dodgeandburn

Dodgeandburn is a photography term describing the practice of selectively lightening and darkening areas of an image to control brightness, contrast, and detail. The concept combines the traditional darkroom techniques of dodging (reducing exposure to lighten portions) and burning (increasing exposure to darken portions) to shape the final tonal balance. Historically, dodging and burning were performed on paper prints using shields, cards, or fingers to manipulate the light reaching the print during development.

In modern digital workflows, dodge and burn are implemented as local tonal adjustments using image-editing software. Photographers typically create non-destructive edits by applying adjustments on separate layers with masks, or by using curves, levels, or exposure brushes on a neutral 50% gray layer. Common digital methods include painting with a soft brush to brighten areas with white on a dodge layer or darken areas with black on a burn layer, often with reduced opacity to keep changes subtle. More advanced approaches employ selection-based techniques, luminosity masks, or blend modes (such as overlay or soft light) to achieve more natural results.

Applications include portrait retouching to sculpt features, landscape photography to recover detail in skies and shadows, architectural photography to emphasize form, and general image refinement to guide viewer focus. While dodge and burn can enhance depth and realism, excessive use can produce an artificial look. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with local exposure adjustments, though many practitioners reserve it for targeted tonal shaping.