slightly from top to bottom. (Note:This direction will obviously depend on the
orientation being vertical or horizontal, as well if a vertical image is rotated to
its proper angle or left on its side as it was captured.) There is no secret num-
ber to stretching the image, just make small incremental increases until you
start to notice it has been stretched, then step backwards until you don’t notice
the effect. This only works when all parts of the body that are seen are vertical.
If the subject has their arms crossed, the arms would be running horizontally
through the frame and stretching the image would make them appear larger.
Vignetting.The final effect we use is to vignette the majority of images,
which is nothing more than darkening the edges of low-key photographs and
blurring the edges of high-key photographs. Vignettes hold the viewer’s atten-
LEFT—Vignetting is used to give many of
our images a finished look.
FACING PAGE—Adding artistic effects to
your images can be a profitable use of
postproduction time.Vignettes hold the
viewer’s attention by
softening or eliminating
lines that lead outside
of the frame.