Dodge and burn
your photos
Work non-destructively with tone using these simple tools
There are so many techniques for making your images pop.
Different photo editors use different skills to try and get their images
sharp, contrasted and bright, but two of the most popular tools for
finishing off your photos are Dodge and Burn.
Polar opposites but used in conjunction with one another, Dodge
and Burn are two of the oldest features, but are still popular for their
command of tone and brightness. They can be applied to any image
to improve the light and shade in your photos. They’re extremely
similar to brushes: think of them as being brushes that apply blend
modes to your work rather than colour. Namely, Color Burn in the
case of Burn, and Screen in the case of Dodge.While you can apply the Dodge and Burn tools to any image, the
absolute best way to apply them is to do so non-destructively. By
making your edits on a new layer, you can use them almost like an
adjustment layer, enabling yourself to edit them again if needed,
reduce the opacity, or delete them completely. Editing non-
destructively is the most organised way to work, for these reasons,
but also so that you can view each of your edits as layers, and stay
on top of your workflow.
Dodge and Burn might not be fancy new tools added in the latest
few versions of Elements, but they’re solid, reliable and capable of
improving your photos to various degrees.Tool focus...
What
does it mean?
Screen anD Multiply – These are
two of the most used blend modes.
The Screen mode will reflect pixels
to create something lighter, while
Multiply will do the opposite and
literally multiply the pixels of two
layers together. This makes
them both great for working
with light and shade.elements
On the FileSilo
Download your free
resources at http://www.filesilo.
co.uk/photoshopcreativeADJUST YOUR IMAGE
Always use the Levels,
Brightness/Contrast and
Gradient Map adjustments
to harmonise the tone and
colour of your images.Start
image