Noise annoys

James Blonde

James Blonde

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Scott
Edit My Images
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I've been looking at submitting some of my images to (micro)stock agencies as an experiment. In terms of the rejections, the feedback so far has been too generic for me to really get an idea what the problem with the images are, however I'm fairly certain that noise is probably one good reason some of the images have been rejected. One of the most interesting aspects of submitting stock images has been that I realised that I've rarely looked at my images at 100%! Basic I know! I've tended to edit the image at (say) 25%, remove blemishes and spots at 100% but not really inspect the image. I've fixed that now! But that's obviously why I've missed noise being a problem.

I'm using a D7100 (or a D90 IR converted) and shoot at ISO100 (200 on the D90). Noise shouldn't be so much of a problem (or so I'd think!) but does regularly appear, particularly in sunset and dusk shots (as I guess you'd expect). I'm using Google Color Efex / Silver Efex Sharpener Pro and Define in post processing. Whilst Define does have a positive effect on noise, it still doesn't seem enough for some of the resubmissions. Any better tools for noise reduction? Should I also be looking to reduce my image sizes rather than submitting at 100%? Is this a potential reason to consider a new, full frame, camera? Is there much I can do in camera, and in post processing, to avoid creating more noise? (I guess avoid sharpening!)

Ta! :D
 
I think the question here is why are you submitting to these agencies?

Are you hoping to make money from them because, although I've never submitted to any, from feedback I've read the chances of making any meaningful money is quite slim especially since you will be competing with many others all doing the same thing.

If that's so then will you make enough to make buying a camera a realistic proposition?

Perhaps you could post a number of the shots you have submitted for critiques of them and to see what problems you have.
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Why am I submitting? Because having them sit on my hard drive gathering dust seems pointless. Maybe they'll make something, maybe they wont, but it's worth a shot. As for making enough for a new camera, no chance!

Mind you, having said that, stock may not be for me - I'm really in 2 minds about it and keep flitting between both. I edited this post after reading the phrase I'd written (and now removed) "money isn't really the consideration" and thinking "is my work really worth so little to me?!" Actually, I'd love to make some money from my photography, but I have no idea how to! As a landscape photographer right at the start of taking things a bit more seriously, I can't see myself ever being able to give up my day job, but I think there is some value in my work - I just don't know what that value is and how to access it!

I may indeed put some up for critique as I think I really need that kind of feedback to improve and move forward at the moment.

But noise is something that I know I could learn to handle better!
 
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Incidentally, I've put some of the approvals and rejections up here for critique. The image sizes are reduced for Flickr, but you can see some noise on the Dawlish Sea King pic, particularly when looking at the nose of the helicopter. I reworked that image to massively reduce some of the noise, but the resubmission was also rejected (I haven't uploaded that one). Maybe still noise (in which case I'm in trouble!), maybe something else.

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/stock-rejections-vs-stock-approved.602987/
 
James Blonde said:
Incidentally, I've put some of the approvals and rejections up here for critique. The image sizes are reduced for Flickr, but you can see some noise on the Dawlish Sea King pic, particularly when looking at the nose of the helicopter. I reworked that image to massively reduce some of the noise, but the resubmission was also rejected (I haven't uploaded that one). Maybe still noise (in which case I'm in trouble!), maybe something else.

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/stock-rejections-vs-stock-approved.602987/
Click to expand...

The main factors in noise are things such as working beyond the cameras usable high ISO limits, over correction in exposure, pulling detail out of shadow. You can make noise worse with bad sharpening when sharpening tools see the pretty little white dots and try to sharpening them, thinking they are contrast edges, and will make the noise even worse. You can avoid this using alternative sharpening methods such as the high pass filter.
 
Thanks aTog! I need to have a look at alternative filtering, sharpening and noise reduction really. I've only tended to use whatever is in ACR or the Google / Nik tools and never really looked in to the filters in PS. I think the reason I'm slightly puzzled is that I am generally working within the camera and processing limits (rarely above the minimum ISO on the camera), and I've tended not to use sharpen or noise reduction until fairly recently (and you can see what effect it's having on noise when you're processing, as the interface always magnifies). I have a sneaking suspicion that some of the Google / Nik filters are maybe adding noise - I do tend to use small amounts the micro-contrast and detail tools a fair bit, so I guess that would make sense.
 
Silver Efex Pro, while a decent plug-in, can generate noise if you are not careful with the sliders, Dfine is a good noise reduction plug-in, but like most noise reduction, it can make images look 'soft' and in the case of skin tones they can look waxy.
 
Yeh, if I'm using Silver Efex, I'm always conscious of the noise slider but yes, even at it's highest setting, noise is sometimes a feature from other adjustments, especially as most of my black and white images are infrared!
 
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