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Photoshop technique: Dodge and burn

This video focuses on a Photoshop technique that many people seem interested in and that I’m often asked to talk about – pixel level dodge and burn.

This popular technique is used by many professionals. Dodging and burning preserves all the original texture, because we are not moving pixels around, we are only slightly lightening and darkening, and by doing this we create a smooth gradient and even tones.

A-M-P

A-M-P

Angela Perez is a fashion photographer and digital retoucher based in Boston, MA. Angela is also a professional instructor of Studio Lighting and Retouching, with four years of experience using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Check out angelaperez.portfoliobox.net to see additional work.

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  • Lexdiamond20

    Nice video. Why not use the dodge and burn buttons instead of the curve adjustment layers?

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

      The curves adjustment layers allow more control because you can adjust them independently.

      • Jim

        Also, the curves layers are non destructive to the image

      • Lexdiamond20

        Thanks

      • http://boblewisphoto.com/ Bob

        Another benefit is that with the adjustment layers you can make and remake your adjustments forever without damaging the original image. If you work on the image itself you are deteriorating it with each stroke of the brush. I think of it like sanding a piece of wood, you really cant put that material back after you remove it.

        • Bob

          I posted that too soon – What I said is just another way to say what Jim said below

  • FotoMark

    also you can do file>new layer or the short cut, shift
    +n, fill with soft light 18% grey then burn with black or dodge with white, use low opacity, 15/20%

    • FotoMark

      Oops shift+command+n= New layer or Ctrl+shift=N on PC

  • Maria

    this kind of videos makes every photoshop user think he’s a retoucher and if he has a camera he’s a photographer

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

      I’m not sure what you mean by this comment but I learned this technique straight from a Pro Retoucher.

    • http://boblewisphoto.com/ Bob

      I think that you are what you do. If you take a picture you are a photographer and so on. That said, everyone is at their own level and of course not everyone is at a professional level. You seem to be of the opinion that someone sharing a technique is a bad thing and I dont understand that.

  • ErasmRoterdam

    Thanks to this video I just started to get my feet wet on D&B !!!!

  • Milky

    Thank you, great tips and instruction!

  • Milky

    P.S. What baby? What TV? I couldn’t hear anything, I was listening intently…

  • CS Chong

    Thanks for the guide and effort in putting this up. Learned something new today! Appreciate it!
    —– Photoshop noob

  • Nsphoto

    Good video. Good introduction to burn and dodge, what it is for and how to do it. Thank you!

  • chris

    Thank you for the information I did learn something here keep it up and if no one ever passes on the secrets or techniques to others then at some point in time they will all disappear So thank you so much for the video and I look forward to watching more

  • Daeda1us

    Thank you for your time and patience with the negative comments. The video was informative and I appreciate the non-destructive approach to DnB. Good Work!

  • http://www.facebook.com/expressionsphotography Steve Chastain

    Very nice tech…thanks

  • Basilico Roberto

    nice video!

  • knphotographyla

    nice technique, thanks for sharing.
    didn’t mind the baby or tv noise at all.

  • Info

    thanks for taking the time to make these videos.
    Why do you select pen and one pixel width? Wouldn’t it be faster to use a brush ?

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

      I use a brush and the size of my brush increases and decreases depending on the area I’m working and the size of the photo. I use a tablet so it’s set to pen pressure. The size of my brush in this video was set to 20px and 5%opacity. I’m not sure where you saw pen and 1px?

      • Info

        Thanks Angela. I just friended you on FB. Jude Wardouza

  • Eddo

    Angela thank you very much for doing that. That seems much better than the d&b tools in Elements (which I think change the color of the pixels.) I wish I could apologize for the rude members in the community (assholes!), but it’s not my place. I deeply appreciate your work!

  • PJ

    LIKE :) Thx for sharing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/paul.lara Paul Lara

    Nice technique, Angela! Thank you for sharing this.

  • Cory

    Awesome, thanks Angela!

  • _daev

    Angela,
    Please ignore the anons with attitudes.
    I don’t see them posting links to their clips show how superior their American accents and production studios are, so their opinions do not matter.

    Sure, audio production values could be higher, but so what? You’re sharing good information for free that many would charge for, and you’re helping the community.
    I found the information both useful and presented well.
    Thanks!

    PS I’m also an audio engineer.
    If you’d like to cut down that background noise, just pick up a computer headset with a noise canceling mic.
    Drop me a line (MM#2285467) if you’d like to know more.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Eric-Chamberlain/1287160038 Eric Chamberlain

    Thanks for the info!!

  • Rlewis12d

    I trully appreciated the tips….thank you

  • Monte333

    Thanks for this! I already used some of this!

  • JD

    Excellent Angela!
    This is the same technique I use and the level of control you have with seperate curve adjustment layers offers tremendous flexability. Don’t worry about the negative comments, the people writing them have far too much free time and absolutely nothing to show for it- whereas your work is right there–published on the cover of magazines and also in a stunning portfolio of work. This video is straight to the point and shows how to perform a high level retouch in a very manner of fact approach- great job!

  • MM Edu

    Play the ball, not the player. We encourage reasoned discussion but do not tolerate personal attacks.

  • Angel Jack King

    Really solid stuff. I love the accent. While I did the baby, and TV, My focus was what you were doing on the screen. Haterz are the best cuz they are reversely expression how great you are.

  • angel jack king

    my focus was on* what you were…
    expressing*…
    I type too fast sometimes.

  • angel jack king

    i did hear* the baby
    lol wow no more coffee for me

  • Pumper253

    I enjoyed the video. Not all Americans are idiots.
    Keep up the good work.

  • Ur-itstudios

    wow now that was a nice little tutorial ty!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/RoseCityPhotography Hal Harrison

    Angela, I think you are great! Thank you so much!

  • Bradsphotography

    Thank you for sharing, it was a real help to watch this being done and in a very simple user friendly manner.

    If people have made negative comments about background noise or your accent then they really are not interrelated in learning but being stupid little children.

    I do hope you don’t allow those comments to stop you posting more videos.

  • Mikecrampton

    Loved the video-and so nice of you to make it !

  • Rsatusa

    Thank you so much for sharing this. More power to you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

    That TV is at the other end of my house my mic picks up every sound in the house. I can only make videos while I’m home and I have a family. I’m not getting paid to make these videos So i have to make them on my free time and unfortunately that is the same time that my family is home.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

    I’m making them for MM not for YouTube. If you want you can ask someone from YouTube to become a member of MM and submit theirs to make it easily accessible to our members. Or better yet how about you make your own and submit. Also you are free to not watch the video and go searching for what you want on Youtube.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

    Also for every negative comment on here, I receive 5 messages in return thanking me for making a video and sharing it here. They could go searching through hundreds of videos on Youtube or they can have easy access to it right here on MM.

  • Captnmike

    What is the point of you leaving comments on videos you don’t like? You did not order it, you did not pay for it, she does work for you, you don’t run MM, or YT. Your comments offer no help for her to make her videos better. Her video is about 1000 times better than your comment. In fact what is the point of your commenting youtube has millions better comments with better content.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Perez/1509220584 Angela Perez

    I apologize that my voice was annoying to you, I’m foreign and I have to slow down to pronounce certain words. I don’t know but I would think I was dealing with adults on MM but it never cease to amaze me that people post such inmature comments. But no wonder all the negative comments are post anonymously.

  • Junk

    You are a waste of space. Put a video of your own if you’re so awesome.

  • Eric

    Don’t let jerks get you down! Thank you for taking your time to show us your technique