Vignette
Also known as: vignetting, edge darkening, lens vignette
Darkening (or lightening) toward the edges of the frame. It happens naturally with some lenses and is added in editing to draw attention to the center.
Updated
What it means
A vignette is a gradual change in brightness from the center of the frame to the edges, usually darker at the corners. Some lenses produce it naturally, especially at wide apertures or with filters and lens mods that block light at the edges. Editors also add it on purpose as a creative effect.
Subtle vignettes guide the eye toward the center, where the subject usually is, and give a slightly cinematic, framed feel. Heavy vignettes create a dramatic, moody or vintage look.
Unwanted vignetting from stacked filters or a badly fitted lens protector shows as dark corners that look like a mistake.
How it works in practice
Add vignettes lightly. A small darkening of the corners, barely noticeable when you toggle it on and off, is usually enough. Feather it widely so there is no visible edge, and keep it centered on the subject rather than the frame if the subject sits off-center.
Use vignettes on calm shots, interviews and landscapes to focus attention on the subject in the middle. On fast POV footage with wide lenses, they can work but may feel claustrophobic if strong.
Remove unwanted vignetting with lens correction tools or a reverse vignette, or by cropping slightly. Better still, check filters and lens covers at the shoot to avoid it.
What to watch out for
Heavy vignettes look dated and can make footage feel like a filter preset. If viewers notice the vignette, it is probably too strong, so dial it back until it becomes almost invisible.
Vignettes on clips that move fast or pan can look odd, because the dark corners stay fixed while the scene moves. Lighter settings help, or skip the effect on moving shots entirely.
Darkened corners add noise when footage is underexposed, and platform compression can create banding in the gradient. Keep vignettes gentle on noisy or 8-bit footage, and check the export on a phone.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip uses your footage as recorded and does not add vignettes, grades or other looks. Upload clean clips without unwanted dark corners, and the AI builds them into your highlight.