Summary
Some embrace noise, some want to get rid of it.
What Is Noise in Photography?
Noise in photography is an ambient, unintentional signal the camera sensor receives.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
This ambient signal is present in all cameras and is even present in our eyes.
What Causes Noise in Photography?
Noise is always present; it’s just a matter of whether its visible or not.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
There are many sources of noise as well.
However, the best way to address noise is to understand the signal-to-noise ratio.
Think of the image signal equally to an audio signal.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
The red bars represent the noise, and the green bars represent the signal.
Heres another example of signal-to-noise ratio in an actual image.
These are zoomed in to make it easier to see the noise.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
Here are some techniques to apply it to your photography.
you’re free to then bring down the exposure in Lightroom or your photo editor of choice.
Exposure isnt limited toshutter speed, ISO, and aperture.
Dont be scared to raise your cameras ISO, however.
Every camera is different; some camera models have less noise at the same ISO levels as other cameras.
A tripod can help you achieve lower ISO shots since you might safely use longer shutter times.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
If you dont use Lightroom, check outhow to create HDR images in Photoshop with Camera RAW.
Take these three images above, for example.
However, they can be used in moderate amounts to improve an image.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
However, we dont suggest you make your purchasing decisions based on noise performance alone.
There are far more things to consider when choosing between acropped and a full-frame sensor.
When in the right hands, almost every camera has the potential to perform well and have minimal noise.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
Use this knowledge of signal-to-noise ratio to improve the clarity of your photos at your next photography session.
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
Image Credit: Jhet Borja
