digital - How do you use dodge and burn in post-process to enhance a photograph?

How do you use dodge and burn in post-process to enhance a photograph?

In lightroom, I've used dodge only to dial back some of the more drastic global settings in specific areas, but that's really it.

I'm curious what techniques are out there (tutorials or otherwise) on using dodge and burn.

Answer

Dodge and Burn normally applies when you want to change the relative exposure of part of an image.

In Lightroom you can do this with an adjustment brush that you set to change the exposure or brightness (there is a difference)

In Photoshop and GIMP there are specific tools for Dodge and Burn that you can also use like a paintbrush. For example you may be happy with the general exposure of an image but may just want to burn (darken) the edge of a cloud or dodge (lighten) someone's eyes to make them "pop".

Here is a Photoshop tutorial on the technique