This morning a lightbulb went off. I wondered if the noise reduction techniques I was employing in Lightroom might be the culprit. After 6 months of disappointment and with help from Google, I finally learned that over-applying the noise reduction feature in Lightroom does indeed result in loss of sharpness. The Noise Reduction slider has two choices: Luminous and Color. I was using the Luminous slider at 100 when it should have been 50 or less. Yes, I got some dreamy backgrounds; however, I failed to notice that it was at the cost of my subject. This is how I learn, by doing the WRONG things! Sigh.
These are some shots I took during the month of March, applying less rigorous noise reduction. Although some noise may be present, I am more satisfied that the images appear sharper. A little noise is preferable to loss of sharpness. N'est-ce pas?
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| Carolina chickadee |
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| Downy woodpecker, male |
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| Northern cardinal, female |
I apologize for the technical nature of this post for those that don't get into all that, but I hope I help someone out there that might be struggling with the same issue. If you have any questions about Lightroom and the Noise Reduction panel (or any other feature in LR), please do not hesitate to ask me!
A question for those technically inclined: should I turn off Image Stabilization if my camera is mounted on a wobbly, flimsy tripod?
Sharing with Weekly Top Shot.
I loved reading all the technical stuff since I am so new to photography. It would be wonderful to have you as a teacher....Your photographs are always so amazing and now I know why.....you know all the information about the camera and processing....WOW I have so much to learn...but it's fun being outside with a camera.....
ReplyDeleteah, good for you! i do not use lightroom, but glad you found what was causing the problem! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the one with a little red in the hair - I had my hair done that way for awhile. lol sandie
ReplyDeleteYour shots are great either way. The tiny hairy feathers show up great on the little guy. Why don't you do some testing with identical shots using your tripod, with IS on and then IS off? Even if your tripod is not the most stable, it probably isn't moving unless the wind is high. Use of a remote shutter will help also.
ReplyDeleteI can always use help in the technical field. I only hope to someday be as good of a photographer as what you are....enjoyed these sweet photos of birds..
ReplyDeletehugs
Glad you had an epiphany. Everything I read says no IS when on tripod. But my tripod is in the closet, so what do I know!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, my friend.
oh sheesh, i wish i had known your problem, or maybe i did but was thinking it was camera related, as in my LR class, that was something that was taught right away....don't overuse the noise reduction. dang, i could have saved you the headache !!
ReplyDeletelove the cardinal....love love love !!
my "stabilization" is built into my camera, so i never have to worry about my lenses, so i say, leave it on no matter what....but that's just me :)
xo
These images look very sharp and beautiful. What you had to do to achieve this seems kind of counter-intuitive, but I guess that goes to show how poorly I understand technical stuff. It's really good to know these things, though, so I appreciate it anytime a photographer shares.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Cardinal shot!
ReplyDeleteI always love your images and these are stunning!
ReplyDeleteI just purchased LR so I will take note of that feature when editing. (I have a ton of them from a recent trip to the Grand Canyon to go through.)
I also appreciate the tip on using a higher ISO for shooting birds. I didn't realize you could go that high without tons of noise.
Very nice pcs (from one who just got brave enough to move the dial off of "auto" on her new camera).
ReplyDeleteYou were not happy with your pictures while I was marvelling at their crispness.These look great and I guess if you are happy with them,that's all that matters.I too,keep on learning,at a slow speed,I might add.
ReplyDeleteWow..love these.. Michelle
ReplyDeleteI think these are all lovely. But then you already know I'm a fan.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! There's a give and take both in the initial settings and in processing. You usually have to sacrifice something, even a minor sacrifice, to get the main objective. In my book, sharpness trumps digit noise every time. Modern cameras do a great job of handling noise at high ISO's and the sensors keep getting better. People could get the shot they want if they would get past the fear of higher ISO's. I still want to use the lowest possible, but if the lowest possible is higher than normal, so be it. Noise isn't always bad, either. In your second photo, the chickadee really pops against the background and in the third photo, the noise on the leaves gives it an artful effect.
ReplyDeleteHi there - I wish I had started using LR years ago - its worth the money just for the tagging features.
ReplyDeleteI use sharpen, rather than noise reduction and always shoot at the lowest ISO I can get away with. My "default" setting is 200 for birds - and then I just fiddle if I cant get the shutter speed / aperture combination I want.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
PS, Nice pictures!
Wow - what sharpness and detail. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGail, these are awesome shots! And cute birds! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the wonderful tips. I love to play in LR. I just need a better camera. LOL... Your shots are fabulous. Crystal clear my friend.
ReplyDeleteHugs~
I can definitely tell the difference, especially in the chickadees!
ReplyDeleteOf course you know that I'm not at all technical, but as long as you include these wonderful sharp images of beautiful birds no apology is necessary!
ReplyDeleteLove it, Gail - it makes for much more natural photos!!!
ReplyDeleteI REALLY need to quit being such a hardhead and read up on how to do more than just the VERY basic editing I do in Elements! Not that it would help my photos, but it couldn't hurt them any!!
ReplyDeleteCatch up on the previous post: I am AMAZED at the quality of picture you can take with your phone!!
Thanks for the tip! I'm a slow learner so anything you suggest will surely help me. :)
ReplyDeleteLoving the northern Cardinal! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteI gotta say your images have always been eye catching and stunning and and and well beautiful!! You are so cool in sharing your tip and ideas and even your mistakes -- but I find it all totally needed for me me me to improve some MORE -- and I am stuck -- in the between some level and I am trying to get beyond to a higher level-- and you have been a great HELP!
ReplyDeleteHugs
They are beautiful to me but I have no clue what you're talking about lol.
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots, all of them. I enjoyed reading the tech stuff, it's how we learn. At least it's how I learn, in little, easy to digest bits.
ReplyDeleteHi Gail! Your photos are terrific and I'm really impressed that you are digging in with Lightroom and solving the noise/sharpening challenges. Really excellent!! (And I must say much better bird photos than I've ever gotten even though our property is full of birds.)
ReplyDeleteAs for the image stabilization, generally it's not intended for tripod use but if your tripod is wobbly, it may work. They might be fighting each other, though.
Have a great week!
G