Seth's Vignettes [luma adjusted] - Free Download

[smadell]

Quite some time ago, I downloaded a set of macros provided by Dave Straker (user name @dmstraker) which allowed for a customizable set of vignettes. Dave’s vignettes came in a variety of shapes (although I only used the Ellipse and Rounded Rectangle versions).  The nice thing about these macros was that the central shape (the highlighted area that would overlay the subject) could be positioned, resized, and rotated as desired. Also, because it remained a shape, it could be distorted by adding nodes and warping them. The blurred edges of the highlighted shape could be edited, as well, making them more or less distinct.

They were a nice set of vignette macros, and I’ve used them for several years. However, there were a few issues for me. (1) The vignettes tended to darken the deepest shadows too much, crushing parts of the original photo that were close to black. (2) They always started out small, in the upper left-hand corner of the image, and needed to be resized to fit the size of the document. (3) It was necessary to set the Fill color to white before invoking the macros, or else the results would be wrong.

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I am including a new macro category for creating similar vignettes. I believe that these vignettes have most of the strengths of Dave’s Vignettes, but expand on them and improve them.

1) I have only included Elliptical and Rounded Rectangle versions of the vignettes, since these are the only ones I have ever used.

2) The vignettes are called “luma adjusted” because they do not crush the blacks in the vignette. Rather than use a 100% black pixel layer as the periphery of the vignette, these macros use a Merge Visible copy of the existing document, adjusted via Blend Ranges to omit the darkest tones. I believe this gives a more satisfying effect to the shadowed areas.

3) The vignettes are sized to the existing document “out of the box.” This is done by rasterizing the shape layer (the ellipse or the rounded rectangle) and creating a new pixel layer in its stead. This pixel layer can still be resized, re-positioned, and/or rotated as desired. The edge of the ellipse (or rounded rectangle) has a Gaussian Blur filter attached, and the blur can be edited to make the vignette more or less soft-edged. However, since the highlighted ellipse/rounded rectangle is no longer a shape, per se, it cannot be warped by adding nodes and adjusting their handles. I suppose that a more traditional “Mesh Warp” could be applied to the “Highlight” pixel layer, but I have never had to do this and I think this will be an unusual requirement.

4) The vignettes will create a central “highlight” area set to white. This is done automatically, and does not require that the user set the Fill color beforehand.

5) The vignettes were created in Affinity Photo version 1 and come as a macro category, containing two macros (one each for the ellipse and the rounded rectangle). Since they were created in v1, they can be imported into both versions 1 and 2, and will function in the same manner. Also, since they are included as a category, they can be imported into either version of Affinity Photo for iPad.

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I’ve attached a small PDF file that explains the macros in more detail, and includes images of how they are best used. Keep this as a reference, if you like.

As with all of the macros I have submitted over the years, please remember that I am one person with one computer (and one iPad). This allows me to test on a limited number of images. There is no way to have foreseen all possible scenarios. I believe (but obviously cannot guarantee) that you will be happy with the results.

If you like the macro, please keep it and enjoy it. It is yours to use freely. What I ask in return is simply this: leave a comment below, letting me know if you’re using the macros and (hopefully) that you’re enjoying them. Remember that we users benefit from each other’s knowledge. Never forget to “pay it forward” and contribute to the forum in whatever ways you can.

Also, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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For reference, and as a tip-of-the-hat to Dave Straker, here is a link to his original YouTube video describing his macros.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg6ldQrAG1s

Seth's Luma Adjusted Vignettes.zip

[jmwellborn]

@smadell  What an elegant Christmas gift to us!  Thank you so much!   And thank you also for the PDF file.  Your instructions are beautifully detailed so that they are a breeze to understand.  On my first attempt, I immediately discovered that FILE>Place won't work.  (My usual route.)  FILE>OPEN is the way to go.   But with that sorted, here is my first attempt.  Apple trees in bloom on a cloudy day in May.

