Question on Photoshop's lighting effect

rainer

Hi All,

I'm quite newbie and got a question.
Recently I got the habit of using the spotlight lighting effect of rendering filter in Photoshop to create that feeling of darker edges and more exposed center. That kind of creates a focus for the picture.




or




As you can see in the picture above, the corners are darker than the center.

I feel like cheating using photoshop filter to achieve that kind of effect. I can see pictures with that style in many places. Can anyone tell me how people can take pictures with that kind of lighting effect without using photoshop?

Fajitas!

It's not cheating at all

If you don't want to use image editing, either shoot with your lens at it's most open aperture - Some will vignette, some won't.

You can shoot with a snoot'd light directed at the object if you have lights.

Or, you can put something around the edge of your lens.

But it's easier just to use photoshop/lightroom!

rainer

Cool, thanks Fujitas

Roen

That Fujitas sure knows his photoshop!

ThOnda

Restricting the view angle of the lense in front of the first element will do that efect. For instance few UV filters or just some empty rings from broken filters.
However as has been said before, Fujitas is the one to give you the precise processing advice :-)

Roen

Filter>Distort>Lens Correction and add Vignette is the handiest way of getting what you're after.

5uspect

I quite like the light rendering filter in PS. Tis great fun with a displacement map!
(Thats more graphic design tho)

rainer

Thanks, guys.
Roen, your tip's especially useful! Cheers.