Fans of our Facebook Page heard the news that there would be no Beyond Megapixels article last Friday because my husband and I were in the process of rescuing a dog from our County animal shelter. While I don’t intend to turn this site into a forum for Public Service Announcements, I would encourage everyone who is considering a new pet to adopt from their local shelter, Humane Society, or animal rescue group. Our little girl Bailey was considered “unadoptable” because she was so frightened of the shelter environment that she didn’t display the usual friendly, tail-wagging socialization they consider imperative during their evaluation. So, she was put on the list to be euthanized. Due to the wonderful efforts of Arizona’s New Hope and the Friends of Arizona’s Shelter Animals, Bailey was given a second chance and is now a permanent member of our household.

She seems pretty happy, wouldn’t you agree?

And our Miniature Pinscher, Gadget, is ecstatic to have a new friend!

While I was in our back yard trying to take pictures of the dogs, I thought the subject would make a good article. I’m talking about my dogs here, but the principles can be applied to any pets.

Use a long lens. Like any other portrait, the subject tends to look better when shot from a distance with a telephoto lens. Plus, I found it was a little hard to photograph these characters since they were usually stuck to my side. So, I used my telephoto lens and tossed a ball out into the yard to get them at a distance from me. If you don’t happen to be in a place where you can let your dogs run free, have someone hold the leash for you and walk a distance away. Compose so that only the animal is in the frame.

Use continuous shooting mode for action shots. My dogs NEVER stand (or sit) still. In order to get one shot out of twenty that I considered to be “good”, I kept my camera on continuous shooting mode.

Use continuous auto-focus mode too. For dogs that are REALLY on the go, use the AI Servo auto-focus mode (Canon) or Continuous Servo AF (Nikon). Your camera’s auto-focus will continue to adjust for the moving subject, making your chances greater for a focused shot.

Keep a damp cloth handy. After throwing the ball a few times, it got to be rather slobbery. I didn’t want to handle my camera with slobbery hands, so I kept a damp cloth handy to wipe my hands on.

Catch them at their goofy moments. Yawning, scratching an itch, doing that little bow-wiggle thing they do when they want to play. Not every photo needs to be a head shot for the Westminster Kennel Club.

Get in close. Again, just like portraits of people, you don’t have to get the whole dog in the frame. Focus in on noses, eyes, ears, paws.

Shoot at their level. Get down on the ground and photograph your pet at their eye level. This was hard for me to accomplish since every time I knelt down and aimed my camera, they came charging toward me. So, try this one after they’ve been racing around for a while and are ready to sit still for a bit.

Sometimes the bad shots are actually good shots. Some shots that are composed a bit off or are a bit blurry are actually great shots for portraying action (chaos!) and mood. So take a closer look at the shots that you may ordinarily discard.

We would absolutely LOVE to see photos that you have taken of your pets!! Please share them with us on our Facebook Page.

All photos copyright Tiffany Joyce.

Related posts:

1. 5 Simple Tips for Pet Photography
2. Photography 101 – Exposure Bracketing
3. Macro Photography 101

I work about sixty hours a week (between my “day” job and my freelance work). My schoolwork (yes, back to school I go!) occupies about 10 hours a week. I absolutely INSIST on at least 8 hours of sleep every night, so that’s 56 hours. Throw in another three hours a day for things like, OH, having a conversation with my husband, petting my dog, doing the dishes, and the like, and that’s 21 more hours.

There are only 168 hours in a week. I just accounted for 147 of them. (And I just made myself tired!)

Life is all about prioritizing the things that are the most important to us. You would think, looking at that schedule up there, that work is the most important thing in my life. But it isn’t. It isn’t even second, or third, or fifth. Work is just the necessary means I have to support my family. Some of the work I really enjoy, some of it I find tedious. I’m ever so slowly moving in a direction that will allow my freelance work to be my only work, which will exponentially increase the availability and quality of my free time. Until then I have to very carefully manage my life in order to keep on top of everything.

I keep reminding myself, “It’s good to have goals.”

So, how do I prioritize my photography – my creativity – into such a busy life? I MAKE IT HAPPEN. I’ve arranged my schedule in such a way that I have all day every Saturday to completely turn off my working brain, and switch on my creative brain. Unless I absolutely make time for photography and fun, I’ve discovered that I’ll work all the time. For the first few minutes when I wake up on Saturday I might stress about the mountain of tasks I know are awaiting me, but soon I’m able to luxuriate in a day spent making my spirit happy. Usually my husband and I take a day trip in our Jeep, and explore the many off-road trails that Arizona has to offer. That has the added benefit of getting me out of the house, away from the computer, and beyond the temptation to get some work done. Plus I end up in some pretty stunning places, which is a great source of photographic inspiration.

