spotlight effect

[jen0dorf]

Hi

the attached image shows an image I took at a wedding of the "first dance"

The couple are dancing under the spotlight and I want to put a highlight on her arm around his neck as if the lights were abit brighter. Tried in ACR and in photoshop but can't get it to look Ok. I have resized the image as it was taken on a 12mp camera

Can someone give me a hint

thanks

Ian

[LonK]

Hi Ian. Did you try simply using the Dodge Tool (set to highlights) to brighten the arm?

[jen0dorf]

Hi Lonnie

senior moment ;-) looking for a complicated solution and forgot the dodge tool

thanks

Ian

[kinetica]

Can anybody tell me why it is called the "dodge" tool? "Burn" is a little more understandable, but where did "Dodge" come from?

Well done jen0dorf on a beautiful photograph and also LonK on providing the solution so quickly.

[Soquili]

Hi David,

Many of the tools and techniques used in photo editing software get their names from film and paper print techniques.

In the darkroom a person would use a large piece of paper with a hole to allow light from an enlarge through to 'burn' in an area for more exposure while moving the paper so the light was distributed evenly over the area. This was to bring out more detail in an area that was underexposed by shadows.

A piece of wire with a circular piece of paper attached was used to 'dodge' or reduce the amount of exposure on an area. The wire/paper combination would be rapidly moved back and forth to block some of the light from the enlarger but not totaly block the light.

Getting a well balanced print took some guess work and practice.

[Mike Bailey]

I use layers and the layer mask to adjust a part of the image.

[jen0dorf]

Hi

I planned the photo, trouble is as ususal what I planned and saw through the viewfinder didn't quite appear on the final image.

Photoshop to the rescue;-)

thanks one and all

Ian

[LonK]

Bill, while your explanation of the origin of the terms "dodge" and "burn" was essentially correct, your example was misleading. Generally, when working with negative enlargement (and now with modern digital editing software) with underexposed shadows (i.e. areas that would print too dark), one would dodge to reveal more detail. Similarly, one would burn bright, overexposed areas for more detail. In other words, dodge to lighten, burn (aka "burn in") to darken. Just thought that should be clarified...

Incidently, the icons (e.g. in Photoshop) used for these tools also symbolize those origins. The dodge tool icon that looks like a black magnifying glass, is like a black wrapped round wire loop tool you alluded to, held in the enlarger beam to block out areas to be dodged. I used to make mine with bent hangar wire and black electrical tape. The burn tool icon is a hand formed in a circle, which was also held in the enlarger beam, the hole allowing you to direct more exposure to needed areas. This tool was literally "on hand" and quicker than cutting a hole in some black construction paper.

And yes, these were definitely hit and miss, often frustrating, operations since you wouldn't see the results 'til after the print was processed.

[Soquili]

Thanks Lonnie for clarify my mistakes. I think my recent head injury has me still confused.

Removing dead limbs from the trees around my house is not something I should have been doing alone.