Dodge & Burn Tool

Dodge & Burn tools are known as toning tools. They allow for fine control when lightening or darkening an image. The Dodge & Burn tool in Luminar Neo simulates traditional techniques photographers use in a darkroom to regulate the amount of light on a particular print area.

1. To Dodge and Burn, open the Dodge & Burn tool in the Professional tools section of the Edit panel.
2. Choose the Lighten or Darken tool in the top toolbar to select the desired brush.
3. Use the Brush Size slider to adjust your brush size to paint the desired area accurately. You can press the right and left bracket keys ([]) to adjust the brush size.
4. Use the Softness slider to blend your strokes gradually. This creates a transition between the effect and the original image. You can press the Shift + right/left bracket keys (Shift+[ and Shift+]) to adjust the brush’s hardness.
5. Use the Strength slider to control the impact of the brush stroke.
6. Click and paint on the canvas to dodge and burn.
   • If you make an accidental stroke, use the Erase tool to remove it.
   • Click the curved arrow next to the tool name to reset it if you need to start over.
7. Use the Overall Amount slider to refine the global intensity of the tool further and blend its effect with the original image.
8. Exit the Dodge & Burn tool to apply the adjustments.