I had no idea how refreshing it is, how energizing it is for the days ahead, to purposefully make time every week for play.

Now that I have this time carved out for photography, I know that I have VERY little time to be messing around in post-processing. As a result, I actually feel like my photography is getting better. I’m more discerning when I take a picture. I take more time to get it right in the camera, so I’ll have to spend less time in Lightroom or Photoshop. I’m better at narrowing down my “best” photos – the ones I want to spend time on and share with my friends – instead of having to touch every single image.

In between shots I breathe deep and just enjoy the moment.

My point is, you have to make time for the things you love. If photography is your passion but there’s dust on your camera, try carving out just an hour or two per week at first. Remind yourself what it feels like to have that camera in your hand, and of the satisfaction you feel when you exercise your skills and knowledge to produce a beautiful photograph. Start carrying your camera around with you wherever you go, and see how that spurs your motivation and inspiration. Get out of the house, away from your day-in-day-out environment, and for heaven’s sake UNPLUG for a while!

You’ll find yourself a lot happier, and living a life that is much more balanced, when you make time to pursue your passion.

How do you prioritize photography in your life? What kind of schedule-juggling do you find necessary in order to make time for play? How has your life been enriched as a result? We’d love to hear about it in the comments or on our Facebook Page!

Photos copyright Tiffany Joyce – (Top) Me on the East Verde River Trail in Payson, Arizona. Shot was taken by my husband. (Middle) A windmill near the fascinatingly-named “Doll Baby Ranch” in Payson, Arizona. (Bottom) Our picnic spot along the East Verde River Trail in Payson, Arizona. Click on each photo to see a larger version.

Related posts:

1. Photography Challenge: Personal Expressions
2. Going Pro – How to Prioritize Gear Purchases
3. Advanced Tips for Better Photography

The debate on whether to import and post-process files as RAW or as DNG (Digital Negative) is almost as heated – and opinionated – as whether to shoot with Canon or Nikon. The long and short of it is, “it depends,” and “it’s up to you.” There is no “right” answer.

RAW files are digitally unprocessed image files that come straight from your camera. They have no adjustments or alterations made to them so that when you load them into your post-processing software, you have the utmost of flexibility in altering things like exposure, white balance, and the like. The RAW “recipe” varies between camera manufacturers, which means that the file formats are not universal between software brands and versions. For example, when I upgraded from my Canon Rebel XTi to my Canon 7D I also had to upgrade from Photoshop CS3 to CS5, because CS3 didn’t support the 7D’s RAW files.

The DNG file type is very similar to a RAW file in that it is an unprocessed image file that can be manipulated and altered. It is an image standard developed by Adobe and is intended to be a type of “generic” RAW file that is universally compatible regardless of the camera brand. Upon import, the RAW files that your camera took are converted into the DNG file format (so, the RAW files are still on your camera’s memory card until you format it). More software programs can read DNG file formats than proprietary RAW file formats. For instance, if my files had been imported in the DNG format instead of RAW, Photoshop CS3 would have been able to read the files from my 7D.

Many photographers choose to convert their RAW files to DNG upon import for the following reasons:

- DNG files are smaller than RAW files (by around 15%). This is because “unrecognized metadata” (such as focus points and picture control settings) is stripped from the file.
- Any changes and adjustments made to the file are written to the DNG file itself, rather than appending a “sidecar” .xmp file which contains all of the changes.
- Photographers anticipate that the DNG file format will be supported farther into the future, minimizing the risk of obsolescence and incompatibility with future programs.

Many photographers choose to use RAW for the following reasons:

- RAW files open, import, save, and edit more quickly because there is no need to convert to another file format during the process.
- RAW files contain more metadata specific to the camera and the shot itself, which is important to many photographers.
- DNG files are not compatible with some brand-specific imaging products and solutions.

It is important to note that there is no difference in image quality between a DNG and a RAW file.

Personally, I have worked with both. I tend to stick with the RAW file format because I like lots of metadata, and it’s easier for me to go back to original RAW files when I want to try multiple editing techniques on a single image. There are many schools of thought on whether to stick with RAW or import to DNG. I found a handful of articles that you might find to be helpful in making your own decision.

