Shutter…Evolve

Photography Tutorials

Dodge and Burn UXP


Do you have a specific question about using Raya Pro?

Click here for the How To Use question and answering page


How To Use the Dodge and Burn Panel in Raya Pro

Raya Pro Tutorial - Dodge and Burn

Video Contents

  • 0:34 – Tooltips
  • 0:50 – Dodge & Burn Functions
  • 1:02 – Highlights
  • 2:25 – Burning Highlights
  • 2:50 – Midtones
  • 3:29 – Overlay/Soft light/Vivd Light
  • 3:56 – Shadows (Dodging)
  • 4:42 – Merging Layers
  • 4:52 – 50% Grey
  • 5:15 – Curves
  • 5:38 – Dodge, Burn, Sponge
  • 6:03 – Adding Warmth to Highlights
  • 7:25 – Adding Detail
  • 8:06 – Glow Free
  • 9:00 – Zone Contrast
  • 9:40 – More Features
  • 10:32 – Orton Effect


Written Instructions for the Dodge and Burn Panel

This panel gives us plenty of options to enhance the contrast in our images.

  • Highlights, Midtones and Shadows: Each creates a new blank layer, and adds a mask that targets a specific tone. To use this, select the layer it creates (not the mask) and then a white (to dodge) or black (to burn) brush. Paint directly onto the layer to dodge and burn. The mask will restrict where this takes place: Highlights, Mdtones, Shadows. Change the Blend Mode of the layer to Soft light or Overlay, depending on the effect you want. And lower the opacity of the layer to weaken the effect.
  • Merge: this merges all of our layers non-destructively. Then we can select Dodge or Burn and paint directly onto the merged layer.
  • 50% Grey: Is a non-destructive way of dodging and burning and works the same way as the Highlights, Midtones and Shadows buttons, using a white or black brush.
  • Curves: Creates a gentle S-Curve with a black mask that we can paint in.
  • Sponge: Selects the sponge tool and lets us desaturate any parts of our image that have become oversaturated when using the Dodge and Burn buttons. Personally, I find it better to change the Blend Mode of the Merged layer to Luminosity if the colours are too strong.
  • Brush: Selects the brush tool.
  • Sm: Small Brush.
  • La: Large Brush.
  • +: Make brush larger.
  • -: Make brush smaller.
  • Colours beneath brush buttons: Select these to change our foreground colour to the corresponding colour.
  • Detail Shads/Detail Lights: Add detail specifically to the darker or lighter parts of the image. Personally I prefer the Detail Enhancer in the Filters/Finish panel.
  • Glow Free: This is a cool way to add a gentle glow to you scene. See how you can do that here: https://youtu.be/nBiB5tP–h0?t=383
  • Zone Contrast: This creates 6 layers, each one targeting a different tonal range. All of these layers are Curves layers. Essentially, we can make very specific contrast adjustments based on tonal range. Let’s say our shadows are a little dark. In the Zone Contrast group there are two Shadows layers. Choose one and raise the curve up. This will brighten your shadows without affecting midtones or highlights.
  • S-Curve: Creates a standard S-Curve contrast adjustment.
  • Dark Sky: This darkens brighter tones, and also deepens the colour within those tones.
  • Bright Highlights: Adds extra brightness to the brightest part of the image.
  • Lighten Shadows: Automatically recovers shadows if they are getting too dark.
  • Protect Shadows: Places a Darks mask on a Levels layer so that you can manually recover the shadows.
  • Fake HDR: This both recovers highlights and shadows.
  • Orton Effects: All four of these add a dreamy Orton effect to your image. Don’t forget to lower the opacity of the layer if it looks to strange.

Premium Courses

lms-course

“Literally the best digital download ever! I’ve followed Jimmy’s advice and techniques for a while now and thought this course would teach me nothing that I hadn’t already learnt from him but I was wrong. This course really goes into the finer details about both planning and processing” By Lee McDonnell

lms-course

“Jimmy is a great teacher, this latest tutorial is a must and highly recommended. Jimmy makes you feel at ease and takes you on his creative journey. Found myself doing a few ahaa moments learning new things and seeing different perspectives. Great work Jimmy” by Mike McDonald

Exposure Blend Like an Expert Course

$44.99 USD


Art of Photography

$69.99 USD


Jimmy’s Big 5 Photos Course

$69.99 USD

Scroll to top