Removing noise? Use it in moderation
Thursday 27 November 2025, 14:41 by Nando Harmsen | 2,029 views | 1 commentThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
When there is noise in a photo, we are quick to reach for noise reduction. But be careful, as with everything, too much is bad for you. Use it in moderation.
Noise reduction is a useful tool. It can make a photo full of noise presentable. But thoughtless noise reduction can also have the opposite effect.
Sometimes it seems that 'we' are allergic to noise. As soon as noise is spotted, noise reduction must be brought out. 'We' even zoom in to 100% to discover the noise. You know the sort of thing: pixel peeping.
Noise is caused by a high ISO setting, sometimes in combination with more extreme post-processing. Raising shadows in particular can be disastrous and make the noise almost jump off your screen. Of course, you will want to remove this.
But do not remove everything. Do not smooth it out until everything is flat and there is no noise left to be found. Noise is like the pores of a photo. It allows the photo to breathe. By removing every trace of noise, you block those pores.
Noise reduction is not wrong. But use it in moderation. Always leave a little noise behind. That makes the photo more real, more realistic. As soon as the noise is gone, your photo will look like plastic. Unreal, artificial.
About the author
Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.
You might also like
-
Which is better? Stacking or noise reduction?by Nando Harmsen
-
New update for Lightroom Classic enables AI noise reductionby Nando Harmsen
-
Why I Usually Don't See Noise as a Problemby Yljas Roeper
-
Street photography tip: Limit your ISO value and therefore your noiseby Michiel Heijmans
1 comment
-
Donald Willemsen
wrote on Friday 28 November 2025 at 00:04
| reply
Nando, it does me good to read an article like this. I regularly notice that photographers and especially hobby photographers complain bitterly about noise. The so-called pixel peepers.
Translated from Dutch.
To give you an example. I photograph with a Canon Eos R7 and often with an ISO value of 6400. Of course, you can see a bit of noise when you look at it at 100%, but that noise isn't even bothersome then. If you feel it's necessary, it's easy to remove and you don't have to start moving the sliders around rigorously.
I have already heard photographers talk about the R7 and call it a 'noise box'. Why buy that camera then? I think that qualification is unjustified. Absurd even.
Many photographers are afraid of noise. I think you shouldn't be afraid of it, precisely because noise reduction software has become so good nowadays that you can remove it quite easily, without even losing detail in the photo.
So I can really relate to your article.
Have your say
Please note: Articles older than a week can only be commented on by signed-in visitors.Would you still like to comment? sign in or create a free account.
Become a better photographer every week
A practical photography tip in your inbox every week.
39,179 photography enthusiasts already receive the tips! More about the weekly mail. Or keep up to date via 
Facebook.
Elja Trum
Photofacts; everything to do with photography!
Would you like to take better photos and keep up with what is happening in photography? Photofacts publishes articles that teach you something about photography — from a product announcement to a practical shooting tip or a look at a website. Photofacts covers photography every day and is a hobby project of Elja Trum's that got out of hand. The articles are written by a team of volunteer authors. If you would enjoy writing one or more articles for Photofacts, do get in touch.More about PhotofactsPhotofacts is made possible in part by
