First of all, what is grain? “In digital photographs, “noise” is the commonly-used term to describe visual distortion. It looks similar to grain found in film photographs, but can also look like splotches of discoloration when it’s really bad, and can ruin a photograph.” (Adorama) Grain is not always bad when added properly and artistically, but it can also significantly decrease the quality of a photo!
Underexposing in Camera
The worst type of grain occurs when underexposing in camera and trying to recover in Lightroom. Set your camera to Auto, Aperture or manually adjust your Exposure Triangle to make sure you are shooting proper exposure for skin tones in camera. Do not rely on post-processing for FIXING pictures, especially with things you can easily fix by shooting properly. It should be used to ENHANCE photos only.
- Expose for subject’s skin
- Don’t bring back Exposure more than +1
- Boost ISO before Underexposing in Camera!!
Sensor Size
Your camera model, and sensor size will also play a big role in the amount of grain in your photo. ISO 800 will barely show any grain on my Mark iii, but if you bumped your ISO that high on a Canon Rebel you will surely notice the grain. The worst cameras for grain are entry level cameras, and the best are full frame professional cameras .Each upgrade in between will improve your low light capabilities.
ISO
For the least amount of noise, use ISO 100. As you get into darker venues or in-homes, you’ll need to raise your ISO. The higher your ISO, the more noise/grain you’ll have in your image. To me it’s more important to have a fast shutter speed, than to avoid grain. Embrace it. Know your cameras limits. Let in light with artificial light or window light to avoid having to go too high.
Add Grain in your Preset
A LOT of presets on the market include added grain. It is the style and trend right now to ADD grain into your photo even if it’s shot with proper settings and a full frame camera. It’s considered artsy. This is not bad, but it may not be what you want. In Lightroom go down in the Develop Module to Grain (under the Effects section) and make sure your grain is under 10. If you prefer to keep grain out of your preset you can re-save the preset without the grain by hovering over the preset, right click and choose “Update with Current Settings.”
How to Avoid Grainy Pictures
Kylee started Kylee Ann Photography 9 years ago, and has since grown from a one woman amateur show to a full associate team. We shoot 50-75 weddings a year, and thrive on kindness and service. After a year of teaching Intro to Photography at the local technical college, she discovered that helping other entrepreneurs create thriving businesses is what fires her up! She hosts semi-annual Kylee Ann Sleepovers all over the US, speak at conferences and teach online courses about running a small business and marketing.
December 14, 2017
Kylee Maughan