How to Perform Dodge and Burn
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 4:10 am
Dodge and Burn is a classic photo editing technique used to selectively lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) areas of an image to enhance contrast, depth, and details. This method is widely used in portrait retouching, product photography, and creative edits to emphasize highlights or shadows and sculpt features naturally. Below is a simple guide to performing Dodge and Burn in Photoshop, which is the most common tool for this technique.
Step 1: Set Up Non-Destructive Layers
The best practice for Dodge and Burn is working non-destructively to preserve your original image. Create a new layer by pressing Shift + Ctrl + N (or Shift + Command + N on Mac), then set the blending mode to Overlay or Soft Light and fill it with 50% gray. This layer allows you to lighten or darken areas without permanently altering the image pixels.
Step 2: Select the Dodge and Burn Tools or Use Brushes
You can use Photoshop’s built-in Dodge Tool (for brightening) and Burn clipping path service Tool (for darkening), but many professionals prefer using a soft round brush set to low opacity (5-10%) with white for dodging and black for burning on the 50% gray layer. Zoom into the image and carefully paint over areas you want to adjust. Highlights like cheekbones, forehead, or product edges are often dodged, while shadows under the jawline or around objects are burned to create depth.
Step 3: Blend and Refine the Effect
After applying Dodge and Burn, adjust the opacity of the gray layer to control the intensity of the effect. Use a soft eraser or mask to remove unwanted adjustments if necessary. The key is subtlety—excessive Dodge and Burn can make images look unrealistic. Regularly zoom out to assess the overall balance and make sure the edits enhance rather than overpower the photo.
Step 1: Set Up Non-Destructive Layers
The best practice for Dodge and Burn is working non-destructively to preserve your original image. Create a new layer by pressing Shift + Ctrl + N (or Shift + Command + N on Mac), then set the blending mode to Overlay or Soft Light and fill it with 50% gray. This layer allows you to lighten or darken areas without permanently altering the image pixels.
Step 2: Select the Dodge and Burn Tools or Use Brushes
You can use Photoshop’s built-in Dodge Tool (for brightening) and Burn clipping path service Tool (for darkening), but many professionals prefer using a soft round brush set to low opacity (5-10%) with white for dodging and black for burning on the 50% gray layer. Zoom into the image and carefully paint over areas you want to adjust. Highlights like cheekbones, forehead, or product edges are often dodged, while shadows under the jawline or around objects are burned to create depth.
Step 3: Blend and Refine the Effect
After applying Dodge and Burn, adjust the opacity of the gray layer to control the intensity of the effect. Use a soft eraser or mask to remove unwanted adjustments if necessary. The key is subtlety—excessive Dodge and Burn can make images look unrealistic. Regularly zoom out to assess the overall balance and make sure the edits enhance rather than overpower the photo.