What process adds light to an underexposed area in photos?

The correct process for adding light to an underexposed area in photos is dodging. Dodging is a darkroom technique used to selectively lighten areas of a photograph during the printing process. This involves reducing the exposure time for specific regions of the image, allowing those areas to receive more light and become brighter, effectively correcting any underexposure. Dodging can be done digitally as well, using software tools that allow you to adjust the brightness of specific areas of an image.

In contrast, the other processes do not relate to adding light to underexposed areas. Burning, for instance, is the opposite of dodging; it involves darkening specific areas of a photo. Filtering generally refers to the use of physical or software filters to enhance or alter color and contrast but does not specifically address exposure correction. Blending is often used in compositing images together rather than adjusting exposure levels. Thus, dodging is the appropriate method to address underexposure effectively.