown above: Event center at King's Beach at
Lake Tahoe.
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One
of my most memorable ring shots ever,
Shanon and Vaughn held their rings
& hands over a Bible. The couple
sat on the church's carpeted altar for
this shot during the portrait session. The
pose took maybe 1 minute. In post
processing later, I vignette
feathered the photo's edges darker. The
ring's spakle is clearly visible in an
enlargement.
Photographed
at Faith Baptist Tabernacle, 3501 Q
Street, North Highlands, CA
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More special
effects info...
Cropping
Retouching
Backlight
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