Helpful Resources:

- To DNG or not to DNG at Lightroom Killer Tips
- RAW vs DNG – A Practical Overview of the Differences, a video by SLR Lounge
- A primer on the Digital Negative file format by Adobe.
- Understanding Digital Raw Capture by Adobe.

Do you have an opinion on whether to use RAW or DNG? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook Page.

Related posts:

1. Editing in Camera Raw
2. The Power of RAW!
3. Establishing a Post-Processing Routine

So I did it again:

And again:

I discovered that I LOVE looking at the world this way – almost like my camera is a sentient being, and this is what it’s like to see the world through its eyes (or, well, eye). By applying our knowledge of aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, perspective, and camera functionality we can take wonderful pictures without even looking through the viewfinder.

This weekend I challenge you to get low with your camera, and see what sort of images you can create without even looking! We would love to see your results on our Facebook Page.

Photos copyright Tiffany Joyce.

Related posts:

1. Your Weekend Photography Project – Manual and SOOC
2. Your Weekend Photography Project – Bokeh
3. Your Weekend Photography Project – Your Neighborhood

I was standing at the top of a mountain when I took this picture (click to enlarge). The wind was blowing, my hands were freezing (even in Arizona, it’s cold at an elevation of 7600 feet in January), it was about 4:30 in the afternoon, and I was completely blown away by this LIGHT.

This extremely tricky light.

I’m standing in the shadow cast by the peak of the mountain. The sky is overcast. Beams of light are hitting the landscape from mid-frame all the way to the horizon. There are reflections on the water (that’s Roosevelt Lake there, by the way). All the time my eyes are soaking it all in, my brain is thinking, “Now how the heck is my camera going to translate THIS?”

Pretty darn well, actually, with a little know-how applied by yours truly.

My Canon 7D locks in the exposure when I press the shutter half-way. If I achieve the exposure I want but need to recompose (which often times will change the exposure), I simply press the * button on the back of the camera, and compose away. The exposure remains locked for multiple shots if I hold down the * button while pressing the shutter (which is handy for panoramas when you don’t want obvious changes in exposure from frame to frame).

In the case of this photo, I wanted to meter for the sunlight hitting the landscape. Generally, Evaluative Metering works just fine but I wanted to make sure I nailed the exposure (it was hard to tell if I was capturing it just right on the image preview). In this case I used Center Weighted Average, as the brightest point I wanted to expose for was at the center of the frame. Then just to make REALLY sure, I bracketed the shots at -1 stop, 0, and +1 stop. This shot just happened to turn out just fine with no exposure compensation. But, you know, it’s always good to be sure.

I did a bit of color and contrast correction (darn haze) and sharpening in Lightroom, and this was the result! Taken with a Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS at f/16, ISO 400, 1/125th.

Has there been a shot recently that you REALLY wanted to get right, and took extra steps to ensure that you did so? We’d love to hear about it, and see your results! Please share with us in the comments or on our Facebook Page.

Photo copyright Tiffany Joyce.

Related posts:

1. Balancing Ambient Light with a Speedlite
2. Painting with light!
3. Photography 101 – Exposure Bracketing

Sometimes it’s easy to focus so much on the subject that you forget to visually survey the background and decide if you want it to be part of the photo. Below are some of the things I’ve seen in photos or experienced myself that diminish the quality of the photo.

Household clutter – I’ve seen photos where there were dirty clothes on the floor, dirty dishes on the kitchen counter and other day-to-day household clutter. If you’re shooting indoors, make sure the area you’re shooting in is neat and clean. Otherwise, when someone else looks at the photo the first thing they’ll see is the clutter, not the subject.

Background too busy – Whether indoors or outdoors, when shooting a subject in front of a busy background, the viewer’s eye is drawn away from the subject to all the objects, colors or activities in the background. Over the years, I’ve seen photos where it was even difficult to tell what the subject was. Okay, over the years I’ve taken some of those photos.

Background is too dramatic – It is possible to have a background that is so dramatic that the viewer wonders why there’s a person in the way when the photographer was actually photographing the person and not the background. There are places in Seattle, WA that afford some spectacular views of Mt. Rainier on a clear day. There’s a little park on the top of Queen Anne hill in Seattle where on a clear day I used to sit and watch Mt. Rainer as the sunset turned the snow covered mountain from white, to pink to purple. Breathtaking.

