Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Using the Dodge and Burn Tools
In older versions of Photoshop, when we wanted to dodge and burn, we had to jump
through a bunch of hoops (creating special layers, and using blend modes and such), be-
cause the Dodge and Burn tools were...well...let's just say they weren't the best (and that's
being kind). Luckily, back in Photoshop CS5, Adobe updated these tools, which totally
fixed the problem, and now it's safe to use the Dodge and Burn tools for lightening and
darkening different parts of your image.
Step One:
Before we dig into this, I just want to you let you know up front that I would normally
do my dodging and burning inside Camera Raw using the Adjustment Brush (and do the
lightening and darkening using only the Exposure slider). However, if you're already in
Photoshop and don't want to go back to Camera Raw, then here's how you'd do it: In the
photo shown here, our light is kind of out of balance. The thing I want people drawn to is
the mossy rock in the foreground, but the brightest thing in the photo (the thing that draws
your eye) is the sky and sunlit trees, which is where I don't want the viewer looking. In
fact, almost the entire foreground is in shadow, so first, we're going to dodge (lighten) the
rock and a little of the hillside. Then, we're going to burn (darken) the sunlit trees further
up the hill and the sky. Basically, we're just going to rearrange how the light is falling on
our photo. Now, I don't use the Dodge and Burn tools directly on the original photo. In-
stead, press
Command-J (PC: Ctrl-J)
to duplicate the Background layer. That way, if we
