What is dodge and burn retouching?

The technique of Dodging and Burning, where one selectively adjusts the exposure on various areas of a film is as old as photography itself.

When to use dodge and burn?

The Dodge tool and the Burn tool lighten or darken areas of the image. These tools are based on a traditional darkroom technique for regulating exposure on specific areas of a print. Photographers hold back light to lighten an area on the print (dodging) or increase the exposure to darken areas on a print (burning).

Is dodge and burn better than frequency separation?

The pros really just do dodge and burn so you maintain skin texture much better. Frequency Separation would be more for problematic areas like creases in armpits or necks come to mind. It’s sometimes called “Texture Grafting,” and you can find tutorials on it by searching for that.

Why is it called dodge and burn?

The term originates in the photographers dark-room, and sadly I am old enough to have literally “dodged and burned” photos under the enlarger! An “enlarger” is simply understood as a projector. It beams light through a negative and onto photographic paper.

What is the function of burn tool?

Burn is a tool for people who genuinely want to create art with their photos. It allows you to create intense variety in a photo by darkening certain aspects, which serves to highlight others.

What is the difference between Dodge and Burn tool?

The main difference between the two tools is that dodge tool is used to make an image appear lighter whereas Burn Tool is used to make an image appear darker. While holding back the exposure (dodging) makes an image lighter, increasing the exposure (burning) makes an image appear darker.

Is dodge and burn necessary?

This is where dodging and burning are very important. By brightening or darkening part of an image, you draw attention toward it or away from it. They’ll “dodge” other areas, like people’s faces or eyes, as well as foreground subjects in a landscape that are meant to draw a viewer’s eye.

Is frequency separation necessary?

The high and low frequencies in your image are on separate layers. Don’t worry if your image doesn’t look any different. Frequency separation lays the foundation for your skin retouching. When you want to change details in the skin’s texture like wrinkles, or pores, retouch on the “Texture” layer.