One day I arrived there to watch the mountain at sunset and observed someone with a camera photographing a bride, dressed in her gown, and using Mt. Rainier as a backdrop. I think I understand what the photographer was trying to do, but I would be willing to bet that a few years later if the bride was showing the photos to some friends or family members that weren’t from the Seattle area, the first comment they might make is, “Wow! What an awesome mountain. Where is it?”

Unexpected people or things in the background of the photo – A few years back I was photographing a fully restored 1929 Duesenberg J automobile. I also had two people in period dress that were going to pose with the car. I had these great creative thoughts about the photos and how I was going to finish them in sepia and make the resulting photos look old and worn. I painstakingly selected the spot and angle to make sure there wasn’t anything modern in the background. I probably took 20-25 photos. I was really excited until I saw the results. Across the sky in all of the photos were two jet contrails. In today’s digital age with Photoshop this is fairly easy to correct. With the film I was using, not so much.

When you’re photographing outside the studio keep these things in mind:

• Study the background before you start shooting. Make sure there’s nothing in the background that you don’t want. Avoid surprises after the shoot.

• Select a background that enhances the photo not detract from it.

• In the studio I can move the lights around to get the lighting I want. If you’re shooting outdoors you can’t move the sun around. This means that you may have to move the subject after you thought you were set to shoot so you can get the lighting you need or want. When you do this make sure you start over with the background.

• Remember that if the sky is in the shot, it’s part of the background.

• Once you’ve selected the location where you’re satisfied with the background and have started shooting, look at your background from time to time to make sure nothing has changed.

If you keep these tips in mind when shooting you’ll produce more and better photographs and fewer snapshots.

By now you may be wondering where are the photos that are usually included with the articles on Beyond Megapixels. There are two reasons there are none with this article.

1. I’ve taken a number of photos over the years that violate everything in this article. Where do you think I got all the ideas? However, when I do screw up a photo this way I delete it. There’s no reason to keep it around although I could have used some of them here.

2. While I could find a lot of photos on Flick to illustrate the points I was trying to make, I won’t use someone else’s photo to show what not to do.

One last tip, don’t get so anxious about the background that you miss the photo you wanted to take.

Related posts:

1. Studio Backdrops/Backgrounds
2. First Time Studio Session
3. Build a Home Photo Studio for Under $800

I have a new go-to bag for extended travel. The Case Logic SLR Camera/Laptop Backpack (model SLRC-206) is everything I need for a road trip or plane trip. It is roomy enough to fit all of my essential equipment, but low-profile and lightweight enough to lug around all day or stash in overhead/under-seat storage on a plane.

My Canon Rebel, used for illustration purposes.

It’s got this great feature called the “Hammock Suspension System”, which suspends the camera inside the bag in a way that is easy to reach for quick retrieval. The top portion of the front panel zips open and is stopped by two small velcro straps covering the zipper, which prevent it from zipping all the way open unless you purposefully release the straps. The camera can be easily retrieved and replaced and is held secure by the suspension system. If you have a larger lens or lens with a hood (as is my case) you can remove the suspension system (which is held in place by velcro), and the camera will still be held in place by the inner storage framework and adjustable divider panels.

Hammock System, photo courtesy of Case Logic.

The laptop sleeve can hold up to a 17″ laptop, which is perfect for my needs – it seems to me that a lot of camera bags hold 15″ or 16″ laptops, but nothing as big as 17″. There are plenty of pockets, panels, and sleeves to hold memory cards, batteries, chargers, power cords, and various other peripherals. In addition, you can secure a tripod with straps along the side of the backpack, and it has a water-resistant base so you can feel confident setting it on the ground. Plus, it stands upright really well, even fully-loaded.

I used Case Logic's photo, because it was so much tidier than my gear!

Construction is very sturdy, and the straps are organized in such a way that there are no annoying, dangling lengths of strap. Everything is very well padded, I have no worries at all when it bounces around in the back of our Jeep when we go off-roading. The interior is a bright orange color, which, when you think about it, is very helpful. It’s so much easier to see black-colored lenses and accessories against the bright background.

I regularly carry my Canon EOS 7D with my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS attached, a 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS, a 50mm f1.4, a Speedlite 580EX II Flash, and my Sony VAIO 17.3-Inch Laptop. Everything fit easily, and if I had organized things a little differently I probably could have fit more. I highly recommend this camera/laptop backpack! It retails for $134.99, but is on sale RIGHT NOW (1/20/12) for $107.99.

