Dodging and burning is a classic darkroom technique that enables you to pinpoint areas of an image and either lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) the exposure. For portraits, dodging and burning in Photoshop can help you fix tonal inconsistencies in skin tones.

While it sounds relatively straightforward, dodging and burning can be a bit tricky because the approach will vary image by image. Photographer Chris Knight, who offers an in-depth dodging and burning tutorial below, says it took him about 10 images to really get comfortable working with the dodge and burn tool. But once you do, it can be a powerful weapon in your retouching arsenal.

According to Knight, while you can use your mouse for this, it’s “infinitely easier” to use a stylus and editing tablet.

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Via: ISO 1200