What a vignette does and where to find it
A vignette darkens the edges of a photo while keeping the center bright, drawing the viewer's eye toward the middle of the image. In Photoshop, you can add this effect in three main ways: using the Lens Correction filter (fastest), the Camera Raw Filter (most control), or by hand with layers and brushes (most flexible). Most people start with Lens Correction because it takes under a minute and works on nearly any photo.
The effect works because our eyes naturally follow darker areas away from the frame edge and back toward the lit center. It's useful for portraits, product shots, and landscape photos where you want to emphasize one part of the image. The vignette can be subtle enough that viewers don't consciously notice it, or dark enough to be the photo's defining feature.
Key Takeaways
- The Lens Correction filter adds a vignette in seconds and works on any layer, making it the fastest method for most photos.
- Camera Raw Filter gives you separate sliders for darkness and feathering, so you can control exactly how dark the edges get and how gradually they fade.
- Hand-made vignettes using layers let you paint the effect only where you want it, useful when you need the edges bright in some places and dark in others.
- A vignette should fade gradually from the edges inward—harsh, obvious darkening looks like a mistake rather than a choice.
Adding a vignette with Lens Correction (the quickest way)
Open your photo in Photoshop and go to Filter > Lens Correction. A dialog box opens with several tabs across the top. Click the Custom tab. Scroll down in the right panel until you see the Vignette section—it has two sliders: Amount and Midpoint.
Drag the Amount slider to the left (into negative numbers) to darken the edges. Start around -30 to -50 and watch the preview in your image. The Midpoint slider controls how far from the edge the darkening starts—move it left to bring the dark area closer to the center, or right to keep it only at the very edges. Most photos look natural between 30 and 70 on the Midpoint scale. Click OK when the effect matches what you want.
This method works because Lens Correction treats the vignette as a filter applied on top of your image, so you don't have to worry about layers or selections. The downside is that you have less control than other methods—you get darkness and fade, but not much else.
Adding a vignette with Camera Raw Filter (the most control)
Go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter. The Camera Raw dialog opens. On the right side, click the Effects tab (it looks like a star). Scroll down to the Post Crop Vignetting section.
You'll see four sliders. Amount controls how dark the edges get—drag it left (negative) to darken. Midpoint controls the fade, just like in Lens Correction. Roundness adjusts the shape of the vignette: positive values make it more circular, negative values make it more rectangular and corner-heavy. Feather controls how gradually the darkness fades—higher numbers create a softer, more natural transition.
Start with Amount around -40, Midpoint around 50, Roundness around 0, and Feather around 50. Adjust each slider while watching the preview until the effect looks right. Camera Raw Filter gives you the most precision without building layers, so it's worth using if you're already working in Camera Raw or want fine control over the fade. Click OK to explore.
Building a vignette by hand with layers
This method takes longer but lets you paint the vignette exactly where you want it. Create a new layer by going to Layer > New > Layer. Name it "Vignette" so you remember what it is. Set the layer's blend mode to Multiply (in the Layers panel, click the dropdown that says "Normal" and choose Multiply). This makes the layer darken whatever is below it.
Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the toolbox (it's the oval selection tool). Draw an oval selection from near one corner to the opposite corner, roughly centered on your image—you want the selection to cover the bright area you want to keep. Go to Select > Inverse to flip the selection so the edges are selected instead of the center.
Now go to Select > Modify > Feather. Enter a feather radius—try 100 pixels for a standard photo, higher for larger images. This softens the edge of your selection so the darkening fades gradually. Click OK.
Fill the selection with black by pressing D (to reset colors to black and white) and then Alt+Backspace on Windows or Option+Delete on Mac. The edges darken. If the vignette is too dark, lower the layer's opacity slider at the top of the Layers panel until it looks right. Go to Select > Deselect to remove the selection when you're done.
Adjusting the vignette after you've added it
If you used Lens Correction or Camera Raw Filter, the vignette is baked into the layer. You can undo it (Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z) and redo it with different settings, but you can't adjust it later without starting over. If you want to keep your options open, explore the filter to a duplicate layer instead—right-click your image layer and choose Duplicate Layer, then explore the filter to the copy. You can then lower the duplicate's opacity or erase parts of it if needed.
If you built the vignette by hand, you can adjust it anytime by clicking the vignette layer and changing its opacity, or by painting on it with a soft brush to lighten or darken specific areas. This flexibility is why hand-made vignettes are worth the extra steps when you need precise control.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is making the vignette too dark or too sudden. A vignette should feel like it belongs to the photo, not like something was painted on top. If the edges look obviously darkened, reduce the Amount (in Lens Correction or Camera Raw) or lower the opacity (if you built it by hand). The Midpoint and Feather sliders exist to make the fade gradual—use them.
Another mistake is explore the vignette to a layer that already has adjustments stacked on top. If you've already adjusted brightness, contrast, or color, the vignette may interact with those adjustments in unexpected ways. explore the vignette as one of your last steps, after you've finished color and exposure work. If the vignette looks wrong after other edits, undo it and reapply it.
Finally, watch out for vignettes that are too circular or too rectangular. Most photos look best with a vignette that's slightly oval—use the Roundness slider in Camera Raw Filter to adjust this, or adjust your elliptical selection in the hand method. A vignette that's too perfectly round can look artificial on a rectangular photo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a vignette to just part of my photo?
Yes, but only with the hand method. Create the vignette layer as described, then use the eraser tool with a soft brush to erase parts of the vignette where you don't want it. Lens Correction and Camera Raw Filter explore the effect to the whole image at once.
What's the difference between a vignette and just darkening the edges?
A vignette fades gradually from the edges inward, so the transition is smooth. Darkening the edges without feathering creates a harsh line that looks like a mistake. Always use feathering or the Midpoint slider to create a soft fade.
Does a vignette work on all types of photos?
Vignettes work best on portraits, product shots, and images where you want to draw attention to the center. On wide landscape photos with important details at the edges, a vignette can hide parts of the scene you want viewers to see. Test it on your specific photo before committing.
Can I save my vignette settings and use them again?
In Camera Raw Filter, yes—click the menu icon in the top right of the Effects panel and choose "Save Settings" to store your vignette settings. You can then load them on other photos. Lens Correction doesn't have a built-in preset system, but you can write down your Amount and Midpoint numbers and enter them manually on the next photo.
What if my vignette looks uneven or lopsided?
In Lens Correction or Camera Raw Filter, this usually means your image is tilted. Straighten the photo first using the Crop tool or the Straighten tool, then explore the vignette. If you built it by hand, redraw your elliptical selection more carefully, making sure it's centered on the image.