*The Author received complimentary products in exchange for mentioning the Provider’s products and/or services on this website. Such compensation received did not and will never influence the content, topics or posts made on this website. We will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

Related posts:

1. Product Review – Think Tank Airport Acceleration V2.0 Camera Bag
2. Product Review – Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap
3. Review: Union Street Camera Bag by ONA

Fujifilm announced the introduction of the X-Pro1, which sports a new CMOS sensor that is supposed to provide resolution that is equal to, if not better than, a full size sensor. Three lenses, the “XF18mmF2 R”, “XF35mmF1.4 R” and “XF60mmF2.4 R Macro” will be available immediately. Techradar has done a full hands-on review that you should check out if you’re interested in this little gem. (Photo courtesy of Fujifilm.)

Sigma Photo revealed the APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens, which is the first lens of this focal length that maintains a 1:1 ratio with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It’s designed for full-frame cameras, but can also be used on crop sensor cameras for an effective focal length of 260mm. It also has optical stabilization for hand-held shots. I will be VERY interested to try one of these babies out. (Photo courtesy of Sigma Photo.)

Nikon revealed its new flagship D4, and is one of the few products to come out around the CES to state a price – a whopping $5,999.95 (why can’t they just make it $6k, really?). The ISO expands to 204,800. You read that right, TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED. You could find your way out of cave when your flashlight battery runs out, shot by shot. Other perks include an MP FX-format CMOS sensor, and 10 fps continuous shooting. (Photo courtesy of Nikon.)

Has anyone heard of Lytro? Yeah, me either. But they are releasing the world’s first light field camera, which has got the photography industry buzzing madly. As it is explained on the Lytro website, “…the Lytro camera captures the entire light field, which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space.” I am very, VERY interested in this camera. It’s currently retailing at $399 ($499 if you want red). (Photo courtesy of Lytro.)

So, friends! What neat gadgets came out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show that you’re particularly excited about? Share with us in the comments, or over on our Facebook Page!

* All pictures, trademarks and brand names owned by corporations and entities as noted.

Related posts:

1. Depth-of-Field In Depth
2. Photography in the News: Charging Friends for Services
3. Photography in the News: Make me a memory

When you look at most professional portraits you might think that the photographer had a really nice studio in a room of their home or even a really nice space in an office building or a retail building. The truth is that most photographers have their studios in old warehouses, garages of their home or other roomy spaces that are unfinished. In fact, all the photographs in this article, except the last one, were taken in my garage. Using an open, unfinished, uncluttered space provides the photographer with the greatest amount of flexibility in the setting up of backdrops, props and lights. This really isn’t any different from the sound stages in Hollywood and elsewhere where movies, TV programs and commercials are shot. The beauty isn’t in the surroundings of a studio; it’s the ability to shoot in a controlled environment where the photographer has almost complete creative freedom.

Other than camera, lenses and lights, probably the most important item is the backdrop/background. With outdoor shooting, the backdrop is going to be much more varied, but other than selecting the location and time of day, the photographer has little or no control over the background. With indoor shooting, particularly studio shooting the photographer is in charge and can select the background. Most photographers most of the time will employ a backdrop for portraiture photography. This begs the question of what backdrops should a photographer have if he or she wants to build a portrait studio?

Before I start, I know this is one of those subjects where there isn’t any right answer. What works for one photographer may or may not work for another photographer. So much of the choice of backdrops depends on the likes and dislikes of the photographer, what they want to do with their portrait photography and their subjects or clients. Because of this, I’m not going to make a list of the ten backdrops every photographer absolutely has to have. What I will do in this article is to tell you what works for me and why.

I really like high-key portraiture. The stark-white background and nothing going on in the image but the model creates a challenge for photographer in getting the lighting correct and making sure the background is white. There are two was to achieve this as demonstrated by the next two images.

In this image I’m using a white vinyl backdrop that is 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. I can raise the backdrop high enough to give me ample room above the subject and still have enough backdrop to bring it forward to cover the floor where the model is standing in the event I want a full length photograph. Even though the back ground is white, it’s still necessary to put light on it when shooting to ensure that the white background is white. Without putting light on the background (I use one of my strobes) the background will look grey in the photo. If I want a grey background I don’t put any light on it. Essentially, I have a 2-in-1 background.

The backdrop I used in this photo will always be white. In this setup I used a strobe light with a 53″ octa-box pointing directly at the back of the model. It’s a lot of fun trying to get all the lights at the correct power, but once it’s set up the way you want it, you’ll have a white background in every shot.

