The overall Density of a Black and White Photos may appear to be
normal except some areas seem to be to light or dark.
Dodging and burning in are two methods of giving different exposures
to different parts of a print.
If an area is too dark, Dodging is called for. That area of the
Print is simply shadowed during part of the initial exposure time.
A dodging tool is useful: it is simply a piece of card board
attached to the end of wire. Your hand or a finger, a piece of card-
board or any other object can be used. Dodging is effective when details
in the shadow areas of the negative image. Dodging of areas that lack
details or texture too long a time produces a murky gray tone in the
Print.
Burning in is the opposite procedure, often used when part of the
black and white print is too light. After the entire negative has
received exposure that is correct for most areas, the light is
blocked from most of the Print while the area that is too light
receives extra exposure. A large piece of card board that can be
cut to an appropriate shape or size. Your hands can be used, cupping
or spreading yours fingers out so that light reaches the paper only
where you want it to.
Some areas may need to be darken, you can flash these areas with
a small penlight flashlight. unlike burning in, which darkens the
image, flashing fogs the paper: it adds a solid gray or black tone.
There a other light sources that you can use. A cone around the end
of a penlight works very well in texture and detail areas of the
Print. You can devise your on Techniques on what works best for
you.
Whether you are dodging, burning in or flashing, it is important
to keep your dodging or burning tool, your hands or penlight in
constant motion from side to side so that tones of the affected
area blend into the rest of the Print.
This process of dodging and burning in is a part of "Zone 1",
(zone A,zone B). I used "Zone 1" to manipulate my tones in the final
Print. I usual range in my Black and White Photos, zone III to zone
VIII. In "Zone 2" when I apply my Hand Tints the colors seem to
levitate. My " 2 Zone Technique " allows me freedom that no computer
in the World can duplicate. When Zone 2 harmonizes with Zone 1 the
Prints surpass any computer generated Print. I become a conductor in
the visual world of Hand Tinted Photo Art. The music is universal and
soothing to ones eye. I love creating works of Art where the spoken
word becomes obsolete. Sight is the only unspoken language that exist.