A Mobiographer’s Journey From Analog to iPhone
A couple of years ago, mobiographer Erica “Spin” Simas moved…
When Should You Use Vignette?
December 28, 2016
Vignette is a popular mobile photography filter, and for good reason. It can instantly create a sentimental feeling and evoke nostalgia with little effort. Furthermore, it can highlight the subject of a mobile photo by shading its surroundings – but when is it appropriate to add a vignette to an image? Here are some instances when you might want to implement a vignette filter over your mobile photography.
You Want to Frame the View
A vignette can frame your mobile photography, which may be especially helpful if you do not have a single focal point. It can also effectively capture a wide or panoramic shot, such as a landscape, which may immediately seem vast to the eye. Keep in mind that you don’t need to add a heavy vignette frame to your mobile photography. Adding a bit of shade to the edges can highlight your focal point – the vignette does not have to engulf your work.
To frame the view by adding vignette in Enlight, go to Filters > Duo > Vignette. Tap Tools tab > Color if you want to change traditional black/gray shade of the vignette itself.
You Want to Add Drama
Using a vignette is a quick way to add drama and volume to your mobile image. Because they force your viewers to look at a specific focal point, you can demand attention with vignettes.
They can also lead your viewers to question why they are being pointed toward a certain subject in the scene. In turn, the vignettes heighten awareness and naturally create drama. Depending on how dark you go with your vignette, you can also boost the contrast of your mobile photography to add even more intrigue.
You Need a Vintage Look
Older cameras used to create vignettes in photos unintentionally due to their poor quality. These days, many of us associate vignettes with vintage for this reason. If you want to instantly give your mobile photography an aged look, use this filter. You can also use the Enlight app to give your mobile photography a more vintage appearance. Go to Filters, and then select Analog. Open the Tools tab and select Basic. From here, you can increase brightness or contrast to create a retro glow.
Within the Tools tab, you can also select Film to increase the Intensity and Dark Hues of your mobile photos. By giving them a reddish tint, you can create an older look.
You’re Taking a Portrait
Portraits call for all of the attention to go toward the subject, which makes vignettes the perfect solution. For an even more dramatic effect, consider taking your image in black and white, or use a blank backdrop. This can heighten the contrast in your photo and ensure that all eyes are on the main subject.
Vignettes can be ideal for a wide range of mobile photography, but it works best when you know what you want to focus on before editing. Identify your subjects before applying a vignette filter, and ask yourself what you want to bring out – is it a person’s eyes? Is it a street sign on a dim-lit road? Knowing what you want to emphasize can point you in the right direction ahead of the editing process.
Written by Krystle Vermes.
Comments
