Vignette

A vignette is a soft falloff in brightness toward the corners and edges of the frame, usually darkening them to pull the viewer's attention inward. It can occur naturally from a lens or be added deliberately in the grade as a creative tool. Colorists draw a feathered oval window, often slightly off-center to follow the subject, and lower its exposure outside the shape so the background recedes. A subtle vignette adds depth and a cinematic feel and can quietly fix a hot spot in a corner; an aggressive one becomes a stylistic statement. The keys are heavy feathering so the edge never reads as a hard ring, and tracking the shape when the subject moves so the effect stays anchored rather than sliding around the frame.