Ever notice how the edges of our photographs sometimes look a bit darker than the center?
 

That’s vignetting—a common occurrence that gets photographers wonderin’ what it is and what’s causin’ it, especially when it seems to show up out of nowhere.

Recently, a photographer in one of my classes asked about those shadowy edges.
 

A lot of the times one of the reasons for vignetting comes down to the relationship between our lens and our camera’s sensor size.
 

When the lens projects an image circle that’s just barely larger than the sensor, the edges of the sensor receive less light, causing that darkening effect.

Using a lens designed for a smaller sensor on a larger-sensor body exaggerates it even more.

Another reason for vignetting is lens hoods.
 

Lens hoods—while useful for keeping lens flare at bay and protecting our lens—can also cause vignetting if they’re too deep or not made for our lens’s focal length.
 

If we wanna avoid vignetting, we gotta have the right lens for our sensor, and the right hood for our lens.

Understanding why vignetting happens helps us decide when it’s a creative tool and when it’s a distraction.

And on top of learning to work our cameras in manual exposure mode, so we can understand photography and have complete control over our cameras to create the compositions we want, we can also talk about vignetting and other photography-related topics during the Photography Basics/Introduction To Photography class or while taking a series of private lessons.

However you choose to study and practice with me, I’ll help you become the best photographer you can be.

And if you’re not sure which class fits your needs, just ask—I’m always happy to help.

About Sam

Sam D'Amico, a professional photographer and photography instructor, helps anyone who wants to be a better photographer. 

He'll work with his students to increase their understanding of camera operation, composition, light, and lighting. 

Sam started working as a professional photographer in the mid-1980s.

Most notably, from 1992 to 1997, while working as a freelance photographer, he photographed over 500 assignments for the New York Times.

Additionally, Sam received awards for his work while exhibiting his photographs in shows. 

Sam began teaching photography professionally in 1998 through the Highland Park, N.J. recreation department. 

In 2002 Sam moved to Washington, D.C., and began teaching at the accredited Washington School of Photography in Bethesda, Md.

It was in 2003 that Sam developed his curriculum and started teaching classes in Washington, D.C. 

In 2018 and 2022, the Sam D'Amico Photography Classes were voted the "Best of DC" art class by the readers of the Washington City Paper. 

Many photography teachers spend a lot of time teaching about DSLRs and rules of composition that create homogenized, rigid photographs.

On the other hand, Sam teaches about camera operation, thought process, and the individual photographer's visual communication intent. 

This approach to teaching allows his students to use ANY camera (yes, even the camera on their phone) and break free of the rules of composition.

Approaching the creative process this way allows for fluid and spontaneous photographs unique to the photographer creating them.

Sam encourages his students to find their ways as photographers. 

He instills the skills in his students that result in creative, engaging, and unique compositions that reflect the photographer's intended one-of-a-kind visual expression.