Dodge and Burn Skin Retouching Mistakes to Avoid

Using dodge and burn to retouch skin is one of the best ways to achieve more realistic looking results. However, like any tool, its purpose can be misunderstood or it can be misused with negative consequences. Here are five mistakes to avoid.

In this video, Kayleigh June shares five mistakes that most retouchers have been guilty of at some point. As part of the learning process, making mistakes is OK and how everyone improves the quality of their work. Sometimes when starting out though, it can be hard to distinguish good and bad technique until one gains more experience and can pick up on the nuances between the two.

June's video takes a look at what these bad techniques look like, for example editing photos too zoomed in or going overboard with the dodge tool, and why they can create less than stellar retouched images. Previously, she has created a full-length skin retouching tutorial that shows how she uses dodge and burn that can be viewed below.

Do you use dodge and burn for skin retouching? What mistakes have you made in the past that others should look out for? Share your comments below.

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Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

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