Dodging and burning isn’t just about lightening or darkening areas in your photos. It’s a technique that can add depth and shape, transforming a flat portrait into one with dimension and life. This process allows you to guide the viewer’s attention and refine the story your image tells.
Coming to you from Glyn Dewis, this detailed video focuses on a methodical approach to dodging and burning in Lightroom. Dewis explains how he shifted from using Photoshop’s gray layers and blend modes to Lightroom’s masking tools for greater control. The video emphasizes using a specific dodge brush setup: feather set to 100, flow at 20%, and exposure increased by one stop. This setup gives you the ability to layer strokes gradually, allowing for precise adjustments. Dewis demonstrates enhancing highlights on areas like the eyes, nose, and forehead, making subtle changes that create a noticeable impact.
This method offers a level of flexibility that many find easier than traditional Photoshop techniques. You can adjust the exposure of your edits in real time, reducing the risk of overdoing it. Dewis also highlights the importance of keeping edits natural, using a combination of zoomed-in precision and a broader view to assess the impact of your adjustments.
Dodging alone isn’t enough to create depth. Dewis introduces the burn brush as a counterpart to emphasize shadows. He uses similar settings—feather at 100 and flow at 20—but decreases the exposure by one stop. Adding subtle shadows next to highlighted areas creates contrast, giving the portrait a three-dimensional quality. Dewis points out that this interplay of light and shadow mimics natural contours, enhancing the illusion of shape and structure in the image.
He also demonstrates how to use this method to refine smaller details, like the hands or the texture of a beard. By layering brush strokes, you can build dimension gradually without overdoing it. Adjustments to the eyes include enhancing the iris and softening the shadows around the eyelid, making them stand out without looking artificial.
The video also touches on how this approach works in different areas of the image, such as shaping highlights on the face or creating subtle texture in clothing or props. Dewis stresses the importance of restraint, noting that it’s easy to take these adjustments too far. Reviewing before-and-after versions of your work frequently helps maintain balance. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Dewis.
