Using the Dodge & Burn Technique for Professional Photoshop
What you'll learn
- How to perform a classic portrait edit workflow with professional Photoshop techniques
- Effective use of the Dodge & Burn technique to enhance any image
- Post production special effects: emulating Gel Lighting
- Best ways to work with confidence using Masks and Adjustment Layers
- How to work in a non-destructive way with the use of most powerful Photoshop tools
Requirements
- Ideally Photoshop CC, trial free version is more than enough
- No prior knowledge of Photoshop is necessary, I will explain all the techniques in a simple way
- We will work with high quality images provided as supplementary materials to help you move on even faster!
Description
Are you curious about what it takes to get flawless, striking but still natural-looking portraits? Expert photographers use the classic Dodge (lighten) and Burn (darken) technique in selected areas on an image to enhance the definition of their work and play creatively in light and shadow. Thanks to Photoshop, this creative process is easily accessible, allowing you to realize your unique vision to convey mood through dramatic composition and exposure. In this course you will take a deep dive into Dodging & Burning, as together we retouch a series of portraits so you can experience firsthand the artistic power of this modern take on a traditional technique.
Skills You Will Gain
Master Advanced Dodge & Burn
You will learn how to prepare your photo for the edit by enhancing definition and adding more depth and contrast with the Dodge & Burn technique — the "heart" of any efficient retouching effort. You’ll achieve subtle yet deep nuances in your work using this time-tested method.
Corrective Dodge & Burn
At the corrective stage, together we’ll work with large magnification and focus primarily on perfecting surfaces in the photos such as smoothing skin texture. The work takes precision and patience, but the results are well worth it: totally transformed, gorgeous images.
Contouring Dodge & Burn
The second stage of Dodge & Burn is contouring, which many photographers consider “the fun part.” During contouring, we will work with global enhancement of light and shadow in the image — the effect is increased contrast and a greater sense of depth and volume. There is a fine line between an enhanced, effective image and overdone, fake-looking final effect, and we’ll discuss how to achieve the former and avoid the latter.
Non-Destructive Workflow
Learn how to combine masks and adjustment layers to bring your artistic vision to life without compromising flexibility. You’ll be able to create fresh versions of one photo in no time, or revisit your artwork in the future to bring new ideas to life with just a handful of strategic adjustments.
Color Work Finish: Gel Lighting Effect
Add style to your image and get the artistic look by adding dramatic coloured effect inspired by theatre and cinematography. By introducing strong, flashy colors, we will create images with a twist — provocative, vibrant portraits, pulsating with energy. You will learn the complete color grading process with the Color Fill and Selective Color Adjustment Layers combined with Photoshop Masks to achieve an eye-grabbing effect.
Who this course is for:
- Take this course if you want to learn how to enhance your portraiture work in a professional way
- Take this course if you want to master Dodge & Burn technique
- Take this course if you want to learn in detail powerful and flexible Photoshop techniques to improve your photos
- Take this course if you are curious about color grading techniques behind striking portraits
- Take this course if you are an artist and would like to introduce digital techniques in your creative process
- Take this course if you want to develop artistic skills in fields of creative photo processing
- Take this course if you love photography!
Instructor
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 2,344 Reviews
- 82,632 Students
- 20 Courses
Like you, I’m an artist. I’m passionate about creating personal, meaningful and captivating artwork. I love the freedom of the medium, as it allows - and perhaps encourages - unexpected moments that are both surprising and delightful.
Your vision is unique, and my goal is to assist you on your path to realize your artistic dreams. It’s my mission to support and nourish your talent with the tools necessary to take your photography to the next level. Sharing my experience and helping you develop your visual language helps me evolve as a teacher and enriches me as a human being.
I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to interact with people all over the world who share the same passion as me. It’s honestly my greatest thrill and source of fulfillment to foster the growth and development of the DAC community of photographers.
MY CREDENTIALS
A born-and-raised Polish girl with a passion for artistic self-expression and adventure, I trained at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wroclaw, Poland and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in 2003. Photography has been my medium of choice for 20 years, starting in darkrooms and now, in the digital space. I am a featured photography skills teacher on several prominent online educational platforms and am thrilled that over 70,000 students from 183 countries around the world have joined my courses and developed their photography skills with me. It’s a great honor and delight to be engaged in this work — and it’s the best way I know of to make friends on all seven continents! As you can probably tell, I’m an obsessive learner who spends time watching, reading, photographing, editing, creating and selling educational courses.
Thank you for taking the time to visit. I’m happy we’re connected and I’m excited for the journey ahead.