As much as I love high-key photography, not everyone likes it and that includes clients. And, frankly, not everyone looks good with a white background. It’s important to have a neutral backdrop as well. They come in all different colors shapes and sizes. My preference is a canvas backdrop with earth tone colors. These are available hand painted, very expensive, and computer painted, not quite as expensive. The backdrop in the image below is computer painted, canvass and 10′ X 20′. It has the added advantage of having 4 different backdrop looks. I can connect either end on either side to the supports and get a somewhat different look with each one.

Canvas backdrops aren’t cheap. A canvas, computer painted backdrop from the supplier/manufacturer I purchase from can cost around $800 plus shipping. You have to sell a lot of portraits to break even on a backdrop that expensive. Fortunately, I was able to buy the backdrop you seen in the photo above, used, from another photographer. One recommendation I would make is that if you’re looking to buy something, photography related, especially something that doesn’t break or wear out, look for used equipment from other photographers. Photographers get tired of used the same backdrop all the time or a particular backdrop no longer fits with the kind of photography that want to do.

Sometimes the best background for a photo is black. A black background is dramatic. It can convey a mood that no other background can. Black backdrops, like white and other solid color backdrops aren’t overly expensive. However, it’s not necessary to buy a black backdrop. The image above was taken at a ballroom dancing competition in a very large hotel ballroom using a Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash. There was no backdrop other than chairs and people. You can achieve a black background by adjusting the lighting. How to do that is another article.

Backdrops come in a wide variety of colors, patterns and materials. The variety seems almost endless and there’s no way I can cover all of them here. I will say that muslin backdrops are lightweight, easy to handle and inexpensive. I don’t care for them because they wrinkle and/or crease easily and it’s difficult to get them to hang flat and straight. You can get paper backdrops on a large roll. They are quick and easy to change from one backdrop to another. If you’re shooting a lot, tearing 20′ of paper off the roll every time you have a shoot can become expensive. But whatever works best for you is the best backdrop for you.

Photo Credits: All photos by Steve Russell

Related posts:

1. Backgrounds and Backdrops Outside The Studio
2. Studio Session -Technical Aspects
3. My Dream Photo Studio

However, that capability to take photos in low light costs us in the way of increased noise.

Noise is that “grain” you see, which when magnified appears as tiny speckles of white and tiny colored specks that don’t correspond to the color of the subject. It is caused by a variety of things, but not to put too fine a technical point on it, it basically has to do with how the components of the camera’s sensor handle electronic signals at high ISO settings. The higher the ISO, the higher the appearance of noise. The larger the camera’s sensor, the better quality the photographs taken at a high ISO will be – so, a photo taken with a crop sensor camera at ISO 6400 will have more noise than a photo taken with a full frame sensor at ISO 6400. In addition, each camera model and each camera brand handle noise differently. Lots of folks like to play around with noise and grain as an added artistic element to their photographs.

With all of that said, there are ways to reduce the noise in your photographs, regardless of how high your ISO or which camera you use. Just keep in mind that the more noise you reduce, the “softer” the appearance of the photograph.

Here is a photo that I took with my Canon EOS 7D, ISO 12,800. Ordinarily, ISO settings are only available up to 6,400, but I activated the ISO expansion option on my camera. This shot is straight out of the camera (click to enlarge):

As you can see, it’s pretty grainy. And actually, zoomed out the grain is fairly aesthetically pleasing, given the subject. When I zoom in using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3, the amount of noise is very apparent (click to enlarge):

In the Develop module of Lightroom, you may have noticed the “Detail” panel:

In the “Noise Reduction” area, slide the “Luminance” slider to the right until all of the white speckles disappear. I had to drag it all the way over to 51 (click to enlarge):

Now, notice the purple-ish speckles and streaks in the spoke on the lower left? That’s an indication of color noise, and to remove it we just slide the “Color” slider over to the right until it disappears, as well (click to enlarge):

Here is the photo with the noise levels reduced (click to enlarge):

Removing noise also has the added benefit of reducing the file size. The original is 16.6 MB, and the file with the noise reduced is 10.5 MB. This application of noise reduction works in a similar fashion in Photoshop, Aperture, and other post-processing software.

Photos by Tiffany Joyce.

Related posts:

1. A Splash of Color in Lightroom
2. My Lightroom Workflow
3. Image Stabilization and Vibration Reduction Explained