Dodging

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Dodging is the term used in photography for a technique used during the printing process (using an enlarger) to lighten a specific portion of the print. For example, a photograph may contain unwanted shadows. Dodging can lighten the shadows which can allow more detail in the shadow region to show.

A card or other opaque object is held between the enlarger lens and the photographic paper in such a way as to block light from that portion of the scene to be lightened. The dodged area receives less light and, therefore, less exposure. Less exposure on photographic paper results in a lighter image.

Ansel Adams elevated burning and dodging to an art form. Many of his famous prints were manipulated in the darkroom with these two techniques. Adams wrote a comprehensive book on this very topic called The Print.

Many modern digital imaging programs such as Adobe Photoshop have added a "dodge" tool which has a similar effect on digital images.