Smart Vignette Photoshop Actions
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Add to
favorites
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Software
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CompatibilityPhotoshop CS6 & Newer
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Photoshop actions8 Vignettes
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To practice on4 Sample Images
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In the downloadPDF Guide & Action List
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Built withMovable Gradient Layers
Photoshop Action Downloads
Install Guide
How to Install Your Actions
A short PDF that shows three ways to install this action in Photoshop, how to play it on your photo, and three tips for better results.
DESCRIPTION
Put the light where your subject is. Smart Vignette and Spotlight open a window where you drag the bright spot onto your subject; Dark and Light vignettes are one click. Each is a single editable layer that fits any photo size.
Smart Vignette and Spotlight come in soft and strong versions, and so do the one-click Dark and Light vignettes.
Tested in Photoshop 2026 and built from steps that work in Photoshop CS6 and newer, with 4 sample images to practice on and a PDF guide in the download.
PHLEARN PRO · Photoshop Actions
Smart Vignette Photoshop Actions
8 vignettes4 sample imagesPDF guidePhotoshop 2026
Smart Vignette Photoshop Actions
Simple & Powerful Vignettes
Darken the edges of the frame with a smooth, natural falloff, so the eye lands on your subject instead of the corners.
Before & After
Focus on the Subject
Three photos, each with a different job for the vignette: lead the eye, calm a busy background, or just add a gentle finish.
Easy Vignettes in a Click
Spotlight Soft with Dark Vignette Soft brightens her and the path, and the trees and corners deepen slightly, so the eye goes straight to her and the cabin behind her. Spotlight Soft opens the Gradient Fill window: drag the pool of light onto your subject, then click OK. Dark Vignette Soft applies in one click.
Why the Eye Follows the Light
We look at the brightest part of a photo first. Brightening the subject and darkening the edges a little sends the eye there. Stack a Spotlight with a Dark Vignette for the classic portrait finish. Each one is its own Gradient Fill layer, so change its opacity to make it stronger or softer. To move the spotlight later, double-click the layer thumbnail and drag again. On white or very bright photos, a Light Vignette looks cleaner than a dark one.
Best On
Portraits in busy scenes, snowy or bright backgrounds, and centered subjects.
Draw Attention to the Subject
Smart Vignette Soft, placed on her, brightens the red dress and her face and darkens the muddy shore and the edges of the sky. She stands out more, and the photo gains depth. When you play it, the Gradient Fill window opens: drag on the photo to put the bright spot on your subject, change Scale to make it bigger or smaller, then click OK.
Calm a Busy Background
A muddy shore and a bright sky both compete with the subject. Smart Vignette lifts the subject and pulls the edges down in one layer, so the red dress and her face have the most contrast in the frame. Smart Vignette Strong does the same, stronger. Start with the Soft version, since a vignette should be felt more than seen, and lower the layer opacity if the edges look heavy.
Best On
Full-length portraits, fashion and lifestyle photos with distracting edges.
Soft and Subtle Vignettes
Smart Vignette Soft, moved onto her, darkens the corners of the sky and city just slightly with a smooth fade that keeps the blue tones and city lights natural. The vignette is a Gradient Fill layer, so it fits any photo size and stays editable. Smart Vignette Soft opens the Gradient Fill window, so you drag the bright spot onto your subject before clicking OK.
Keep It Gentle
A vignette works best when nobody notices it. On photos with open sky, use the Soft versions and raise Scale so the darkening starts farther from the subject. Double-click the layer thumbnail any time to drag it to a new spot, or change Scale to make it bigger or smaller. For a lighter touch, lower the layer opacity. On white or pastel photos, a Light Vignette Soft or Strong looks cleaner than a dark one.
Best On
Rooftop and city portraits, wide scenes and photos with lots of sky.
What’s in the Download
One action set, 8 vignettes
Unzip it and load the set in the Actions panel. Smart Vignette and Spotlight let you drag the light onto your subject.
- ATNPHLEARN Smart Vignette 2026.atn1 action set with all 8 actions
- JPG4 Sample ImagesPractice photos
- PDFPHLEARN Smart Vignette – Guide (2026).pdfInstall steps, every action explained, fixes
- Smart Vignette Soft
- Smart Vignette Strong
- Dark Vignette Soft
- Dark Vignette Strong
- Light Vignette Soft
- Light Vignette Strong
- Spotlight Soft
- Spotlight Strong
The 4 sample images
Photoshop Action Questions, Answered
What’s included in the Smart Vignette Photoshop Actions?
You get 8 actions: Smart Vignette Soft and Strong, Dark Vignette Soft and Strong, Light Vignette Soft and Strong, and Spotlight Soft and Strong. The download also includes 4 sample images and a PDF guide with install steps and every action explained.
What kind of photos are the Smart Vignette Photoshop Actions made for?
It is made for photos that feel flat, where it is hard for a viewer to see what to look at. The action puts more focus on your subject by adding a vignette with smooth transitions from light to dark, so the important parts of the image stand out.
How does the Smart Vignette action work, and can I adjust it?
Each action adds one Gradient Fill layer. Smart Vignette brightens your subject and darkens the edges in one layer, and when it plays, a window opens so you can drag the bright spot onto your subject and click OK. Change the opacity for strength, and double-click the layer to move it later.
Are Photoshop Actions included in my PHLEARN PRO subscription?
Yes. A PHLEARN PRO membership includes every Photoshop Action pack, plus PRO Tutorials, Lightroom Presets, LUTs and Photoshop Brushes.
What version of Photoshop do I need?
These actions work in Photoshop CS6 and newer, on Mac and Windows. We recommend the latest version. Photoshop on the iPad and on the web cannot run actions.
How do I install Photoshop Actions?
Unzip the download, open Photoshop, then double-click the .ATN file. Photoshop shows no confirmation, but the set is now at the bottom of the Actions panel. The PDF guide in your download shows every install method and explains each action, and there is more help on our Photoshop Actions install guide.
Where do the actions show up after I install them?
At the bottom of the Actions panel, as a set named after the pack. Open the panel with Window > Actions, or press Option + F9 on a Mac or Alt + F9 on Windows.
Photoshop says “Command not currently available.” What do I do?
The photo is in a mode Photoshop can’t add these layers to: Indexed Color, Bitmap, Multichannel or 32-bit. Set Image > Mode to RGB Color and 8 or 16 Bits/Channel, and if Quick Mask is on, press Q to turn it off. Then play the action again. The rebuilt 2026 actions work with any layer selected and in CMYK, Lab and Grayscale photos too.
The action stopped and showed a message. Is something wrong?
The 2026 actions don’t stop with messages any more: each one builds its layers in one go, and the layer and group names tell you what to do next. A few actions open a Photoshop window on purpose (Choose Direction, Custom, Choose Blur and the movable vignettes) so you can set the effect yourself; click OK when you’re done.
How do I undo an action?
Open the History panel (Window > History) and click the state from before the action ran. You can also hide or delete the group the action built in the Layers panel.
Do you offer refunds?
Because these are downloadable products, all sales are final and we are not able to offer refunds.
Terms of Use
These Actions are licensed for personal and professional use by the individual who purchased or downloaded them. The license does not extend to companies or partnerships, and the files may not be resold, loaned, gifted, shared, copied or redistributed. All PHLEARN Actions are copyright protected.
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