Vignetting Sunspots

[Lowjiber]

Did you ever shoot a decent sunspot, but wanted the viewer to focus on the sunspot only? Sure, one can crop the heck out of it and lose a lot of the surrounding surface. You also could apply the standard black vignette around the spot, something that is commonly done... It's not hard.

I'll offer that a white vignette will capture the viewer's eye with details of the spot, but make them feel comfortable looking around a bit.

Here's an award-winning sunspot shot a couple of years ago...

Not bad. However, the sunspot is what I want to the star-of-the-show, not the surrounding details. A vignette is the obvious answer, but a black one (regardless of opacity) steals some of the beautiful details outside the actual spot itself. So, we can have best of both worlds by using a white one.

I'm interested in what you think. Please leave a comment below.

Thanks much.

Clear Skies

[Lady Fraktor]

It is an interesting effect.
Can you do a round one as well?

[yobbo89]

mate i think you put your flats as ticked as lights file type when you stacked

my honest opinion, i'm not a fan, it's quite ghastly and all i'm looking at is the vignetting instead of the center , the first image draws my attention to the center ie the sun spots just fine .

[Gordon]

I don't know John. I think the white causes the eye to view the edges first then the middle. The dark edges would cause you to center towards the middle first. But what every YOU like is better.

[OhNo]

Yup ditch the second one. You fill the frame with great data why would you.....

This wasn't my initial response, that would have got me Banned!!!!!!

[Lowjiber]

Thanks everyone for the comments. After looking at again this morning (0300hrs) with a fresh cup of coffee in hand, I agree... It sucks swamp water. LOL

You won't be seeing that outta my computer again... I promise. LOL

It is an interesting effect.
Can you do a round one as well?

Sure Gabby. I just threw that one on in an elongated circle to accommodate the overall shape of the spot. Photoshop lets one adjust just about anything.

[Lady Fraktor]

I would agree that the mask distracts from what you are trying to highlight, a round view such as a telescope view may work better.

[Greenman]

I’d probably just crop harder. Might get a bit too small I suppose.

[JayTee]

Fully half of what we do in AP post-processing (regardless of the object of interest) is kinda "Artsy-fartsy". And since you're the artist John, you get to choose!

Cheers,
JT