Give Me Your Favorite Method Of Doging & Burn in PS

smoke665 · May 17, 2021

The flexibility of PS to do the same thing multiple different ways is confusing for many when it comes to choosing the right method for the image at hand. You can work destructively on the image itself with the D&B tools, or nondestructively with a 50% gray layer and D&B tools. You can add a 50% gray layer and use a white or black brush to D&B, or D&B with a curves layer and mask. Then you get into selections combined with D&B either manual, or frequency, the list of options available goes on and on.

Personally I prefer non-destructive but from there I might use any or all of the others, with curves adjustment layers and masks being the primary for global and localized.

How about others? What do you use, why?

ronlane · May 17, 2021

I use non-destructive and will make a stamped layer if I were just using the d&b brushes but most of the time, I either use a 50% grey layer and the d&b brushes or I use a curves layer for dodge and one for burn. Why? Good question, both work effectively and it basically depends on the mood I'm in. I have actions that I have gotten for free that make setting up easy.

smoke665 · May 17, 2021

ronlane said:
I use non-destructive and will make a stamped layer if I were just using the d&b brushes but most of the time, I either use a 50% grey layer and the d&b brushes or I use a curves layer for dodge and one for burn. Why? Good question, both work effectively and it basically depends on the mood I'm in. I have actions that I have gotten for free that make setting up easy.

Actually using a stamped layer is destructive if you consider that doing so locks in all the layers below. Any adjustments made to those lower layers after will not be reflected above the stamped layer.

I occasionally use D&B brushes on a 50% gray layer, but there seems to be more color/saturation shift the more you do. If it's a light D&B I'll sometimes do both on the same gray layer, with the Dodge brush active, and Alt key to switch to Burn. It's extremely fast, but theres no good way to adjust for color or saturation shift. You likely already know this, but for those that don't, when you use a 50% gray layer you don't need to select Highlights, Midtones, or Shadows, when using the D&B tools the gray layer makes that step irrelevant.

Separate curves layers set to luminosity and a clipped Hue/Saturation layer work extremely well, but take time to build up the effect. A curves layer combined with luminosity masks work well for global D&B. It also works well for working micro contrast if you intersect the highlights/shadows with themselves to create increasing levels of each.

Do you use a 50% gray layer set to color blend or a desaturated layer as guides when doing D&B?

I also utilize various actions to set up as much as possible. Over the years I've mostly accumulated custom actions. My technique seems to be in a constant state of flux, requiring occasional modification to actions as required.

Original katomi · May 17, 2021

I am probably doing it all wrong
However you asked
If I have the need to dodge and or burn I use layers
I just call up a new layer do a section of bodge or burn I then use the turn on off option on that layer to see if I am happy with the effect
Then I will call up a new layer
Repeat as needed with a save as version a,b,c, a1 ,,,z2 ect
Ok lots of layers, but I can always go back a stage or three-if I much thing up
Ok I know there are probably better ways but that my method

Ysarex · May 17, 2021

I used to use mostly blending modes and layer masks to do that type of work. I never used the burn/dodge tool for any reason.

smoke665 · May 17, 2021

Ysarex said:
I used to use mostly blending modes and layer masks to do that type of work. I never used the burn/dodge tool for any reason.

Did you use a desaturated layer or a 50% gray layer set to Color Blend as guides when dodging and burning?

Ysarex · May 17, 2021

smoke665 said:
Did you use a desaturated layer or a 50% gray layer set to Color Blend as guides when dodging and burning?

All depends on the desired result -- most often a duplicate of the layer being altered and then control for saturation changes etc,, for example one option is to use a Lab L layer.

Original katomi · May 17, 2021

Ok stupid question
What is the icon.. blue and round must be a new one
Ok don’t worry just found out.
Thanks Smoke

smoke665 · May 17, 2021

Original katomi said:
Ok stupid question
What is the icon.. blue and round must be a new one
Ok don’t worry just found out.
Thanks Smoke

Okay.....you're welcome......I don't have a clue what you just said. LOL

weepete · May 17, 2021

I'll do general ones with layer masks and photography tools, sometimes luminance masking but I'll do a finer, seperate dodge and burn layers using the 50% grey layer at the end most of the time if I'm in photoshop.

Now range masking is avalible in lightroom I use that most of all

oldhippy · May 17, 2021

I use a copy from LR. If I make a mistake in PS I can go back several steps, or get a new copy from LR and start over. Not a fan of layers.

JBPhotog · May 17, 2021

I never use the D&B tools as they are destructive. Always on a separate layer mostly with curves or levels which allows for blend mode adjustments and layer masks. Luminosity masks are sometimes used in combination but inevitably my Wacom tablet does the fine detail work.

If saturation or lack of it is an issue, a clipping layer can be added to that D&B layer.

Ysarex · May 17, 2021

smoke665 said:
The flexibility of PS to do the same thing multiple different ways is confusing for many when it comes to choosing the right method for the image at hand. You can work destructively on the image itself with the D&B tools, or nondestructively with a 50% gray layer and D&B tools. You can add a 50% gray layer and use a white or black brush to D&B, or D&B with a curves layer and mask. Then you get into selections combined with D&B either manual, or frequency, the list of options available goes on and on.

Personally I prefer non-destructive but from there I might use any or all of the others, with curves adjustment layers and masks being the primary for global and localized.

How about others? What do you use, why?

I told everyone a couple months ago that I finally removed Adobe CC from my computers since the prospect that I'll end up back in the classroom is looking pretty slim. I did go ahead and re-install an old copy of CS6 I still have just in case I need something. So here's an example of what I would typically do. Using smart objects and avoiding any clone/heal work this edit is 100% raw-workflow non-destructive and non-linearly re-editable. (I'm a raving lunatic about that). No other raster editor can do that as far as I know.