Dodging and burning in Photoshop is a powerful technique that enhances your images by adjusting the brightness and darkness of specific areas. This method enables you to lighten highlights and deepen shadows, creating a more dynamic composition.
By applying a High Pass filter, you can separate highlights and shadows from midtones, which is essential for achieving an effective dodging and burning effect. Once you have this separation, using a blending mode like "soft light" helps blend your adjustments seamlessly with your original image.
The final step involves utilizing a layer mask, allowing you to control the visibility of your adjustments precisely. This approach gives you the flexibility to enhance your images while maintaining a natural look, making it an invaluable technique for photographers and editors alike.