Dodging

and
Burning
Photographic
Images

How are these two images different?

metered and exposed metered and exposed

for the house.
for the mountain.

How could we have the best of
both “worlds”?

 Dodging and Burning
Dodging and burning are photographic terms for a
technique used during the printing process to
manipulate the exposure (lightness and darkness)
of a photographic print.

Dodging

reduces the exposure for areas of the print that
the photographer wishes to be lighter.

Burning

gives extra exposure to areas of the print
that the photographer wishes to be darker.

So…How do we do it?

Burning

To burn-in a print, the

print is first given normal
exposure. Next, extra
exposure is given to only
the area or areas that need
to be darkened. A card or
other opaque object is
held between the enlarger
lens and the photo paper
in such a way as to allow
light to fall only on the
portion of the scene to be
darkened.

A print that notes
each and every
section that
Richard Avedon
intends to burn for
a final print.

Note the
difference in
times and
amounts!

Dodging

-A card or other opaque

object is held between 
the enlarger lens and the
photographic paper so as to
block light from only a
portion of the image
intended to be lightened. 
Why would a photographer want to alter their images
using dodging and burning?

Original Image
Dodged / Burned Image

 -Gives more creative
control over the final
image quality

-Creates stronger contrast

-Directs viewer focus

-Creates a wider sense of

space and depth

Dodged / Burned Image

 Ansel Adams elevated dodging and burning to an art form. Many of his famous
prints were manipulated in the darkroom with these two techniques. Can you tell
where these images were dodged or burned?

How about in this print?

 Assignment

•  You will choose two photographs that you
have taken during the year and you will
print both photos again without altering
them

•  You will burn one photo where you will
darken a particular area

•  You will dodge one photo where you will
lighten a particular area