 

[smadell]

Glad you found the macros, @jmwellborn - thanks for the shout-out. (By the way, what were you trying to "Place" instead of "Open"?) I like your photo, too.

[jmwellborn]

3 hours ago, smadell said:

Glad you found the macros, @jmwellborn - thanks for the shout-out. (By the way, what were you trying to "Place" instead of "Open"?) I like your photo, too.

I usually place images instead of opening them, because I never know what goofy thing I am going to do with them beforehand.  It has become a habit.  I like that picture too.  It is from 1973, taken with an Olympus OM1 camera (the old-fashioned kind) and developed as a 35 mm slide.  Scanned in recent years and adjusted in Photo.  

[smadell]

I never do this myself, but I tried opening an image (a JPG) using Place… It required me to create a document first, place the image, then Clip and Unclip the document to size it properly. When I did this, I had an Image layer (not a Pixel layer). Is that what you're talking about?

Anyway, even with an Image layer I was able to use the Vignettes without any obvious problem. Are you doing something more complicated?

[jmwellborn]

@smadell Nothing so sensible as Clip and Unclip around here.  I am creating my own hard copy versions of HOW TO . . .  In Photo, Designer, and Publisher.  I learn far better with written instructions than with videos, and find that after I have done this, the solution “sticks.”  Usually.  So when I am going to work on something new — to me — I place an image for my example so that I will have space around it to start writing the steps I have taken to achieve the desired result.  

If I am simply working with an image to restore it (thousands of old slides) and hundreds of iPhone images, I should just open them.  Old habits die hard!!  Maybe 2023 will finally bring me into the 21st Century.  🙃

[j3rry]

Today I wanted to try the macros for the Luma vignette. Unfortunately, they do not work. The Highlight layer is transparent/empty, it should show a white ellipse.

What am I doing wrong?

 

APh 2.0.3 on an M1 Mac 24"
 

[smadell]

Good morning, @j3rry - based on your screenshot, I confess I don't know what went wrong. Could you post the background image for me to try on my computer? Also, I noticed in your screenshot that there are several layers in a group just above the Background, but below the Vignette group – were those turned "off" when you ran the macro, or were they turned off afterward? If you post the Background image only, I'll try to run the macro here and see what happens then get back to you.

[j3rry]

@smadell,

I removed the extra layers and zipped the rest. Thanks for help.

Z62_WInterinLangendreer_00026_test_Vignette.afphoto.zip

[smadell]

@j3rry - I downloaded your zip file and opened the .afphoto file it contained. I first deleted the leftover "Vignette" layer that I think you missed; that left me with just the background image. I clicked once on the macro, adjusted a couple of parameters, and got the expected result. I've included a screen recording below. I don't know what went wrong for you.

 

 

[j3rry]

@smadell 

After removing the additional layers, especially the layers that were created by using 2 macros by James Ritson (Sharpen v3), the macro works.
Thank you for your help.

 

PS : Only the macro "Enhance Depth & Contrast" from Sharpen v3 creates the failure.

[smadell]

@j3rry - I’m glad you found the offending combination, and that you got the macro to work. Enjoy the rest of your day!

[Waltarus]

Wow!  Another very useful macro.  Many thanks.  I was using a different method for creating a moveable vignette and honestly it was a pain.

Maybe something else to mention is that, when adjusting the gaussian blur layer to get the feathering right, some people might not realize that we can go beyond just cranking the slider to the end by just typing in a higher px. value for the radius.  I like a very subtle vignette so this is useful to me.

 

Thanks again, smadell!

[smadell]

Thanks for your kind words, @Waltarus. It's true that the Gaussian Blur can be cranked up really high. I've found this to be problematic (at least, for me…) because as the blur radius increases, the white part of the ellipse (or rounded rectangle) starts to incorporate more and more "grey" from the surrounding image. I've found it more helpful to keep the blur radius fairly small-ish and, instead, lower the opacity of the entire vignette (the Group itself) to obtain that sense of subtlety. Again, a personal choice…