[Irma]

I've been working all day in a picture, I need to get some contrast in a tree, (texture in the bark), I would normaly use burn tool to get my contrast as I like.

Problem, I have always had, the result looks spotted, the effects seems to me to be accumulative??, that burns and burns every time you pass the brush, it is not like painting, that makes the painting evenly even if you pass the mouse in the same area.... I work with 2% expsure so it is not so hard, and airbrush effect.

Is there any key I could hold to make it not accumulative? but just burn once and even I pass the mouse again it won't burn again, untill I release the mouse and press again?

Thanks so much for your help...

Irma.

[shuttertalk]

I've always wondered this myself - I did a google search but came up empty... but perhaps you could handle it in a few ways :-

- use a very low exposure value so the effect is light
- do the dodging/burning on a separate layer, and apply the effect "thickly" so that it goes to 100%; then change opacity of layer to desired level
- you can play around with the range (midtones, highlights, shadows) to get the area you want to affect...

Any other ideas?

[Keith Alan]

Irma, what I do is make a selection of the area needing burn/dodge using one of the lasso tools, then use a huge brush for the dodge/burn (bigger than the selected area) and pass it over the whole selection once.
Repeat as needed.

A wide feathering of the lasso making the selection helps smooth the edges of the effect.

As with all things photoshop, there are probably a dozen other ways to do this, I just don't know them.

[Irma]

I did it as Keith mentioned and my picture looks better, the effect looks more even...

Jules, there is a technique where you need a new layer fill with gray50% blend to overlay and the paint black to burn, white to dodge with a brush opacity 16% to start, it is great when you need to burn evenly big areas in your picture, but it is not so good as the B/D tool when you need fine detail.

Thanks Jules, Keith.

[Don Schaeffer]

I've not been using those tools. I tend to cut out a small area, darken it then repast it transparent.

[Irma]

I didn't know that post processing, Don. I will try it, because that also would give a very nice even effect...

Thanks

[Kombisaurus]

Hey Irma,

I tend to add a new "Curves" adjustment layer, then set the curve to be the darkest as the darkest part you want (or a bit darker), and then simply invert the mask for that layer and paint on it to let the curve affect slowly come through. Not only can you get fine detail this way but you can easily go back and change the curve to lighten/darken the whole effect, or change just the highlights a bit or shadows, etc. You can then apply a second Curve layer and do the same thing except brightening the image instead of darkening it.

Hope that makes sense. :/

[Irma]

Thanks Adrian for sharing your technique. I will do it step by step in PS and if I had any doubt I would ask you...

[Drewhound]

Irma, the reason it's accumulative is you're using the airbrush, turn that off and you'll just get the 2% on each pass

[Irma]

You are right Drewhound, I use the airbrush...
I have to try again, you know I really like a lot to enhance my pictures with this tool and I would love to do it well.

thanks a lot!!